Airbus is modifying the primary flight control computer software used in A330/A340 aircraft to prevent problems leading to an uncommanded “pitchdown event”.

This is the result of a second interim report by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) into Qantas A330 in-flight incident on 7 October last year, when the aircraft enroute from Singapore to Perth experienced two uncommanded pitch-down events. One flight attendant and 11 passengers were seriously injured, and eight other crew members and at least 99 other passengers suffered minor injuries.

A final software standard is expected to be certified in mid- to late-2010, and will then be retrofitted to the worldwide fleet of A330/340 aircraft.