why no GPWS ECAM alert on A320
 

GPWS warnings are fixed and so the actions!

I wonder why airbus doesn't have any GPWS ECAM alert with actions mentioned? is it because there is no time to read and do? Actions are expected to be from memory instantly?

similarly with TCAS and WINDSHEAR. Detection mechanism is there along with aural alert, but no ECAM alert again.

Out of the other memory items, EMER DESCENT procedure is the only one that triggers ECAM alert CAB PR EXCESS CAB ALT and displays the actions too.

any thought?

You're heading towards a mountain / another aircraft. The relevant warning goes off.

Do you have time to register, look read, digest then action? In that time you will the subject a CFIT thread in R&N.

Would have thought it pretty obvious, but I find my self out of touch with the way some younger people think these days.

I even wonder why Airbus considers EGPWS as a "memory action", when it is a maneuver...

Flying toward a hill, the last thing you want to be doing is an ECAM drill with both pilots potentially looking in and down, you want to be looking UP and flying in that direction too hopefully.

I can just see it now:

NAV GPWS TERR AHEAD

PM - "NAV, GPWS TERR AHEAD"
PF - "NAV, GPWS TERR AHEAD"
PF - "My radios, ECAM action"
PM "NAV, GPWS TERR AHEAD, PULL UP"
------***HITS MOUNTAIN***

Getting out of there is the priority. A lot of issues have memory items and initial actions which must be recalled.

Fly and navigate are the priority. Everything else falls into the "stuff" category. It's all just niff naff and trivia compared to fly and navigate.

The action is to conduct the manoeuvre. :ok:

Whether ECAM or Non normal C/L in Boeing is the same as read and do. These procedures have sever time constraints and they simply do not have the time to read and do. Even EMER DES initial actions are not read and do. Out of these TCAS and EMER DES are manoeuvres that are not required to be executed with high G and they are available on autopilot in some models of airbus FBW.

Yes. My thought is there's no use going to the pearly gates saying "oh but I was addressing my ECAM". Really!?

I would have thought the answer to this question obvious. But I hadn't taken into account the modern philosophy that "if it's not on the ECAM/EICAS, it's not happening".

Whatever happened to common sense and airmanship?

They were taken out of the ATPL syllabus in 2003.

NAV GPWS PULL UP

WHICH BIT OF "PULL UP" DIDNT YOU UNDERSTAND?

Why would you need the ECAM to tell you to pull up for your life? There can't be an ECAM for everything, especially something as time critical as a GPWS warning, a TCAS, a windshear. Seriously: pull up, climb, descend. I don't think you need more instructions than those.

In the emergency descent, the ECAM actions are regarding the procedure to counteract the excessive cab press, no comment is given on the emergency descent procedure other than "initiate".

There's no ECAM for an overweight landing too and that's a much less critical scenario.

As adfus said, Airbus has done great things to get us all rid of memory procedures, but this is still a flying machine traveling at great speeds. You could eventually need to do something right now.

*master warning*
- master warning reset. "I have control and communications"
- "you have control and communications"
- "ecam actions"
- "ecam actions, nav gpws terrain, pull up"

Quite a waste of time for a metallic flying thing heading towards a mountain/other flying thing. Don't you think?