Enhancing Flight Operations with Your Reporting

Importance of Reporting Events from the Field

Rémy DEBROUASSE
Senior Flight Operations Engineer
Reporting is about sharing knowledge
Why Report to Airbus?
that is useful to all the Airbus ◇ Documentation Updates

◇ Training Recommendations
community, in terms of safety and
◇ Design Enhancements

◇ New Systems/Functions (SBS)

Aircraft reliability
Agenda

1 V/S Reversion to -2600 ft/min During Go-Around

2 OVERSPEED Situations with Unwanted Results

3 Failed Slide Deployment

3
Agenda

1 V/S Reversion to -2600 ft/min During Go-Around

2 OVERSPEED Situations with Unwanted Results

3 Failed slide deployment

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 In-Service Event G/S Interception from
Unstabilized Above
Approach
Not expected Loss of Altitude
①
Go-Around V/S
④ ②
Reversion
③ /S
ILS G

Data Provided
“(...) Weather (...) severe turbulence
with clouds and rain (IMC ) condition,
(...) ATC delayed us and brought us
high for approach at the end I made go
around... TOGA (...) A/C was climbing.
Suddenly we both seen the V/S
descending (...) I disengaged the A/P
with TOGA (...)”
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 In-Service Event G/S Interception from
Above
FCU SEL ALT 5000 ft

① A/C above G/S, OPDES, LOC ①

⏱ 31 s
V/S
② ALT*, V/S -2600 selected
④ ② FCU SEL ALT 3000 ft
Reversion
③ MAN TOGA, SRS, NAV
③ /S
ILS G
④ ALT*, FCU SEL ALT changed to
5 000 ft, reversion to V/S -2600
Engineering
Analysis

Engineering Analysis
As per A320 Family design:
● When a V/S target is preselected on the FCU, the V/S target remains as a
preselected value for 45 s

● If an automatic reversion to V/S occurs within these 45 s, the V/S target at V/S
engagement synchronizes on the preselected V/S, instead of the current
V/S.
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7
 In-Service Event G/S Interception from
Above
FCU SEL ALT 5000 ft

① A/C above G/S, OPDES, LOC ①

⏱ 31 s
V/S
② ALT*, V/S -2600 selected
④ ② FCU SEL ALT 3000 ft
Reversion
③ MAN TOGA, SRS, NAV
③ /S
ILS G
④ ALT*, FCU SEL ALT changed to
5 000 ft, reversion to V/S -2600
Engineering
Analysis

Operational Analysis Flight

The G/S Interception from Above procedure was not followed. Operations
● If above the glideslope: Analysis
(...)
FCU ALTITUDE……..SET ABOVE A/C ALTITUDE
V/S MODE………………..…………………SELECT
(...)
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 In-Service Event G/S Interception from
Above
FCU SEL ALT 5000 ft

① A/C above G/S, OPDES, LOC ①

⏱ 31 s
V/S
② ALT*, V/S -2600 selected
④ ② FCU SEL ALT 3000 ft
Reversion
③ MAN TOGA, SRS, NAV
③ /S
ILS G
④ ALT*, FCU SEL ALT changed to
5 000 ft, reversion to V/S -2600
Engineering
Analysis

Flight
Operational Analysis Operations
The Airbus Flight Operations Analysis (FOA) process enabled the identification of this Analysis
event as:
● The first one of this type to be reported
● Not an isolated case.

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 In-Service Event
V/S reversion to a not expected V/S value.

V/S
Reversion
Result
Engineering
1. FCOM enhancement:
Data
Note: The aircraft will target the V/S/FPA value displayed on the FCU
instead of the current value, if the reversion occurs within 45 s after the
preselection of a V/S/FPA value. As a consequence, this new V/S / FPA Pilot Report
value may lead the aircraft to a path opposite to the current one, or to a
steeper one.
2. Airbus WIN video

3. Design consideration for the next Flight Guidance computers.

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Agenda

1 V/S reversion to - 2600 ft/min during go-around

2 OVERSPEED Situations with Unwanted Results

3 Failed slide deployment

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In-Service Events Flight Data Analysis

Approaching or entering an OVERSPEED situation with:

● AP disconnection
● ATHR disconnection
● Sidestick pulled.
Nsight Overspeed
Resulting in:
● Alpha protection activation
● Reversion to ALTN law due to not appropriate use of
the AIR DATA selector.

Data Provided “(...) cruising at FL320.(...)

speed entered MMO. Speed
brakes were deployed (...)
autopilot disconnection. (...)
…
aircraft pitching up (...)”

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 In-Service Events
Approaching or entering an OVERSPEED situation with:
● AP disconnection
● ATHR disconnection
● Side stick pulled. Overspeed
Resulting in:
● Alpha protection activation Engineering
● Reversion to ALTN law due to not appropriate use of the AIR DATA selector.
Analysis

Flight
DFDR and Operational Analysis
Operations
Analysis
1.It was demonstrated that the unwanted outcomes resulted from overreactions

2.The FCTM provides appropriate OVERSPEED technique to apply.

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 In-Service Events
Airbus identified recurrent events of overreaction from the flight crews, when
approaching or entering an OVERSPEED situation.

Results
Overspeed
● OVERSPEED management technique: Airbus WIN and Safety First article
● OVERSPEED training: Airbus WIN and FCTS update (scenarios from Engineering Data
in-service events).
Pilot Reports

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Agenda

1 V/S reversion to - 2600 ft/min during go-around

2 OVERSPEED Situation with Unwanted Results

3 Failed Slide Deployment

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 In-Service Event
During a scheduled maintenance test of slide deployment, there was a jammed
slide.

Slide
“During scheduled maintenance test, Deployment
slide (...) installed at door aft RH
jammed between door and fuselage.
Data Provided
Immediately the door operator pulled the
manual inflation handle and inflation of
the slide started with the slide still stuck.
(...)”

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 In-Service Event
During a scheduled maintenance test of slide deployment, there was a jammed
slide.

Slide
“During scheduled maintenance test, Deployment
slide (...) installed at door aft RH
jammed between door and fuselage.
Data Provided
Immediately the door operator pulled the
manual inflation handle and inflation of
the slide started with the slide still stuck.
(...)”

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 In-Service Event
During a scheduled maintenance test of slide deployment, there was a jammed
slide.
Slide
Deployment

Operational Analysis

The manual inflation handle was pulled while the door was not fully open,
and this prevented the appropriate deployment of the slide before the inflation.

For a correct inflation, the slide must be fully deployed first, and this occurs
when the slide pack falls down, either automatically or manually.

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 In-Service Event
During a scheduled maintenance test of slide deployment, there was a slide
jammed.
Slide
Results Deployment
● CCOM UPDATE, Abnormal Emergency Procedures:
EMERGENCY PASSENGER DOOR OPERATION Maintenance
ON GROUND EVACUATION Event
● If the slide does not inflate: Operator Report
Note: The cabin crew must only pull the red manual inflation handle if
the slide is not inflated but is fully deployed.

● TRAINING UPDATE:
The note, and corresponding explanation, are included in the training
lesson plan.
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 Conclusion

Reporting is important, it is requested by the regulation and, Safety

most importantly, it contributes to safety and aircraft Beyond
reliability. Standard
Reporting is useful to all the Airbus flying community.

We can only act on what we know. Consider using

TechRequest. Importance of
reporting events from
the field

Flight & ground staff reports are part of the reporting system.

Guidance to support reporting is available on ISI 00.00.00217,

FAST Magazine #54.
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