A330 navigation anomaly
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2001
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From: A country that most people dislike but we adore
A330 navigation anomaly
Recently halfway across the Atlantic when suddenly the navigation system refused to accept the "5140N" style waypoints for NAT tracks. Data was changed to get us where we needed to be but it wasn't very pretty.
Is this a regular occurence on the A330? Have any of you guys had this problem?
Not really life-threatening but it can be a major headache. Info / opinions appreciated
SFly
Is this a regular occurence on the A330? Have any of you guys had this problem?
Not really life-threatening but it can be a major headache. Info / opinions appreciated
SFly
Joined: Dec 1998
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
From: UK
Hi SFly
Any chance of some more information on this?? What message did you get on the MCDU?? Not in database?? Can't say I've ever heard of this problem. These waypoints should have been in the FMGS since before departure, or at least in the case of a re-route since before Oceanic entry.
If for whatever reason the system did refuse to accept 5140N etc, you could just create a new waypoint with those co-ordinates - no problem.
Any more info would be appreciated.
Cheers
Any chance of some more information on this?? What message did you get on the MCDU?? Not in database?? Can't say I've ever heard of this problem. These waypoints should have been in the FMGS since before departure, or at least in the case of a re-route since before Oceanic entry.
If for whatever reason the system did refuse to accept 5140N etc, you could just create a new waypoint with those co-ordinates - no problem.
Any more info would be appreciated.
Cheers
Joined: Aug 1998
Posts: 108
Likes: 1
From: ....
Seems strange SFly.
Was it rejecting the waypoints whilst you were entering them, or was it as that waypoint became the 'to' waypoint? If so, what message did you get? Had you had a nav accuracy downgrade prior to this?
I've seen the former on several occasions (usually for waypoints on an RNAV departure) but never seen it reject waypoints in the air. Just what you need halfway across
Was it rejecting the waypoints whilst you were entering them, or was it as that waypoint became the 'to' waypoint? If so, what message did you get? Had you had a nav accuracy downgrade prior to this?
I've seen the former on several occasions (usually for waypoints on an RNAV departure) but never seen it reject waypoints in the air. Just what you need halfway across
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 2,135
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From: Camp X-Ray
Certainly the A320 FMGC always been a swine for inputing Lat/Long format waypoints, possibly the most user unfriendly system on the aircraft! Did this occur after an update to the database, because we've noticed the quality of ours deterioriating exponentially over the last three months. Waypoints change names, drop out of routes and who knows what else! Perhaps you have the same supplier?
Union Goon
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 1,097
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From: New Jersey, USA
Sounds like the Database got corrupted.
One of the easiest ways to check for that is to go to the status page which lists the dates of the database and in the lower right side shows the number of pilot entered waypoints. If that number is negative the database has become corrupted and all sorts of strange things happen. The easy solution is to switch to the expired database (or one to be used soon, the non operational one is what we are talking about) and then back to the appropriate database. That will reload the database and clear up the corruption.
Cheers
Wino
One of the easiest ways to check for that is to go to the status page which lists the dates of the database and in the lower right side shows the number of pilot entered waypoints. If that number is negative the database has become corrupted and all sorts of strange things happen. The easy solution is to switch to the expired database (or one to be used soon, the non operational one is what we are talking about) and then back to the appropriate database. That will reload the database and clear up the corruption.
Cheers
Wino
Joined: Dec 1998
Posts: 125
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From: UK
Agreed about the possible database corruption, but the way I read SFly's post, the problem occurred mid-Atlantic. If you were in-flight and you change databases, we all know what happens - you lose EVERYTHING. If the system was going to reject the waypoints due to a database corruption, then surely it would have rejected them when they were entered into the F-PLN on the ground. Just thinkin' aloud!
Cheers all
Cheers all
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 399
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From: West
Sfly,
Just out of curiosity, did you mean to say that one of the FMCs refused the input? If so, certainly you had the other available. You could play with the stubborn one while the good one did the flying.
I have had an FMC totally dump just after coast-out...just go blank....with the associated FMC failure messages. The other FMC worked perfectly, as I assume was the case for you. However, I am not familiar with the A330.
Just out of curiosity, did you mean to say that one of the FMCs refused the input? If so, certainly you had the other available. You could play with the stubborn one while the good one did the flying.
I have had an FMC totally dump just after coast-out...just go blank....with the associated FMC failure messages. The other FMC worked perfectly, as I assume was the case for you. However, I am not familiar with the A330.
Union Goon
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 1,097
Likes: 0
From: New Jersey, USA
You don't know when the database was corrupted. It could have happened in flight.
The way I read his post it wasn't taking anything anyway and he was having to build everything. So If you have nothing, you lose nothing...
However, I have only done that on the ground when loading and couldn't make it do what I wanted.
Cheers
Wino
The way I read his post it wasn't taking anything anyway and he was having to build everything. So If you have nothing, you lose nothing...
However, I have only done that on the ground when loading and couldn't make it do what I wanted.
Cheers
Wino
Joined: Dec 1998
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
From: UK
OK, agreed it could have happened in flight however the FCOM is explicit in its instructions about changing databases in flight - ie. don't do it. I have been there and done that one night when the chips were down and it was far more of a hindrance than a help! It was the only option we had left and it didn't work. Besides, if you changed databases in flight in mid-Atlantic - that's a contingency maneouvre (spellin'??) required as you can no longer maintain your MNPS track.
Some more info would be great!!!
Cheers All
Besides, if you changed databases in flight in mid-Atlantic - that's a contingency maneouvre (spellin'??) required as you can no longer maintain your MNPS track. Some more info would be great!!!
Cheers All
