EasyJet A319 Complete Loss of Electric Power?
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I am a fan of fly by CABLE and not by wire..
We've come a long way since then.
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I can confirm what AndyPandy says although I believe the crew only spoke to the tower by phone once they were on the ground, having made unsuccessful attempts whilst airborne.
I can also add, G-EZAC departed Alicante for Bristol with a u/s No1 generator, using the APU iaw the MEL. When the failure occurred (APU went off line amongst other things!), just North of Brest, the crew elected to continue to Bristol, even though the runway was not ideal, because with no radios and a diversion off their flight planned route…………
The incident occurred on Sep 15th and is recorded in WINBASIS as an Essential AC bus failure, although the only electrical power available was from AC2, DC2 and the battery. AC essential could not be recovered, and as Dani says airbus training does not cover actions in the event of no power from the DC essential bus – because it can’t happen! A/C was grounded until Sep 21st ( AAIB and Airbus involved) by which time a huge amount of electrical components had been replaced. No reason for the failure has yet been found, or at least reported, but the aircraft is back in service.
As reported by 2Dmoon, the effect of the failure was similar in some ways to the BA A319 incident in Oct 05 where all screens except the lower ECAM display (SDU) were lost. In the EZY case the F/Os PFD and ND were also powered, although may have been in a degraded mode.
Post the BA A319 incident the AAIB recommended that the MMEL should be changed so that despatch is no longer permitted with the lower ECAM u/s.
The MMEL has yet to be changed to reflect the AAIB recommendation, and still permits despatch with either SDU, ND2 or PFD2 u/s.
However, how many Captains will now accept an aircraft with a display unit u/s?
I can also add, G-EZAC departed Alicante for Bristol with a u/s No1 generator, using the APU iaw the MEL. When the failure occurred (APU went off line amongst other things!), just North of Brest, the crew elected to continue to Bristol, even though the runway was not ideal, because with no radios and a diversion off their flight planned route…………
The incident occurred on Sep 15th and is recorded in WINBASIS as an Essential AC bus failure, although the only electrical power available was from AC2, DC2 and the battery. AC essential could not be recovered, and as Dani says airbus training does not cover actions in the event of no power from the DC essential bus – because it can’t happen! A/C was grounded until Sep 21st ( AAIB and Airbus involved) by which time a huge amount of electrical components had been replaced. No reason for the failure has yet been found, or at least reported, but the aircraft is back in service.As reported by 2Dmoon, the effect of the failure was similar in some ways to the BA A319 incident in Oct 05 where all screens except the lower ECAM display (SDU) were lost. In the EZY case the F/Os PFD and ND were also powered, although may have been in a degraded mode.
Post the BA A319 incident the AAIB recommended that the MMEL should be changed so that despatch is no longer permitted with the lower ECAM u/s.
The MMEL has yet to be changed to reflect the AAIB recommendation, and still permits despatch with either SDU, ND2 or PFD2 u/s.
However, how many Captains will now accept an aircraft with a display unit u/s?
Last edited by nonemmet; 24th Sep 2006 at 23:10.
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Heard pretty much the same as nonemmet. It appears it was an AC essential and DC essential bus failure with ADR 1+2+3 to top it off. Those of you flying airbus add up the number of inop systems that gives you and you'll soon run out of fingers and toes! Also heard that AC ess ALTN didn't work or any of the Reversionary switching. Makes for a busy day in the office!
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You list yourself as a member of cabin crew. May I ask you wtf you are doing with your mobile switched on, contrary to all legal requirements and presumably company rules? The fact that you would appear to do this normally makes me think that you are totally irresponsible and are not fit to hold your position.
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We were at the hold as this easy landed. I wondered why he never spoke to the tower, who cleared him to land about 3 times. The main gear doors were hanging down so we thought maybe a hyd problem. Wonder how he declared an emergency if radios all inop? Squawk maybe. Glad it ended well anyway.
Ah, I see they got a xpdr going. youda thought they be able to get box 2 up then?
Ah, I see they got a xpdr going. youda thought they be able to get box 2 up then?
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The Airbus is still new to alot of the crews in BRS - cabin and flight deck. If this is a failure that 'can't happen', and as such is not trained for or even described by Airbus, then I think the whole crew should be praised for recovering into their original destination safely. I wonder if they were on time!
JB
JB
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mobiles in the air
there is a section on use of mobiles inflight in the middle of the loose change video regards 11/09/01...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zUht6cLkMc
http://www.loosechange911.com/
This video is interesting for other reasons too but mainly just refering to the section on mobile phones not working in the air
Craig
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zUht6cLkMc
http://www.loosechange911.com/
This video is interesting for other reasons too but mainly just refering to the section on mobile phones not working in the air
Craig
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BYLAW looks to be right.
BTW heard of 330 comm loss smwhere around UK due DC ESS FAIL some timeago.
Tried this failure at the sim ride-it's puzzling and you need time and full attention to go through it. And QRH in this case gives more clear picture of your actions.
Concerning mobils-ones sent SMS when I was a pax.
Just saw some big sity down and put the mobil closer to the window .
Suppose it's impossible from the 320cockpit because of the screen of the heated windows around you.
Cheers.
BTW heard of 330 comm loss smwhere around UK due DC ESS FAIL some timeago.
Tried this failure at the sim ride-it's puzzling and you need time and full attention to go through it. And QRH in this case gives more clear picture of your actions.
Concerning mobils-ones sent SMS when I was a pax.
Just saw some big sity down and put the mobil closer to the window
.Suppose it's impossible from the 320cockpit because of the screen of the heated windows around you.
Cheers.
Nonemmet,
I think you raised another important point when you mentioned the decision to go to Bristol from over Brest rather than diert off flight planned route. Just to add to the problems for this crew with a very high workload, if they had chosen to divert off route and turn in a London direction say with only an emergency SQ and no radios, this action alone would have potentially created even more unwanted distraction. The radio failure procedures were written years ago and need updating. I suspect that it has been considered, but rejected on the grounds that total radio failure will never happen these days
.
I say this because on the 145 which has a huge amount of electrical redundancy, a total generator failure (all 5) and a transfer to essentials results in the loss of both transponders. Not ideal in todays envronment. I just hope Com 1 keeps working.
Well done that crew. Even if there was some finger trouble, it's hardly surprising in the circumstances.
I think you raised another important point when you mentioned the decision to go to Bristol from over Brest rather than diert off flight planned route. Just to add to the problems for this crew with a very high workload, if they had chosen to divert off route and turn in a London direction say with only an emergency SQ and no radios, this action alone would have potentially created even more unwanted distraction. The radio failure procedures were written years ago and need updating. I suspect that it has been considered, but rejected on the grounds that total radio failure will never happen these days
. I say this because on the 145 which has a huge amount of electrical redundancy, a total generator failure (all 5) and a transfer to essentials results in the loss of both transponders. Not ideal in todays envronment. I just hope Com 1 keeps working.
Well done that crew. Even if there was some finger trouble, it's hardly surprising in the circumstances.
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As some one has already said the crews are new to the Airbus at BRS. Judging by the above they did a good job in getting the job done. It doesn't really matter if the crew where in touch with atc or not. When they are presented with multiple failures i'm sure ATC will soon get the hint to clear the skies!
The report will make interesting reading. Good job it didn't happen at the end of a long 4 sector day!
The report will make interesting reading. Good job it didn't happen at the end of a long 4 sector day!
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Not convinced yet on ALL electronic flight displays, total failure cant happen so they say but it can either through tech problems or finger trouble, Beech200 with Proline 21 EFD lost all electrics and flight/engine displays this year, lots of damage and brown stains.
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We lost the DC essential bus on one of our GF 340 after getting airbourne out of SIN for SYD about six years ago. We also had an A330 lose TR 1+2 going into Dublin in June this year. Not nice but manageable.
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Would an aircraft losing all means of communication and entering controlled airspace acquire a fighter escort ? What if for technical reasons it deviates from the planned route ? There is a case here for the old hand-held in the flight bag. And please do use your cell phone if you are within range !
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Janspeed
What do you mean by 'too many'?
A couple have been given high publicity here but when put into perspective as a proportion of how many uneventful flights happen in Airbus (or similar technology) world wide I can't see it as being a huge issue.
As a general comment on this whole thread, presented with a really lousy situation, this crew did a very good job and, no matter how many of us from our armchairs believe we could have done better, I doubt it really.
What do you mean by 'too many'?
A couple have been given high publicity here but when put into perspective as a proportion of how many uneventful flights happen in Airbus (or similar technology) world wide I can't see it as being a huge issue.
As a general comment on this whole thread, presented with a really lousy situation, this crew did a very good job and, no matter how many of us from our armchairs believe we could have done better, I doubt it really.
Last edited by FlapsOne; 1st Oct 2006 at 08:03.
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I think this whole thing sounds like there was a great flight crew who, despite having little idea what on earth was going on behind them, got it down in one piece
Prospect of interception must have been something very high on the agenda and with such a high workload, not something to look forward to!
Prospect of interception must have been something very high on the agenda and with such a high workload, not something to look forward to!
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LMAO!!!!!
you've confirmed my thoughts on Scare Buses. If it's not Boeing, I ain't going.
I don't care what anyone says, least of all Airbus themselves. When electrical failures cannot be explained by the manufacturer, a really, really big disaster is just waiting to happen, just a matter of time.
you've confirmed my thoughts on Scare Buses. If it's not Boeing, I ain't going.I don't care what anyone says, least of all Airbus themselves. When electrical failures cannot be explained by the manufacturer, a really, really big disaster is just waiting to happen, just a matter of time.
Last year an instructor and pupil out of Exeter had a complete radio failure, a fair distance and height from the field. Instructor called tower on his phone, getting priority clearance in what has become affectionately known as the Nokia approach. Seems to have caught on! Good work by the crew.
Fly by cable, fly by wire... do away with the lot. Go wireless and fly by broadband!
h
Fly by cable, fly by wire... do away with the lot. Go wireless and fly by broadband!
h