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Old 5th Jun 2009, 10:16
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MLT
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
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Firstly, I am not a pilot, I am an aircraft engineer (without Airbus experience).

Secondly, I am not an ACARS expert and would be interested to find out the order of the faults.

What I can tell you is that the Rudder Travel Limiter, shown with a fault on the ACARS printout is designed to prevent excessive loading on the tail structure at high speeds.

As airspeed increases the amount of rudder travel permitted is limited. This is usually computed using inputs from the air data system to the flight control units.

I would be interested to find out from an Airbus Engineer exactly how this particular system works, and in particular how does the system fail safe if the RTL system was to fail at high speed/altitude?

Could it be possible that probe icing led to a lower computed airspeed which allowed the rudder travel limiting system to provide greater than necessary rudder travel?

MLT

Last edited by MLT; 5th Jun 2009 at 10:49.
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