A320 Emergency Electrical Config

[airbuslad]

I remember reading this somewhere before but I can't find it now. When in the Emrg Elec Config do you have any external lighting?

Cheers

[Wander]

The only lights mentioned as being available in the table of sys remaing in ELEC EMER CONFIG are the EMER CKPT and EMER CAB. As is often the case though, whether this is the whole story I'm not sure!

[320DRIVER]

Love this forum :-)

Took a look at the Electrical Supply Table for Lighting in FCOM1 and all external lights are AC1 or AC2 powered with DC2 for control.

[airbuslad]

So if external lighting is provided by AC BUS's 1 & 2 and control from DC1 that would mean you'll be in the dark in the emergency config.
thanks

[BigJETS]

I thought there was some DC only emergency external lights on 737. Surely airbus copied this brilliant idea no?

[autoflight]

Not so well known is that after lowering the gear, you no longer have an ADF. There is a greater possibility of a diversion to an airfield with less facilities, so if you still need your ADF, don't be in a hurry to dangle the dunlops.

[foxtrot]

hi airbuslad,
regarding external lights the NAV lights in no 1 postion are available in emg elec config.
bye for now, Foxtrot

[airbuslad]

OK, so you don't have the strobes, landing,t axi and rwy turn off lights then?

[Rabbit]

autoflight

I disaggree mate, as a former 320 Training Captain, I would say it is a very well known fact, at least in our Company, as the it would be mentioned at least at every second License renewal Sim check. IF you had to do an ADF Approach in this situation then simply don't extend the gear until you are visual. This may mean adjusting your minima to accommodate this.


Have a nice day

[autoflight]

Rabbit
Your airline was perhaps not a "fringe dweller" like some of mine. I do expect that these posts have sent more than a few A32X guys to their QRH. Possibly some of them may now claim they knew it all the time.

[Batman]

Is it not possible to hard tune the ADF on the RMP, as you would the ILS?

[autoflight]

Power is lost to remaining ADF when gear is lowered.

[unwiseowl]

Why does the RAT stop providing electrical power when the gear is lowered?

[fadec_primary_channel]

airflow becomes disturbed

causing the rat to stall.

[tallsandwich]

Is this A320 specific that RAT stalls when gear is lowered or common on other types?

[unwiseowl]

airflow becomes disturbed, causing RAT to stall

This is what I've heard, though I'm not sure I believe it. Has anyone seen anything in writing from Airbus to confirm this?

[oldebloke]

I thought it Stalled when the airspeed went below 145knots on landing(thats why one 'bugs'up the speed to min 145)..upon gear extension there is a control changeover thats why the guys/girls didn't extend until inside the fix.Don't forget the overhead light.....
cheers..

[screwdriver]

Early aircraft (with the smaller diameter blades) will be affected by the nose gear. So at gear extension the electric gen is disconnected to protect the hydraulics for the flight controls. It wiil stall at 130 kts(AMM 29-22-00). . Later a/c are fitted with a stall protection device that ensures that the pump power demand does not exceed the turbine output.
The RAT will adjust its pitch to maintain a constant RPM between 135 and 93 KEAS and will effectively be stalled below the lower speed. Our crews are told that the later RAT is good down to 125 kts or the flare. QRH for all types quote 140kts.

[unwiseowl]

screwdriver

Thanks, that explains a lot.

But where does Airbus state anything about the relationship between nosegear and RAT stall?

[screwdriver]

Maintenance Manual for our older CFM powered a/c. Hydraulics Chapter 29-22-00. "When the landing gear is extended the effect of the nosegear on the airflow reduces the performance of the RAT"