PURPOSE OF THE ECAM

PURPOSE OF THE ECAM

The Electronic Centralized Aircraft Monitoring (ECAM) system
is a main component of Airbus’ two-crewmember cockpit,
which also takes the "dark cockpit" and "forward-facing crew"
philosophiesinto account.

The purpose of the ECAM is to:

• Display aircraft system information
• Monitor aircraft systems
• Indicate required flight crew actions, in most normal, abnormal and emergency situations.

As the ECAM is available in most failure situations,
it is a significant step in the direction towards a
paperless cockpit and the reduction of memory items.

MAIN PRINCIPLES

Applicable to: ALL
INFORMATION PROVIDED WHEN NEEDED

One of the main advantages of the ECAM is that it displays applicable information to the flight
crew, on an "as needed" basis.

The following outlines the ECAM’s operating modes:

• Normal Mode:
Automatically displays systems and memos, in accordance with the flight phase.
• Failure Mode:
Automatically displays the appropriate emergency/abnormal procedures, in addition to their
associated system synoptic.

• Advisory Mode:
Automatically displays the appropriate system synoptic, associated with a drifting parameter.

• Manual Mode:
Enables the flight crew to manually select any system synoptic
via the ECAM Control Panel(ECP).

Most warnings and cautions are inhibited during critical phases of flight
(T/O INHIBIT – LDGINHIBIT), because most system failures will not affect
the aircraft’s ability to continue a takeoff or landing.

FAILURE LEVELS

The ECAM has three levels of warnings and cautions. Each level is based on the associated
operational consequence(s) of the failure. Failures will appear in a specific color,
according to a defined color-coding system,
that advises the flight crew of the urgency of a situation in an
instinctive, unambiguous manner.

In addition, Level 2 and 3 failures are accompanied by a specific
aural warning: A Continuous Repetitive Chime (CRC) indicates a Level 3 failure, and a Single
Chime (SC) indicates a Level 2 failure.


LVL 3 Priority: Safety ||Color Code: Red ||Aural Warning: CRC ||
Crew Act: Immediate

LVL 2 Priority: Abnormal ||Color Code: Amber ||Aural Warning: SC ||
Crew Act: Awareness, then action

LVL 1 Priority: Degradation||Color Code: Amber ||Aural Warning: None ||
Crew Act: Awareness, then Monitor

When there are several failures, the FWC displays them on the Engine Warning Display (E/WD) in
an order of priority, determined by the severity of the operational consequences.
This ensures that the flight crew sees the most important failures first.

FEEDBACK

The ECAM provides the flight crew with feedback, after action is taken on affected controls:

• The System Synoptic:
Displays the status change of affected components.

• The Memo:
Displays the status of a number of systems selected by the flight crew (e.g. anti ice).

• The Procedures:
When the flight crew performs a required action on the cockpit panel, the ECAM usually clears
the applicable line of the checklist (except for some systems or actions, for which feedback is
not available).

The ECAM reacts to both failures and pilot action.

ECAM HANDLING

Applicable to: ALL

Task sharing is essential to effective ECAM operation, particularly in the case of abnormal
operations.

NORMAL OPERATIONS

On ground, the ECAM MEMO is reviewed for feedback on temporarily-selected items
(e.g. SEATBELTS/IGNITION/ENG A/I), and to check whether IRs are aligned.
If alignment is not complete,the time remaining will be displayed.
It is, therefore, not necessary to refer to the OVHD panel.

In cruise, the main systems should periodically be reviewed during flight
(ENG, BLEED, ELEC, AC/DC, HYD, FUEL, F/CTL),
to ensure that they are operating normally, and to detect any
potential problem in advance.

The ECAM MEMO must be included in the instrument review.
In cruise, in most of the cases, it should be blank.
It helps to make the flight crew aware of any system that a flight crewmember
temporarily selected, but forgot to deselect.

A STS label, displayed at the bottom of the E/WD, indicates that there is a STATUS to be
reviewed.

Therefore, when a C/L calls for STATUS review, press STS, only if the label appears.

If there is a STS at engine shutdown, it will pulse at the bottom of the E/WD.

If this is the case, the STATUS page should be reviewed for help in completing the technical log.


ECAM ADVISORY

The flight crewmember that first notices an advisory announces: "ADVISORY on XYZ system".

Then, the PF requests the PNF to review the drifting parameter.
If time permits, the PNF may refer to the QRH non normal procedures section,
containing recommended actions in various advisory situations.

1 ABNORMAL OPERATIONS

TASK SHARING RULES

When the ECAM displays a warning or a caution, the first priority is to ensure that a safe flight
path is maintained.

The successful outcome of any ECAM procedure depends on:

Correct reading and application of the procedure, effective task sharing,
and conscious monitoring and crosschecking.

It is important to remember that, after ECAM ACTIONS announcement by the PF:

• The PF’s task is to fly the aircraft, navigate, and communicate.
• The PNF’s task is to manage the failure, on PF command.

The PF usually remains the PF for the entire flight, unless the Captain decides to take control.

The PF will then control the aircraft’s flight path, speed, configuration, and engines.

The PF will also manage navigation and communication,
and initiate the ECAM actions to be performed by
the PNF, and check that the actions are completed correctly.

The PNF has a considerable workload: Managing ECAM actions and assisting the PF on
request.
The PNF reads the ECAM and checklist, performs ECAM actions on PF command,
requests PF confirmation to clear actions, and performs actions required by the PF.

The PNF never touches the thrust levers, even if requested by the ECAM.

Some selectors or pushbuttons (including the ENG MASTER switch, FIRE pushbutton, IR, IDG
and, in general, all guarded switches) must be crosschecked by both the PF and PNF,
before they are moved or selected, to prevent the flight crew from
inadvertently performing irreversible actions.

As a general rule, any computer reset must be
also crosschecked by both the PF and PNF.

To avoid mistakes in identifying the switches, Airbus’ overhead panels
are designed to be uncluttered.

When the ECAM requires action on overhead panel pushbuttons or switches,
the correct system panel can be identified by referring
to the white name of the system on the side of each panel.

Before performing any action, the PNF should keep this sequence in mind:

"System, then procedure/selector, then action" (e.g. "air, crossbleed, close").

This approach, and announcing an intended selection before action,
enables the PNF to keep the PF aware of the progress of the procedure.

It is important to remember that, if a system fails,
the associated FAULT light on the system pushbutton
(located on the overhead panel) will come on in amber,
and enable correct identification.

When selecting a system switch or pushbutton,
the PNF should check the SD to verify that the
selected action has occurred
(e.g. closing the crossbleed valve should
change the indications that appear on the SD).

Crew Coordination

1. The PNF should review the overhead panel and/or associated SD to analyze and confirm the
failure, prior to taking any action, and should bear in mind that the sensors used for the SD
may be different from the sensors that trigger the failure.

2. In case of a failure during takeoff or go-around, ECAM actions should be delayed until
the aircraft reaches approximately 400 ft, and is stabilized on a safe trajectory.
This is an appropriate compromise between stabilizing the aircraft and delaying action.

3. When the ECAM displays several failures, the sequence (action, then request and
confirmation, before clearance) should be repeated for each failure.
When all necessary actions are completed, amber messages
and red titles will no longer appear on the E/WD.

4. When the ECAM displays several system pages, the sequence
(request and confirmation before clearance) should be repeated for each system page.

5. The PF may call out "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 PF must callout: "CONTINUE ECAM".

6. When slats are extended, the SD automatically displays the STATUS, unless if the page is
empty.
The STS should be carefully reviewed, and the required procedure applied.

7. When ECAM actions have been completed, and the ECAM status has been reviewed,
the PNF may refer to the FCOM procedure for supplementary information, if time permits.

However, in critical situations the flight should not be prolonged only to consult the FCOM.

IF THE ECAM WARNING (OR CAUTION) DISAPPEARS WHILE APPLYING THE PROCEDURE

If an ECAM warning disappears, while a procedure is being applied, the warning can be
considered no longer applicable.

Application of the procedure can be stopped.

For example, during the application of an engine fire procedure, if the fire is successfully
extinguished with the first fire extinguisher bottle, the ENG FIRE warning disappears, and the
procedure no longer applies.

Any remaining ECAM procedures should be performed as usual.

SOME ADDITIONAL REMARKS

• There are very few memory items:

‐ Immediate actions of EMER DESCENT
‐ Immediate actions, in case of an unreliable speed indication
‐ Loss of braking
‐ Windshear (reactive and predictive)
‐ EGPWS and GPWS
‐ TCAS
‐ Stall recovery and stall warning at lift-off.

• LAND ASAP (As Soon As Possible):

‐ RED LAND ASAP :
Land as soon as possible at the nearest suitable airport
at which a safe approach and landing can be made.

‐ AMBER LAND ASAP:

Advice to the flight crew to consider landing at the nearest suitable airport.

Note:

The CLOSEST AIRPORTS MCDU page may help the flight crew
to determine the nearest suitable airport:

This page displays the four airports that are the nearest to
the aircraft's current position.

These airports are found in the navigation database,
and are displayed regardless of their suitability.

The flight crew should keep in mind that the four closest airports
are sorted according to distance, and should refer to
the Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA).

• OEB Reminder

Some Operational Engineering Bulletins (OEBs)
contain information that may impact flight
crew action, in the event of a system failure.
OEBs are filed in the QRH.
If the OEB reminder function is activated for an ECAM warning/caution,
the ECAM will display the : "Refer to QRH Proc" line, when necessary.
This line may appear instead of the procedure,
or it may be added to the ECAM STATUS.

In such failure cases, the flight crew should refer to
the applicable procedure in the QRH.

• Some procedures require reference to the QRH

IN CASE OF AN ECAM SYSTEM FAULT DISPLAY UNIT FAILURE

If one ECAM screen fails, the remaining one will display the E/WD.

However, in such a case, if a failure or advisory occurs,
the system or status page are not displayed automatically.

The PNF can display a system synoptic on the remaining display unit,
by pressing the assigned system pushbutton on the ECP.
The synoptic will appear, as long as the pushbutton is pressed.

Therefore, in the case of an advisory and/or failure
(indicated by an ADV flag that pulses in white on the bottom of the E/WD),
the PNF must call up the affected system synoptic, by
pressing the related pushbutton.

To review two or three pages of status messages:

The PNF should release the STS pushbutton
for less than two seconds, then press and hold it again.

A double ECAM screen configuration can be recovered
using the ECAM/ND switching selector:

• If the Captain is the PNF, the switch should be set to "CPT".
• If the First Officer is the PNF, the switch should be set to "F/O".

The applicable ND screen will then display the second ECAM image.

DMC FAILURES

In case all of the ECAM DMC channels fail, each flight crewmember
may display the engine standby page on their respective ND
(generated by the DMCs’ EFIS channel).

ECP FAILURE

In the case of an ECP failure, the CLR, RCL, STS, ALL and EMER CANCEL keys
will continue to operate, because they are hardwired to the FWC/DMC.
Therefore, the "ALL" key can be used to scroll all SD pages and
display the desired one
(by releasing the key, when the desired SD page appears).

FLUCTUATING CAUTION

Any fluctuating caution can be deleted with the EMER CANCEL pushbutton.
When pressed, the EMER CANCEL pushbutton deletes both the aural alert,
and the caution for the remainder of the flight.
This is indicated on the STATUS page, by the "CANCELLED CAUTION" title.

The EMER CANCEL pushbutton inhibits any aural warning that is associated with a red
warning, but does not affect the warning itself.

RCL PUSHBUTTON

The RCL pushbutton allows to call up all ECAM alerts and the STATUS page
that may have been suppressed by the CLR pushbutton
or by the flight-phase-related inhibition.

Any alerts that have been inhibited by the EMER CANCEL pushbutton are displayed when the
fly crew holds the RCL pusbutton down for more than three seconds.


USE OF SUMMARIES

Applicable to: ALL

GENERAL

SUMMARIES consist of QRH procedures, and are designed to assist the flight crew to manage
applicable actions, in the event of an ELEC EMER CONFIG or a dual hydraulic failure.

In any case, ECAM actions should be applied first (actions and STATUS review).

The PNF should refer to the applicable QRH SUMMARIES, only after announcing:
"ECAM ACTIONS COMPLETED".

When a failure occurs, and after performing the ECAM actions,
the PNF should refer to the "ACTUAL LANDING DISTANCES WITH FAILURE WITHOUT REV" table
of the SUMMARIES, to determine the landing distance with failure.

For dry and wet runways, the Actual Landing Distances with failure are provided in the
SUMMARIES.

For contaminated runways, only the LDG DIST Factors are provided in the SUMMARIES.

As mentioned, the landing distance and the LDG DIST Factors provided in the SUMMARIES do
not take into account the credit of the reverse thrust.

However, if necessary, the flight crew can still
compute an ACTUAL LANDING DISTANCE WITH REV by referring to the QRH part 2.

Also, the landing distances provided in the SUMMARIES do not take into account possible
additional factor linked to the "APPR COR".
Therefore, the PNF must check in the "CRUISE" section of the SUMMARIES
whether an "APPR COR" appears in the VAPP formula.

Two different cases are possible:

‐ There is no "APPR COR", the flight crew must consider
the landing distance with failurecomputed before to divert, or not.

‐ There is an "APPR COR". In this case, the PNF should refer
to the VAPP computation method(QRH part 2) in order to determine
whether an "Additional Factor" is applicable.
The flight crew must consider the resulting landing distance
with failure to divert, or not.

APPROACH PREPARATION

As usual, approach preparation includes a review of the ECAM STATUS.

After reviewing the STATUS, the PNF should refer
to the "CRUISE" section of the SUMMARIES,
to determine the VREF correction, and compute the VAPP.

The PNF should refer to the VAPP computation method (QRH part 2)
if "APPR COR" appears in the VAPP formula,
and uses the VREF displayed on the MCDU (with the updated destination).

The SUMMARIES provides a VREF table, in the event
that failure results in the loss of the MCDU.

The APPR, LANDING and GO-AROUND sections of the SUMMARIES should be used for the
approach briefing.

APPROACH

To perform the APPR PROC, the APPROACH section of
the SUMMARIES should be read (mainly because of the flap extension procedure,
that does not entirely appear on the ECAM).

This assumes that the recommendations, provided in this part
of the SUMMARIES are sufficient for understanding, and that
it will not be necessary for the flight crew to consult
the "LANDING WITH FLAPS (SLATS) JAMMED” paper procedure.

The PNF should then review the ECAM STATUS, and check that all the APPR PROC actions
have been completed.


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