About the pitot sensors, although the BEA does not think that they are the cause of the crash, Airbus has acknowledged yesterday that they certainly were at least good for the junkyard and should be replaced by Goodrich sensors, and the EASA has finally decided to do something:
PARIS, July 30 (Reuters) - The European Aviation Safety Agency plans to recommend a ban on the type of speed sensor installed on the Air France (
AIRF.PA) Airbus jet which crashed in the Atlantic last month, a spokesman said on Thursday.
A proposed ruling would also ration the number of a newer type of sensor made by same manufacturer, France's Thales (
TCFP.PA), to just one per plane, he told Reuters.
This means that at least two of three speed-measuring devices fitted on each jet would have to be supplied by the only other manufacturer, Goodrich (
GR.N) of the United States.
The ruling would apply to all Airbus A330 jets equipped with speed sensors -- known as pitot probes -- made by Thales, as well as to the broadly similar A340 airplane.
"EASA will recommend that all A330 and A340 Airbus aircraft currently equipped with Thales pitot probes should be fitted with at least 2 Goodrich probes," said Daniel Holtgen, chief spokesman for the agency responsible for aviation safety in the European Union.
No timescale for the proposed changes was available.
Apparently faulty readings from the sensors are at the centre of an investigation into the crash of an Air France A330 while en route from Brazil to Paris on June 1. The crash during a severe Atlantic storm killed all 228 people on board.
(Reporting by Tim Hepher)
Things are beginning to improve in the closed circuit BEA AF DGAC EASA AIRBUS AIR FRANCE