Preparing for a Safe Return to the Skies
Aircraft that were parked or stored due to the impacts of the COVID-19 sanitary crisis are progressively returning to the skies. It is in this context that Airbus has already received several reports of rejected takeoff (RTO) and in-flight turn back (IFTB) events due to unreliable airspeed. All of these events had positive outcomes thanks to the actions of the flight crews. It does however illustrate the challenges for returning aircraft to flying, after they are parked or stored, and if the maintenance procedures are not followed in all cases. This is why we take this opportunity to share all of the available Airbus information and industry guidelines that can support Operators to ensure their safe return to the skies.
Safe Aircraft Refuelling
Safe refuelling operations require strict adherence to procedures and careful application of the safety precautions, not only by the refuelling operators but also flight crew, the cabin crew and the other ground operators.This article highlights the safety precautions that must be considered when refuelling an aircraft. It also describes supplementary tasks that are necessary if refuelling when passengers are on-board.
Avoiding Fuel Spills on A320 Family Aircraft
Cases of fuel spillage have been reported to Airbus on A320 family aircraft equipped with fuel transfer jet-pumps in the center tank.This article recalls the protections available against tank overfill. It explains why fuel spillage happened on the reported events and provides recommendations on how to avoid it.
Safe Aircraft Parking
Incorrect or incomplete application of the parking procedures at the end of a flight can lead to unexpected aircraft movement potentially resulting in injuries or significant damage from a collision with ground obstacles. Several cases of this type of event during maintenance are reported to Airbus each year.This article provides an overview of the parking brake architecture and explains the importance of checking accumulator pressure before applying the park brake, and then confirming there is sufficient hydraulic pressure at the brake unit. It also describes the safety enhancement available on A320 family and A330/A340 aircraft and gives recommendations for chock design and placement.
Managing Severe Turbulence
Severe turbulence encounters may cause injuries to passengers and cabin crew. If turbulence is unavoidable, using best practices, applying recommended techniques and following procedures will help to reduce the risk of injuries.This article is about turbulence encounters, their risks and tips for how to avoid them. It provides references and links to the relevant publications. It also highlights how communication between the flight crew and cabin crew can be most effective to manage the risks and recalls procedures and best practices to apply in the case of severe turbulence.
Takeoff Surveillance & Monitoring Functions
Airbus has continuously improved takeoff safety since the “TO CONFIG TEST” pushbutton was first introduced on A300 and A310 aircraft, and with the development of the Takeoff Surveillance (TOS1 & TOS2) and Takeoff Monitoring (TOM) functions.The TOS2 package that was initially developed for the A350 is now available for A320 family and A330 aircraft. This is an opportunity to review the checks that are performed by each function, from cockpit preparation to takeoff.
GNSS Interference
Signals from the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) are one of the main inputs used for aircraft positioning or time reference for Communication, Navigation and Surveillance functions on-board most of the Airbus aircraft.Operators report an increasing number of events related to the loss of GNSS signals due to Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) during operations in some areas of the world.This article explains the causes of RFI, the effects on the aircraft systems and provides recommendations for flight and maintenance crews.
Management of Overspeed Events in Cruise
Modern aircraft operate at high altitude and close to their high speed limits. As a consequence, temporary overspeed events can occur in cruise in changing wind conditions.Analysis of in-service data shows the need to remind the appropriate techniques to manage such temporary overspeed and avoid potential significant trajectory deviation.This article therefore recalls the aircraft capabilities to cope with overspeed and the recommended techniques to safely prevent and manage overspeed conditions in cruise.
Overspeed Event with Crew Take-over and OEB49 Application
While flying at FL380, an A340 aircraft encountered a strong and abrupt tailwind decrease that triggered significant MMO overshoot and overspeed warning.The crew disconnected the AP, took over and inappropriately applied OEB49 (ADR2 & ADR3 set to OFF).This article describes this event and presents two main aspects from its analysis: the management of an overspeed situation and the inappropriate OEB49 application.It details the rationale for the OEB49 (on A330/A340 aircraft) and OEB48 (on A320 family) and their conditions of application. It explains why they must not be trained on simulator and recalls the aircraft modifications allowing to cancel the OEB.
The Adverse Effects of Unrealistic Simulator Scenarios
The use of unrealistic failure scenarios during simulator training can lead to negative training. This article describes the « TOTAL PITOT BLOCKED » failure that is available in simulators. It explains why simultaneous and permanent dual “TOTAL PITOT BLOCKED” in climb or descent phase leads to negative training.