05 Communications

Question 1

How many Transmitter selector switches on the Audio Control Panel (ACP) can be selected at any one time?

Answer 1

Normally one, but CAB and SAT may be selected at the same time for cabin to SATCOM conferencing

Question 2

If a transmitter button is selected, is it necessary to select the associated receiver button/volume control in order to hear the audio?

Answer 2

No, it’s automatic, even though the light is out! (Volume must be turned up).

Question 3

How are the flight crew alerted to an incoming VHF/HF SELCAL on the ACP?

Answer 3

The appropriate CALL light will illuminate.

Question 4

On which systems does the V.B.R switch have any effect?

Answer 4

VOR, ADF, ILS or DME (audio filter).

Question 5

What action can be taken if either the Captain or the F/O’s ACP fails?

Answer 5

Select the observer’s Audio selector to CAPT or F/O as appropriate.

Question 6

What methods are available to key a selected transmitter?

Answer 6

Pushing the desired ACP transmitter select switch and using MIC position of
•control wheel
• audio control panel microphone/interphone switch
• glareshield MIC switch
• hand microphone push-to-talk switch.

Question 7

If a TCP ‘OFF’ light is illuminated, can that unit tune any of the radios?

Answer 7

No. (The OFF button must be selected ON first).

Question 8

State the required steps to transmit/receive on VHF R from a TCP and ACP, and at the same time monitor audio signals from VHF C.

Answer 8

TCP
• Ensure the TCP OFF light is out.
• Press the VHF mode select key.
• Line select VHF R to make it the active radio.
• Type the desired frequency into the scratchpad.
Then either: -
• Select the frequency into the standby line, then press XFR to make it
active, or,
• Select the frequency straight into the active line.
ACP
• Push the VHF R transmitter select switch, and adjust the volume.
• Push the VHF C receiver volume control, and adjust the volume.

Question 9

How many VHF frequencies can be stored by the TCP?

Answer 9

A total of 24 frequencies may be stored on 3 STORED VHF pages.

Question 10

a. If 121.5 MHz is tuned on VHF L from the Capt’s TCP, what happens at the FO’s and observer’s ACP?
b. What happens if 121.5 MHz is tuned from the FO’s TCP on VHF R?

Answer 10

a. The receiver lights on both ACPs illuminate and they would be able to monitor that radio.
b. The same. When a VHF radio is tuned to frequency 121.5, all flight crew automatically monitor the radio; the receiver lights on all audio control panels illuminate.

Question 11

a. Which of the VHF radios can be configured for DATA or VOICE communications?
b. How many VHF radios can be used in DATA mode at any time?

Answer 11

a. VHF C or VHF R can be figured for data or voice.

b. Only one VHF radio can operate in the data mode at a time.

Question 12

How many HF frequencies can be stored by the TCP?

Answer 12

Managing HF frequencies on the TCP is identical to VHF mode operation. Up to three pages of stored HF frequencies (24 total) can be stored in the TCP.

Question 13

In the event that any mic-PTT switch is keyed for more than 30 seconds, what EICAS advisory message is displayed?

Answer 13

EICAS alert RADIO TRANSMIT CAPT, F/O or OBS is displayed; message removed when transmission stops.

Question 14

What does the TCP SATCOM control page allow crews to do?

Answer 14

• To initiate, answer and terminate calls
• Monitor call status
• Access lower- level pages.

Question 15

a. How are the flight crew alerted to an incoming SATCOM call?
b. How are calls terminated from the flight deck?

Answer 15

a. SELCAL chime and illumination of a CALL light on the ACP.

b. Selecting END CALL on the TCP control page.

Question 16

How are the flight crew alerted to an incoming call from the ground crew via the Flight Interphone?

Answer 16

• An aural alert chime
• GROUND CALL EICAS communications alert message
• CALL light on the ACP transmitter select switch.

Question 17

How are the flight crew alerted to incoming cabin crew calls?

Answer 17

EICAS communications alert messages and chimes.

Question 18

Which EICAS messages appear for the following cabin calls: -

a. Normal? b. Priority?

Answer 18

a. CABIN CALL. b. CABIN ALERT.

Question 19

What happens if a priority call is made to the flight deck whilst a normal priority call is in progress?

Answer 19

It automatically disconnects the lower priority cabin interphone call.

Question 20

Where does the flight crew access the cabin interphone call queue, speed dial numbers and directories?

Answer 20

The TCP CABIN INTERPHONE page menu.

Question 21

How can a priority call be made to a designated cabin station?

Answer 21

Pushing the audio control panel CAB (cabin) transmitter select switch twice within one second.

Question 22

a. How are the MFD communication pages selected?
b. What device is used to select items on the COMMS pages?
c. How is message text entry accomplished?

Answer 22

a. The COMM display switch displays the communications main menu on the selected MFD.
b. The cursor control device or cursor control selector.
c. By entering data into the COMM scratchpad and transferring it to the appropriate area.

Question 23

Having selected a menu heading, how are the menus that have further sub- menus indicated?

Answer 23

Subordinate menu items which lead to subsequent subordinate menu(s) are followed by three dots (…).

Question 24

What is required to print a message?

Answer 24

Select ‘PRINT’ command key at the bottom of the appropriate page

Question 25

How does the information from the REVIEW selection differ from the NEW MESSAGES selection?

Answer 25

REVIEW lists all
• transmitted messages
• received messages not requiring a response, or
• received messages with the response already sent.
NEW MESSAGES lists
• uplinked messages not displayed or responded to.

Question 26

a. What are the indications of an ATC uplink message?

b. As well as appearing in the ATC Message Block, where else will the ATC message appear?

Answer 26

a. An EICAS
‘•ATC’ communication message, plus an aural chime and an auxiliary display ATC Message Block, which contains the message.
b. The NEW MESSAGE menu selection.

Question 27

How are arriving company uplink messages annunciated?

Answer 27

An EICAS
•COMM or
•PRINTER
communications message and aural chime.

Question 28

When appropriate, ACCEPT/REJECT and CANCEL prompts appear at the bottom of the MFD page. Apart from using the MFD, what other method is there to action this prompt?

Answer 28

The ACCEPT, CANCEL, and REJECT buttons on the glareshield perform the same function as the same keys on the MFD.

Question 29

What action is necessary before ATC datalink messages can be sent and received?

Answer 29

ATC datalink requires manual logon to a participating ATC facility. Once logged on, transfer to adjacent ATC facilities is normally automatic.

Question 30

ATC uplinks containing clearance data that can set on the MCP, TCP or EFIS Control Panel have a crew feedback display function. How is the displayed message data value affected when the correct selection has been made?

Answer 30

The display data values change from white to green.

Question 31

Which MFD COMMS page menu would you select to send a DELAY REPORT?

Answer 31

The COMPANY menu.

Question 32

How could you change the Centre VHF mode from voice to data using the COMMS display?

Answer 32

Select: MANAGER, VHF, check correct default radio (centre), and select DEFAULT RADIO MODE - DATA. You can confirm your selection by checking DATA appears in the TCP VHF page.