A330 Airlines Distance Themselves From Sensors

Brazil's air force, meanwhile, said that technicians would replace the Pitot tubes on an Airbus A319 used by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva because of a recommendation from the jet's manufacturer more than a month before the Air France crash.

Air force Col. Henry Munhoz said the tubes will be replaced during regular maintenance now under way, but insisted the work was not being performed because of the crash.

About 70 airlines operate versions of the 600 twin-engined A330s in use around the world.

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Associated Press Writers Greg Keller in Paris, Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Alan Clendenning in Sao Paulo and Harry R. Weber in Atlanta contributed to this report.