ChrisJ800
26th Jun 2013, 02:13
Just read this WSJ article today:
Probe Likely to Urge Review of A380 Alerts - WSJ.com (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323683504578568142743568254.html?mod=googlen ews_wsj)
from Wall Street Journal:
"
By
ANDY PASZTOR
Australian accident investigators this week are expected to urge a review of the computer-generated system of emergency alerts used in the cockpits of Airbus superjumbo jets, according to industry officials, as part of the final report about a fiery engine blowout at 10,000 feet that severely damaged a Qantas Airways (http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&symbol=QAN.AU) Ltd. A380 in 2010.
The report is scheduled to be released Thursday in Canberra by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.
The officials said the report isn't expected to make any significant new recommendations affecting the Rolls-Royce (http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&symbol=RR.LN)engines that powered the double-decker Airbus A380 aircraft, which landed safely after the incident. Airbus is a unit of European Aeronautic Defence & Space (http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&symbol=EAD.FR) Co.
A manufacturing defect caused a metal disc in one of the plane's four engines to disintegrate, sending fragments exploding outward like supercharged shrapnel. That resulted in a fuel leak, extensive damage to electrical systems and degradation of flight controls, brakes and numerous sensors. Rolls-Royce has already made a host of manufacturing and other changes to prevent a repeat.
The report also isn't expected to recommend major changes to the design of the jet's airframe or its massive electrical grid, which includes bundles of electrical conduits inside the wings that suffered extensive damage in the incident.
The November 2010 accident attracted world-wide attention because of the extent of damage to the A380, which had taken off from Singapore carrying more than 440 people and was flying over Batam Island, Indonesia, when the crisis occurred. None of the passengers was injured.
The pilots heard two loud bangs, the plane's handling changed abruptly and the jetliner started leaking fuel, according to a preliminary report on the incident and the pilots' public statements.
The central alerting system set off a cascade of audible alarms in the cockpit, along with a barrage of computer messages warning pilots about damage to various systems.
The dozens of individual alarms meant constant low chirps and a string of louder, shrill warnings about malfunctions or developing problems.
The stream of alerts was so overwhelming that at one point Capt. Richard de Crespigny, who was in command, ordered other crew members to try to sort through the computer chatter while he focused on determining what systems remained intact in order to safely land the plane. After the A380 touched down, the cockpit crew had trouble turning off all its engines.
The Australian safety bureau's chief commissioner previously said the aircraft wouldn't have landed safely "without the focused and effective" efforts and cooperation of the pilots onboard.
During the course of the investigation, which initially was supposed to be over by the fall of 2012, Airbus safety experts have looked at possible changes to the cockpit-alerting system that would de-emphasize lower-priority messages, according to industry officials.
The concept is to perhaps reduce the overall number of warnings and allow pilots to focus on the most important ones, without having to address lower-priority messages.
Australian investigators have discussed the issue internally over the years, according to industry officials familiar with the matter. The final report is expected to at least raise the question of whether the current alerting system excessively increases pilot workload and—in an emergency—may have the unintended consequence of distracting the cockpit crew by providing huge amounts of marginal information.
The report, among other things, is expected to provide details about how the defective engine part was manufactured and inspected, as well as enhanced quality-control procedures put in place by Rolls-Royce since the event.
A Qantas spokesman said the company was unable to comment until the report's official release
"
editited QF10 to QF32 !
Probe Likely to Urge Review of A380 Alerts - WSJ.com (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323683504578568142743568254.html?mod=googlen ews_wsj)
from Wall Street Journal:
"
By
ANDY PASZTOR
Australian accident investigators this week are expected to urge a review of the computer-generated system of emergency alerts used in the cockpits of Airbus superjumbo jets, according to industry officials, as part of the final report about a fiery engine blowout at 10,000 feet that severely damaged a Qantas Airways (http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&symbol=QAN.AU) Ltd. A380 in 2010.
The report is scheduled to be released Thursday in Canberra by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.
The officials said the report isn't expected to make any significant new recommendations affecting the Rolls-Royce (http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&symbol=RR.LN)engines that powered the double-decker Airbus A380 aircraft, which landed safely after the incident. Airbus is a unit of European Aeronautic Defence & Space (http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&symbol=EAD.FR) Co.
A manufacturing defect caused a metal disc in one of the plane's four engines to disintegrate, sending fragments exploding outward like supercharged shrapnel. That resulted in a fuel leak, extensive damage to electrical systems and degradation of flight controls, brakes and numerous sensors. Rolls-Royce has already made a host of manufacturing and other changes to prevent a repeat.
The report also isn't expected to recommend major changes to the design of the jet's airframe or its massive electrical grid, which includes bundles of electrical conduits inside the wings that suffered extensive damage in the incident.
The November 2010 accident attracted world-wide attention because of the extent of damage to the A380, which had taken off from Singapore carrying more than 440 people and was flying over Batam Island, Indonesia, when the crisis occurred. None of the passengers was injured.
The pilots heard two loud bangs, the plane's handling changed abruptly and the jetliner started leaking fuel, according to a preliminary report on the incident and the pilots' public statements.
The central alerting system set off a cascade of audible alarms in the cockpit, along with a barrage of computer messages warning pilots about damage to various systems.
The dozens of individual alarms meant constant low chirps and a string of louder, shrill warnings about malfunctions or developing problems.
The stream of alerts was so overwhelming that at one point Capt. Richard de Crespigny, who was in command, ordered other crew members to try to sort through the computer chatter while he focused on determining what systems remained intact in order to safely land the plane. After the A380 touched down, the cockpit crew had trouble turning off all its engines.
The Australian safety bureau's chief commissioner previously said the aircraft wouldn't have landed safely "without the focused and effective" efforts and cooperation of the pilots onboard.
During the course of the investigation, which initially was supposed to be over by the fall of 2012, Airbus safety experts have looked at possible changes to the cockpit-alerting system that would de-emphasize lower-priority messages, according to industry officials.
The concept is to perhaps reduce the overall number of warnings and allow pilots to focus on the most important ones, without having to address lower-priority messages.
Australian investigators have discussed the issue internally over the years, according to industry officials familiar with the matter. The final report is expected to at least raise the question of whether the current alerting system excessively increases pilot workload and—in an emergency—may have the unintended consequence of distracting the cockpit crew by providing huge amounts of marginal information.
The report, among other things, is expected to provide details about how the defective engine part was manufactured and inspected, as well as enhanced quality-control procedures put in place by Rolls-Royce since the event.
A Qantas spokesman said the company was unable to comment until the report's official release
"
editited QF10 to QF32 !