A350 ENG FAIL
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Joined: Oct 2017
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From: USA
A350 ENG FAIL
After ENG FAIL on A320 and A330, when going through ECAM procedures, secondary failures, at ELEC , generally the APU is started.
A350 has 2 generators per engine so you have 2 generators remaining. What do most airlines recommend? Start APU or not. Airbus is silent on the matter and we have instructors who argue that 2 generators is just fine and others that argue for starting APU given that aircraft is designed to have 4 functioning generators, why not recover at least one? Thoughts?
Thank you.
A350 has 2 generators per engine so you have 2 generators remaining. What do most airlines recommend? Start APU or not. Airbus is silent on the matter and we have instructors who argue that 2 generators is just fine and others that argue for starting APU given that aircraft is designed to have 4 functioning generators, why not recover at least one? Thoughts?
Thank you.

Joined: Dec 1998
Posts: 3,038
Likes: 52
From: .
The APU will autostart in a TEFO situation, the RAT or APU are only required in loss of both engines (TEFO) or loss of main electrical system, ALL 4 busbars.
Loss of 2 VFG's the FCOM says 'consider' the APU. You can actually dispatch with 2 GEN's inop (1 per side).
So no need to start the APU at all.
Loss of 2 VFG's the FCOM says 'consider' the APU. You can actually dispatch with 2 GEN's inop (1 per side).
So no need to start the APU at all.


Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 352
Likes: 148
From: FL390
It costs nothing to start the APU in this scenario, and if nothing else minimises load shedding.
Your aim is to make life easy for yourself. Should one of your remaining generators drop offline then you'll massively increase your workload, which you could have avoided entirely by starting the APU.
Your aim is to make life easy for yourself. Should one of your remaining generators drop offline then you'll massively increase your workload, which you could have avoided entirely by starting the APU.


Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 352
Likes: 148
From: FL390
Don't you think Airbus would have recommended starting the APU if they thought it was desirable? You do not need to turn the A350 into an A330.
Don't have the A350 FCOM or MEL - can you dispatch with APU and 2 VFGs inop?




