AeroTrail

Introduction.

Airbus has issued an emergency technical advisory affecting the A320 family of aircraft worldwide following a serious incident, when a JetBlue A320 experienced an uncommanded altitude drop during a flight from Cancun to Newark. Investigations revealed that intense solar radiation, including solar flares and cosmic rays, can corrupt critical flight-control data in the aircraft’s Elevator/Aileron Computers (ELAC), potentially causing sudden changes in the aircraft’s attitude. In response, Airbus Aircraft issued an Alert Operators Transmission requiring immediate corrective measures, including software updates for most affected aircraft and hardware replacements for older models. The EASA – European Union Aviation Safety Agency followed with an Emergency Airworthiness Directive on 28 November 2025, mandating compliance before further passenger operations. The advisory impacts approximately 6,000 A320-family aircraft globally, causing widespread flight cancellations and delays as operators implement the required updates.

Conferences and Events.

Uganda, through its Ministry of Works and Transport and the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), hosted the 48th East African Consultative Meeting on Facilitation of Air Transport (EAC-FAL) at Speke Resort Munyonyo from 26th–28th November 2025. The meeting brought together delegates from the East African Community, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the EAC Civil Aviation Safety & Security Oversight Agency (CASSOA), the African Union Commission, and other partner agencies. In his opening remarks, Minister Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala highlighted Uganda’s commitment to regional aviation cooperation, improved passenger facilitation, and enhanced air transport efficiency, noting that Entebbe International Airport handled over 243,000 international passengers in August 2025 and that Uganda Airlines had expanded its network to 17 destinations. UCAA representatives emphasized the need to harmonize facilitation standards across the region in line with ICAO Annex 9 to ensure seamless movement of passengers, cargo, and aircraft