sharky
20th Feb 2001, 07:00
I was wondering what the main difference is between these two systems. I relaize that one s a Boeing product and the other is an Airbus product but what does each do? A friend of mine had this question on an interview and he didn't have the foggiest idea...anyone have any idea what the answer is?
The ECAM system (Electronic Centralised Aircraft Monitoring) was introduced in the A310, and the EICAS system (Engine Indicating and Crew Alerting System) was introduced in the Boeing 757 and 767.
In respect of EICAS, engine operating data is displayed on its CRT units, thereby eliminating the need for conventional instruments. The data, as well as those relevant to other systems, are not necessarily always on display, but in the event of malfunctions occurring at any time, the flight crew's attention is drawn to them by the automatic display of messages in colours appropriate to the degree of urgency.
The ECAM system displays systems' operation in checklist and schematic form, and as this was a concept that engine data needs to be displayed during the whole of a flight, traditional instruments were retained in the A310. In later aircraft (e.g. A320), the ECAM system displays engine data also on one of the CRT display units.