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After the huge plane crash just last week, Air France has now agreed to replace sensors on all of their Airbus A3309 and A340 airplanes. The sensors that will be replaced on the planes are parts that are suspected to have anything to do with last week’s crash. One part that investigators are looking into is the role of the airspeed sensor, which is known as the pitot tubes.

An Air France pilots union, named ALTER, has told pilots to avoid flying planes until they know that their pitot tubes have been replaced. Plane manufacturers do advise airlines that they should update their pitot tubes; however, this is just simply a suggestion and is by no way mandatory.

Investigators in Paris, France did find out last Saturday that the Air France flight sent out 24 automated error messages just four minutes before its crash. These messages suggest that the plane was flying either too slow or too fast through the severe thunderstorm. These error messages are one of the main reasons why investigators are paying such close attention to the airspeed sensors.

The first bodies from the crash were recovered last Tuesday. Two Brazilian helicopters, which are able to carry up to eight bodies each, took off for the Brazilian navy ship, which was carrying the 24 bodies that had been found at the time. Sources say that most of the bodies that were found were floating about 273 miles northeast of Fernando de Noronha archipelago, which is northeast of the Brazilian coast.

To add in the search, France is sending a submarine to the suspected crash site to search for the wreckage underwater. The United States will also be added in the search by sending in equipment that will help to determine the cause of the crash itself. One of the main goals, as of now, is to find the black box that records flight data and cockpit voices.

For more information visit: www.airfrance.com