Over half of affected airbus fleet upgraded after JetBlue pitch-down scare: DGCA

NEw new delhi: amerindic airlines feature already upgraded o'er 55% of the 338 unnatural Airbus aircraft and are on track to complete the remaining work within the regulator’s tight timeline, following an emergency airworthiness directive triggered by a pitch-down incident on an A320 operated by a the United States (US)-based airline, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said on Saturday.The regulator said that a total of 200 IndiGo aircraft, 113 of Air India and 25 of Air India Express were impacted after the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive (AD) following a recent incident in which an Airbus A320 experienced an uncommanded pitch-down, injuring several passengers on a JetBlue flight from Cancun to Newark on October 30.The aircraft was diverted to Tampa, where some passengers were hospitalised.A preliminary assessment by Airbus identified a malfunction in the Elevator Aileron Computer (ELAC) flight control computer as a possible trigger. To address the potential safety risk, Airbus issued an Alert Operators Transmission (AOT) on November 28, instructing airlines on software changes or replacement of the affected ELAC units.The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said on Saturday that it acted immediately with Indian carriers to draw up an action plan for completing the required upgrades within the stipulated time. “Based on the Airbus AOT and EASA Emergency AD, DGCA has issued a Mandatory Modification on November 29 prescribing the mandatory actions required for the continued safe operation of the aircraft,” the regulator said.As of 10 am on Saturday, Indian airlines reported steady progress in meeting the directive. IndiGo has completed software upgrades on 143 of its 200 affected aircraft and does not expect cancellations.The remaining work is underway across its base stations in Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Kolkata, with full compliance expected before 5.29 am on November 30, the DGCA said.Air India has 113 aircraft under the directive — 104 A320 NEOs (Air India’s fleet of 104 A320-family aircraft, which now includes a total of 104 planes with new or upgraded cabins) and nine A320 Current Engine Options (CEOs) — with upgrades completed on 42.The airline also expects no cancellations as work continues at its stations in Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Chennai, according to the regulator.Air India Express has 25 aircraft affected, with upgrades completed on four. The regulator said the airline anticipates eight delays but no cancellations, and expects all remaining work in Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai to be completed before 5.29 am on Sunday.Air India, in a statement on X, said its engineers have been “working round the clock” and that over 40% of its affected aircraft have already been reset. “We are confident of covering the entire fleet within the timeline prescribed by EASA,” it said, adding that there have been no cancellations so far, although minor delays or rescheduling may occur.IndiGo said it is working closely with Airbus to implement the instructions. “While we carry out the necessary inspections, we are making every effort to minimise disruptions. We regret any inconvenience this unforeseen situation may cause,” the airline said, emphasising that safety remains its top priorit