PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - 717 Crew Alerting
View Single Post
Old 13th Nov 2006, 10:14
  #4 (permalink)  
vapilot2004
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: fairly close to the colonial capitol
Age: 55
Posts: 1,693
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Sim time here.......

Cap Bloggs puts it well, the 717 (MD-95) is a marriage between old and new.
There is an alerting and warning system that uses the EIS and an Aural module. The overhead has DC9 lineage, however guages have been replaced with EIS display data and the layout is simpler than the old girl. The annunciator panel of 100 lamps (well perhaps I exaggerate) is no more.

The EIS (Electronic Instrumentation System) consists of 6 LCDs - 2 PFDs, 2 NDs and 2 for the EAD (Engine Alert Display) and SD (System Display). EICAS like messages appear on the EAD and SD with action items for some alerts again like EICAS. The system can also display essential takeoff and landing checklists.

There are 4 levels of alerts:

Level 3 - RED (and Boxed) indicates an emergency condition that requires immediate action

Level 2 - AMBER (and Boxed) indicates an abnormal condition also requiring prompt attention

Level 1- AMBER (no box) indicates a system configuration confirmation, maintenance issue or other item requiring some action.

Level 0 - CYAN alerts are generally informational status items.


The EIS alerts and warnings are complimented by an aural warning system (CAWS) with voice output, like the GWPS, installed as a separate and enhanced version (EGPWS). Monitored system failures/abnormal flight conditions/Config issues include:

Engine Fire
APU Fire
Stall
Landing Gear
Altitude
Speed Brake
Cabin Altitude
Overspeed
Autopilot
Stabiliser Motion
Takeoff Warnings:
Brakes, Flap Slat Spoiler, Stab Rudder Trim
Windshear - Reactive and Predictive


The alerting/warning group (EGPWS,EIS and CAWS) is integrated nicely, but it is not as seamless (or painless) as the system an Airbus or the bigger Boeing brothers have.
vapilot2004 is offline