Airbus planes need a manual fix for engine leaks, not just software

The US aviation regulator is requiring Airbus to update flight manuals for some of its planes. Pilots will now have to manually shut down an engine if a large leak occurs in the bleed air system.

This change means pilots must perform a specific manual action in an emergency, rather than relying solely on automated software. It highlights a common tension in modern aircraft design: how much control should remain with the pilot versus automated systems. This particular fix is for a software flaw that could not fully protect against a large engine bleed duct leak.