One Eng driven Gene remaining Airbus - Land ASAP or not?
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Sweden
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Artificial Horizon;
I brought up the scenario with some of my instructors. One of them a former Airbus test pilot. They would all turn back unless past ETP. It's just too close to the edge for comfort. Think of it in terms of the famous Swiss cheese; You have passed 2/3 holes. Pass the last one (remaining GEN inop) and you'll be in deep...
I brought up the scenario with some of my instructors. One of them a former Airbus test pilot. They would all turn back unless past ETP. It's just too close to the edge for comfort. Think of it in terms of the famous Swiss cheese; You have passed 2/3 holes. Pass the last one (remaining GEN inop) and you'll be in deep...
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: canada
Posts: 147
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
2 Gens inop
I had a real life situation. Departed with one gen inop (MEL said it was OK) Left the APU gen on for the flight (2 gens ops). On the return (at night) the APU did an "auto shutdown". Now we are down to one gen. We landed within 30 minutes.
There is no way I would continue to fly on one. This aircraft (A320) is very dependent on electrics and hydraulic power to operate. You just don't want to be in a situation where if you lost the last gen ( maybe had to shut down the engine with the good gen for whatever reason) you would have to resort to a RAT power, emergency landing. Common sense.
There is no way I would continue to fly on one. This aircraft (A320) is very dependent on electrics and hydraulic power to operate. You just don't want to be in a situation where if you lost the last gen ( maybe had to shut down the engine with the good gen for whatever reason) you would have to resort to a RAT power, emergency landing. Common sense.
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: S51 30 W060 10.
Posts: 197
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
land
If you have one source of electrical power remaining you are one generator short of full emergency, and if that happens you're now 30 (or 60) minutes short of a nightmare. Now, if you're returning back home, daylight vfr and your distance to destination, where full maintenance support is waiting for you, is slightly (only slightly) higher than an enroute alternate airport with less maintenance, whether your company serves it or not, I might consider flying a bit faster and heading home, but anything different from the scenario described above would mean a landing at the nearest suitable airport. Of course I'd try my best to choose an airport served by my company, a place I have approach plates for, with at least the minimun fire service category for the airplane I fly, etc.
Last edited by sudden Winds; 30th Aug 2011 at 16:32. Reason: dual battery airplanes time to nightmare added.
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Sunrise Senior Living
Posts: 1,338
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
........and if you continue and then lose your remaining source you are down to the RAT (hydraulic driven) Emer Gen which will put you into the Emer Elec Config.
From A320 200 Series QRH 2.32, the Ldg Dist Factor is 3.15 times a working reference figure (from QRH 4.03) of around 900m so you are now scratching around looking for a 3300m runway (including a factor of 15% wriggle room). Better perhaps to have stuck it on the ground when you still had that 1 main source?
Cheers
mcdhu
From A320 200 Series QRH 2.32, the Ldg Dist Factor is 3.15 times a working reference figure (from QRH 4.03) of around 900m so you are now scratching around looking for a 3300m runway (including a factor of 15% wriggle room). Better perhaps to have stuck it on the ground when you still had that 1 main source?
Cheers
mcdhu
