Airbus A320 safety questioned after cockpit suffers complete power failure

PA


The safety of certain Airbus A320 planes is being brought into question after more than 50 cases of multiple electronic failure came to light in a report revealed by the Associated Press.

One incident involved a flight carrying 107 people which ran into serious problems over New York City's crowded airspace when the cockpit suffered a complete power failure.

United Flight 731 was climbing out of Newark airport when the pilot and first officer found that their display navigational information screens were blank and their radios dead.

They had no way of detecting other planes around them or communicating with air traffic control.

First officer Douglas Cochran and the plane's captain managed to turn around and land safely - but he believes it was only the clear weather that saved them from crashing.

"I made a comment to the captain about steering clear of New York City, not wanting to get shot down by USAF fighters," said Cochran, speaking to the Associated Press.

Records reviewed by the news service have found more than 50 episodes involving multiple electrical failure on Airbus A320s, which went into service more than 20 years ago.

But could be another few years before the twin-engine jets used around the world are modified to correct the problem. The Federal Aviation Administration issued an order in 2010 giving US airlines four years to make the fixes, and its European counterpart did the same thing in 2009.

But aviation safety consultant Douglas Moss, who has been a pilot for 34 years, said the FAA should have acted a lot quicker.

"These things cost money and the industry is in bad shape, so you have the economics thrown into it. But if the end result is higher airfares and higher cost of transportation, then that is the price we have to pay to ensure a safe transport system."

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