CaliToday (30/11/2025): A critical airworthiness directive has put Vietnam’s aviation sector on high alert, requiring a swift, mandatory software overhaul for a significant portion of the country's Airbus fleet.
Vietnam's Civil Aviation Authority (CAAV) has issued an urgent safety warning, demanding an immediate update to the flight control software on 81 Airbus aircraft operating within the country. This unprecedented measure follows a critical airworthiness directive concerning the ELAC (Elevator and Aileron Computer) system, a core component responsible for controlling the aircraft's altitude and lateral direction.
The Critical Deadline
The urgency of the situation was underscored by the strict deadline imposed on all affected airlines: the software update needed to be completed by 6:59 AM on Saturday, November 30th (Vietnam Time). This tight turnaround time necessitated a swift, high-priority operational response across all carriers, including major players like Vietnam Airlines and VietJet Air.
The Nature of the Flaw
While the CAAV has not disclosed the precise details of the flaw, airworthiness directives related to ELAC systems typically concern potential anomalies in how the computer processes data, which could, in rare instances, lead to erratic control surface movements. Given the system's role in maintaining stable flight path and handling, an emergency update suggests the issue poses a non-negotiable safety risk if left unaddressed.
CAAV's Urgent Response
In response to the international safety mandate, the CAAV convened an emergency meeting with representatives from all airlines operating the affected Airbus models (predominantly A320 and A321 families, which form the backbone of many regional fleets). The meeting was designed to coordinate the update process, ensure technical compliance, and verify that no aircraft would be flown past the deadline without the necessary software patches.
The successful completion of this large-scale, high-stakes software update demonstrates the rapid responsiveness of Vietnam’s airlines and the stringent oversight exercised by the CAAV in prioritizing passenger safety.