UTILIZATION PRINCIPLES

DARK COCKPIT CONCEPT FOR OVERHEAD PANEL COLOR CODING DISPLAY UNITS PUSHBUTTON/PUSHBUTTON SWITCH LIGHT NEED TO SEE CONCEPT LESS PAPER COCKPIT COCKPIT CONTROLS - BEST PRACTICES USE OF SIDESTICK FLYING IN RECONFIGURATION LAWS ALTERNATE LAW DIRECT LAW BACKUP

DARK COCKPIT CONCEPT FOR OVERHEAD PANEL

Most of the systems are controlled from the overhead panel via:

Pushbutton

Pushbutton switch

Switch

Knob, knob-selector.

Each pushbutton/pushbutton switch has one or two lights:

The upper one is dedicated to alert or system status (e.g. FAULT light, OPEN light). If no alert or system status is required, two gray dots replace the light.

The lower one corresponds:

On pushbutton switch, to the control selection of the system (e.g. ON, OFF, OVRD), or
On pushbutton, to the system status.

If no control system selection is required, two gray dots replace the light.

The general operational rule is: Light out philosophy. The systems are ready and fit to fly.

COLOR CODING

DISPLAY UNITS

The information provided on the display units is color coded to indicate:

The status of the system (ECAM or FMA)

The status of the mode (FMA)

The nature of the information (e.g. title of an alert, action to be performed, information).

PUSHBUTTON/PUSHBUTTON SWITCH LIGHT

The information provided on the pushbutton/pushbutton switch is also color coded to indicate the status of the system:

Amber: Indicates that a system is failed

Red: Indicates a failure that may require an immediate corrective action

Green: Indicates that a system operates normally

Blue: Indicates the normal operation of a temporarily selected system

White: Indicates the abnormal position of a pushbutton switch or maintenance/test result indication

Blank: The system is fit to fly.

NEED TO SEE CONCEPT

The DUs may display information that can potentially overload the flight crew.

In order to prevent this situation, some principles have been established to provide the flight crew with the right information, at the right time:

The right information in a given flight phase

Uncluttered, and non-overloaded “need to show" data

Redundant, or consolidated data for safety related parameters

Predictive information on essential parameters.

LESS PAPER COCKPIT

The less paper cockpit concept:

Improves the access to pilots' operational information and simplifies some of their tasks

Reduces the number of paper documents in the cockpit and replaces them by electronic ones:

Improving information access and search
Enabling quicker and easier updates.

COCKPIT CONTROLS - BEST PRACTICES

The cockpit controls (i.e. pushbuttons, levers and handles located on the overhead panel, the main instrument panel and the pedestal) are designed to ensure a safe and efficient interaction between the pilots and the aircraft systems. As best practices and in order to properly use the cockpit controls, the pilot should:

Not use the cockpit controls as supports for the arms or for the hands. The use of armrests may prevent such positions

As PM, not have their hand on a control before they need to use it, to avoid inadvertent activation

Visually identify the control before selection or action on the control. Then, to close the loop, the pilot must check the result of the action

Not request an action on a cockpit control if they suspect that the other crew member does not share the same plan of action as theirs. The application of the standard callout reduces possible confusion between cockpit controls in this situations (e.g. The sequence "POSITIVE CLIMB" announced by PM and "GEAR UP" ordered by PF ensures a common plan of action between both pilots)

Ensure that when a cockpit control is activated, no inadvertent activation of an other cockpit control occurs. This inadvertent activation may occur, for example, due to loose clothing, loose jewelry, pen held in the hand or uncontrolled movement.

In addition, at all times, the flight crew should be ready to rapidly take the appropriate actions on the cockpit controls, if required. For information on how to handle the cockpit controls during abnormal operations, Refer to FCTM / AOP / Management of Abnormal Operations / Handling of cockpit controls.

USE OF SIDESTICK

Only one flight crew flies at a time.

If the PM wants to act on the sidestick, the PM must:

Clearly announce “I have control"

Press and maintain the sidestick pushbutton, in order to get full control of the Fly-By-Wire system.

The flight crew should keep in mind that sidestick inputs are algebraically added. Therefore dual inputs must be avoided, and will trigger aural and visual alerts.

Either flight crew can make an input on their sidestick at any time.

Either flight crew can deactivate the other flight crew’s sidestick by pressing on their sidestick pushbutton.

FLYING IN RECONFIGURATION LAWS

When the aircraft is in reconfiguration law, the flight crew should consider the following:

At high altitude, descend to a lower altitude to increase the margin to buffet and keep satisfying handling qualities. The maximum Flight Level (FL) is displayed on ECAM and is associated to the failure mode that led to the re-configured control law.

At high speed, maneuver with care and use small control inputs. Depending on the re-configuration law, the pitch control law can have different modes, but the roll control law will always be in direct law. For additional information, Refer to FCOM/DSC-27-20-20-10 General.

ALTERNATE LAW

The handling characteristics within the normal flight envelope are identical in pitch with normal law.

Outside the normal flight envelope, the PF must take appropriate preventive actions to avoid losing control, and/or avoid high speed excursions. These actions are the same as those that would be applied in any case of non protected aircraft.

DIRECT LAW

The PF must avoid performing large thrust changes, or sudden speedbrake movements, particularly if the center of gravity is aft. If the speedbrakes are out, and the aircraft has been re-trimmed, the PF must gently retract the speedbrakes to give the aircraft time to re-trim, and thereby avoid a large nose down trim change.

BACKUP

In the unlikely event of such a failure, backup enables the PF to safely stabilize the aircraft, using the rudder and manual pitch trim, while reconfiguring the systems.

In such cases, the objective is not to fly the aircraft accurately, but to maintain the aircraft attitude safe and stabilized, in order to allow the restoration of lost systems.

The pitch trim wheel is used to control pitch. Any action on the pitch trim wheel should be applied smoothly, because the THS effect is significant due to its large size.

The rudder provides lateral control, and induces a significant roll with a slight delay. The PF should apply some rudder to turn, and wait for the aircraft reaction. To stabilize and level the wings, anticipate by releasing the rudder pedals.