Airbus a319 strange noise after landing

[Garrie]

Hi all,

I've just recently got back from Berlin, flying Easyjet on a a319.

The question I have is when the airbus parks up at the gate you can hear this weird grinding noise from underneath the plane, its almost sounds like a saw sawing wood, if that makes sense?

Can anyone tell me what this noise is please?

All the best
Garrie

[Founder]

Is when the aircraft has come to a complete stop or while its parking? be more exact!

[saman]

This is almost certainly the PTU - Power Transfer Unit - that you heard. It transfers hydraulic power - not fluid - between separate hydraulic circuits such that all systems can be powered if only one hydraulic pump is working - for instance when one engine is shut down at the begining or end of a flight.

Sounds awful - but it means the system's working!

[North Stand Tier3]

You might want to try searching this site. There's been several threads on this - think one had the term 'sawing noise' in it. The PTU makes a high pitch 'grinding' noise and the hydraulics automatically kick in when the cargo doors are actuated by the baggage lads (aswell as being selectable from the pointy end)

Right, I'll get me coat.............

[Skipness One Echo]

Agree it has been discussed before but agreeing that it sounds God awful and the aircraft has been flying for 22 years, why not fix it??????

[Garrie]

:O opps sorry I always forget to use the search function..

It should be me getting my coat :ugh:

Thanks for the replies :ok:

[tech22]

I understand that it's normal for the PTU to bark at times like after pushback etc, or at the gate when the cargo doors are opened, but is it normal to bark during takeoff? I was in a Frontier A318 yesterday from DEN to SFO and it was barking on takeoff and didn't stop until about 20 seconds into the climb.

[Flightlevel001]

Yes, its perfectly normal for the PTU to be running during the retraction of the landing gear.

[heebeegb]

yellow hyd system electric pump left on after single engine taxi.

[aviatordom]

Yup, most definitely the PTU

I've only heard it once, and yes it does sound pretty funny for the first time. I knew what it was before i've heard it on an actual flight. Some of the Pax found it quite odd!