Airbus ECAM Exceptions
 

What SOP does your company have in place for ECAM Exceptions?

My company.... QRH back page has a list of Immediate Actions & ECAM Exceptions which is checked by PM BEFORE PF orders "ECAM Actions"

Curious how other operators deal with this?

PT6A

Our exceptions list is as follows:-

AIR ENG (1 or 2) BLEED ABNORMAL PR
AIR ENG (1 or 2) BLEED FAULT
AVIONICS SMOKE
BRAKES HOT (On Ground Only)
ENG DUAL FAILURE
F/CTL SPLR FAULT
FUEL (L or R) TK PUMP 1+2 LO PR
FUEL (L or R) WING TANK LO LVL
L/G NOT DOWNLOCKED
NAV ADR (1+2 or 2+3 or 1+3) FAULT
SMOKE (FWD or AFT) CARGO SMOKE
(With Cargo Door Open)

We have a list in the QRH but the Airbus software has been updated as well so that if any ECAM's are generated that are applicable the only line displayed is 'CHECK QRH'. Makes it nice and simple.

Airbus procedure is to include the OEB review on your Briefing and also has the OEB Remainder function that Artificial Horizon mentions.

OEB's that affect ECAM Procedure are memory items, not the whole OEB; but to go to the proper paper procedure instead of the ECAM if your aircraft does not have the Remainder function.

It is unusual to have so many active OEB's as stated by PT6A.

G

We have OEB's but not specific ECAM exceptions (as some of the one's listed above).

It's up to us to read the FCOM and work it out ourselves if we want :ugh:

Are there any other ECAM exceptions (not OEB's) I should know about in addition to those listed above ? :confused:

J C:

Do not go by some other airline's list, make sure they apply to the MSN of the aircraft you are flying. OEB's are MSN specific.

G

Thanks Guiones.

I edit my original question.

Are there any other ECAM exceptions (not OEB's) I should know about in addition to those listed above ?......as a guide only for me - to crosscheck with the actual MSN of the aircraft that I fly

We're talking bout simple OEB here whatever name some other operators chose. Before applying any ECAM it's always : computer reset, OEB and only then action! That sequence iliminates application of a wrong procedure in case there's no reminder function. Remember gentleman we're flying a 186 KHz PC!:ok:

oh man...i never heard of ecam exceptions.......and im on the 320....:O

Are they the same as OEBs?

We have OEB reminder function activated.

If exceptions are OEBs...thats alot of OEBs PT6A esp if no reminder function.

ALL ECAM exceptions are published by Airbus as OEB's; there are no other ones not included as OEB's.

I understand that certain Airlines choose to publish this in other ways, but the get it from Airbus as an OEB.

9.G: Computer reset should only be considered AFTER STARTING ECAM or OEB is completed, not before.

Neupielot: If you have the OEB remainder function you are covered, no need for further action; but it does not hurt to be familiar with all the OEB's applicable to the A/C you are flying including the ones that will prompt the remainder.

G

Guiones

From Airbus FCTM:

"The pilot flying may call "STOP ECAM" at any time, if other specific actions must be performed (normal C/L or performing a computer reset). When the action is completed, the the pilot flyig must callout: "CONTINUE ECAM."

Therefore it cannot be that the resets are done after the ECAM actions.

Guiones, everyone is entitled to have an opinion however you'd do yourself a favor by at least cross checking the info! Some folks spent thousands of hours on the bus and learnt it hard way! :ok:

The way they teach it in Toulouse nowadays (and I've done my 320 course last year) is ECAM ACTIONS, then upon reaching the STS page:
"STOP ECAM"
- normal check-list
- computer resets
- engine relight (if applicable)
THEN - "CONTINUE STS"

whatever French instructors teach Polish airbus wannabes doesn't seem to apply to English speaking rest of the world. This is an excerpt from FCTM:
There're plenty of examples where a computer reset solves a huge mess on ECAM or long ECAM is waste of time since it's replaced by OEB. As I said it's a 186 KHz processor we fly designed by humans, keep that in mind. :ok:

P.S. to be fair there's OEB for both ECAM and STS thus in case the STS is affected then OEB for STS is applicable. The devil is always in details.

Where I work, we also do ECAM actions first, then normal checklists and computer resets and then STS.
Like Stuck_in_an_ATR.

Company procedure written in the OM-B.
But I agree that actions may be stopped when using common sense for a reset. However, that's non-standard in our company.



To answer PT6A's question:
Our OEBs that are "overridden ECAMs":

AIR ENG (1 or 2) BLEED ABNORMAL PR
AIR ENG (1 or 2) BLEED FAULT
F/CTL SPLR FAULT
L/G NOT DOWNLOCKED
And for AVIONICS SMOKE we follow the QRH procedure (No OEB, just QRH procedure)

BDM, your previous statement defies the whole purpose of a OEB as it supersedes relevant ECAM action for the MC or MW triggered. In case there's no OEB reminder you're, put it simply, screwed by applying ECAM first. Think hard bout it. That's why when you check list of applicable OEB for MSN you check their OPS status RED or White and most importantly if ECAM is affected. If it states Y means you won't have any clues indicating that this ECAM isn't applicable and misleading but OEB is. Now you tell me, are you still gonna do ECAM actions for the warning applicable to OEB? :ok:

An Operations Engineering Bulletin ( OEB) is issued to rapidly inform operators of any deviations from initial design objectives that have a significant operational impact. An OEB provides the operators with technical information and temporary operational procedures that address these deviations.
TYPE OF OEB
OEBs can either be red or white, depending on their level of priority:
RED OEBs are issued to indicate that non-compliance with the recommended procedures may have a significant impact on the safe aircraft operation of the aircraft.
WHITE OEBs are issued to indicate that non-compliance with the recommended procedures may have a significant impact on aircraft operation.
Airbus strongly recommends that all Operators rapidly apply the OEB corrective actions as soon as they become available, particularly for red OEBs.
OEB CONTENT AND MANAGEMENT
An OEB:
Is temporary and usually focuses on one operational subject only,
Is included in the OEB section of both the FCOM and QRH. The procedural part of each white or red OEB ( OEB PROC) is provided in the OEB section of the QRH, so that the flight crew can easily access the procedures,
Remains applicable until the appropriate corrective actions are completed.
Note:
After installation of the OEB corrective modification/Service Bulletins (SB): if an Operator reinstalls any spare equipment for which there was an OEB associated to, it is Operator’s responsibility to ensure that this OEB be applied again for the applicable aircraft.
OEB IN THE FCOM
The content of each OEB includes:
The reason for issue,
Technical explanations of the deviation from the initial design objectives,
The operational impact of not applying the OEB procedure,
The conditions for applying the OEB procedures:
ECAM warning/caution affected by the OEB,
Cockpit effects,
Flight phases,
Specific event.
The OEB operational procedure(s) to be applied,
The corrective actions that cancel the OEB, (if available),
The OEB REMINDER codes, (if applicable).

I mean simple reading is sufficient, isn't it? Please read it till there's no more doubt.:ok:

OEB REMINDER FUNCTION
The OEB reminder function provides operational help to the flight crew by enabling them to clearly identify on the ECAM all procedures and STATUS messages superseded by an OEB procedure. When a situation causes an ECAM warning/caution to trigger, a message informs the flight crew in real time that there is an OEB for the displayed ECAM warning/caution and/or STATUS, and as a result, that the ECAM procedure and/or STATUS is not applicable. In this case, a specific ECAM message informs the flight crew to refer to the QRH. For more information Refer to General.

I surely hope your aircrafts are fitted with this function coz otherwise your philosophie will drive you into the ground. :ok:

9.G:

The flaw with you procedure(NOT AIRBUS) to do the Computer Reset before the OEB if applicable is addressed on the notes in the Computer Reset Procedure in the QRH "Specific reset procedures included in OEB or Temporary revisions are not referenced in this table and, when issued, supersede this table" also "In flight, as a general rule, the crew must restrict computer resets to those listed in the table, or those in applicable Temporary Revisions or OEB"

By the time you look at the OEB in YOUR procedure, it will be too late if it is referenced in the OEB.

Also look at FCTM OP-040 P4/10 29 JUL 11 You will find the ECAM philosophy , look at the table and you can understand why our Polish colleague was taught that way at Airbus Training Center and not once, except on the note referenced RunSick does it mention the Computer Reset; and that note specifies MAY not MUST. It is an option to Stop Ecam for many circumstances.

G

I disagree as I am aware of many ECAM exceptions which are not included as OEB's, inlcuding some of those already mentioned :
AVIONICS SMOKE
ENG DUAL FAILURE
L/G NOT DOWNLOCKED

Some others that I have found on my own include :
ADR 1 + 2 + 3 FAULT
DUAL BLEED FAULT
FUEL TK HI TEMP
LG GEAR NOT DOWN
ENG OIL LO PR

To me, these are all ECAM exceptions, as you must refer to the paper checklist (QRH/FCOM) instead of blindly following the ECAM (unless you know all these exceptions by memory).

These exceptions are NOT published anywhere in our manuals and it's up to us to work them out ourselves :{

Just recently, whilst using the HF, we received the ECAM "FUEL..TK HI TEMP".
The ECAM said to select GEN OFF on affected side. :eek:

However we were both aware of the note in the FCOM that says This caution may spuriously trigger due to interference from communication equipment. Therefore, the flight crew should wait two minutes while the fuel temperature measurement is updated. After two minutes, if the ECAM caution has not disappeared, the flight crew must apply the following procedure
:ok:

To me, this is an important ECAM exception which is NOT listed as an OEB.

Now I ask again :

JC, thats a good one....

Some aircraft have that issue more than others... I think there is some slight variation in where the cable bundle is... On some it is close enough to the sensor to trigger the fuel temp high warning.

But yeah... If you dont wait for two mins before doing the ECAM you end up with egg on your face.