Airbus fly-by-wire systems have been under scrutiny since their 1988 ‘debut’ in the A320. A less than stellar demonstration this technology:

Now, the http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article6612165.ece are reporting that these same systems, combined with potentially defective pitot tubes, are being blamed for a pair of crashed, and have reported in many non-fatal events where failed speed sensors made the aircraft very difficult to control.

The first US incident occurred on May 21 when a TAM Airlines flight from Miami to Sao Paulo, Brazil, lost primary speed and altitude information while in cruise flight. The other was on a Northwest Airlines flight, on June 23, from Hong Kong to Tokyo.

Accounts on the internet from the pilots report a desperate struggle to keep the jet in the air.

Article: Airbus could be asked to ground all long-range airliners

There have been two storm related Airbus incidents in the last month. I’m sure many are looking into the possible connections.

As one of my favorite bumper stickers says:

If it ain’t Boeing, I’m not going!