Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe
General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action
Weather; Aircraft
We were cleared for takeoff on Runway 22L; as we initiated our takeoff at about 20 or 30 knots we received an ECAM message 'F/CTL ELAC 1 PITCH FAULT'. We rejected the takeoff and notified Tower that we aborted our takeoff and needed to clear the runway to perform a procedure for an alert we had received. After clearing the runway we applied QRH procedures and informed Maintenance Control. We were advised to do an ELAC1 reset which solved the problem. Upon completion of the procedure we proceeded to Runway 22L for another takeoff and received the same fault again with another rejected takeoff. After that we were advised by Maintenance Control to return to the gate. Maintenance deferred ELAC1 which required us to perform a fairly lengthy flight crew action associated with the MEL. After they completed the deferral there were no further faults were noted and the flight continued without any other faults.  Maintenance advised us that our aircraft was not the only one with this problem that morning; and it seemed that due to the extreme frigid cold temperatures over the USA; that it was playing havoc and the 'ELAC1 Pitch Fault' alert had happened to 6 other company aircraft.
A320 First Officer experiences an ELAC1 fault during takeoff and the takeoff is rejected. The ELAC is reset and the second takeoff attempt produces the same result. The crew returns to the gate and Maintenance defers ELAC1; allowing the fight to depart. The reported states that he was informed by Maintenance that six other company flights that morning had the same fault; which was attributed to extreme cold weather.