A320 ECAM (instruments)

Question 1

What does ECAM stand for?

Answer 1

Electronic Centralized Aircraft Monitor

Question 2

What do E/WD and SD stand for?

Answer 2

E/WD: Engine/Warning display
SD: System display

Question 3

What is the upper ECAM display called?

Answer 3

The E/WD or Engine/Warning display

Question 4

What is the lower ECAM display called?

Answer 4

The SD or System display

Question 5

What is the panel with the different systems buttons called?

Answer 5

The ECAM control panel

Question 6

How many sections is the E/WD display broken up into? What’s contained in each section?

Answer 6

3 sections

Top section: primary engine parameters (current thrust mode, N1, EGT, N2, fuel flow, FOB, and slat/flap pos.)
Bottom left: Primary failures, independent failures, memos, and CONFIG memos
Bottom right: Special lines, left part of overflow summary, secondary failures, and memos

Question 7

What generates the information that’s displayed on the lower portions of the E/WD?

Answer 7

The FWS or Flight Warning System

Question 8

When is a failure displayed on the E/WD?

Answer 8

When the failure is detected by the FWS (Flight Warning System) and the alert is not inhibited for the phase of flight the aircraft is in

Question 9

How many flight phases does the FWS divide it’s functions into? What are the phases?

Answer 9

10 phases

1.) Electrical power
2.) 1st engine started
3.) 1st engine TO power
4.) 80 knots
5.) Lift off
6.) Climbing above 1500’
7.) Descending through 800’
8.) Touch down
9.) 80 knots
10.) 2nd engine shut down

Question 10

When is the takeoff inhibit active?

Answer 10

From first engine reaching takeoff power to 1500’

Question 11

What happens if a failure occurs before the inhibit phase, but then the aircraft enters the inhibit phase?

Answer 11

The ECAM will come up immediately, and will stay up even when the aircraft enters the inhibit phase

Question 12

What happens if a failure occurs during an inhibited phase?

Answer 12

No failure will be displayed by the ECAM until AFTER the inhibited phase is over.

Question 13

What do the following colors generally mean on the E/WD: Red, amber, green, white, blue, magenta?

Answer 13

Red: Configuration or failure that requires immediate action
Amber: Crew awareness of a configuration or failure but no immediate action is required
Green: Normal operation
White: Titles and remarks that guide to execute various procedures
Blue: Actions to be carried out by the crew, or limitations
Magenta: Inhibits or messages that apply to particular pieces of equipment

Question 14

How many priority levels are there for warnings/cautions that are detected by the flight warning system? What are they and which is the highest priority?

Answer 14

3 priority levels. Level 1, 2, and 3. Level 3 is the highest priority, then level 2, and lastly level 1.

Question 15

If multiple failures occur simultaneously, in what order will they be displayed?

Answer 15

In priority order. Level 3 will be displayed first, then level 2, then level 1.

Question 16

What’s the priority order for aural warnings?

Answer 16

In order, synthetic voices warnings, other aural warnings, then single chimes

Question 17

What do level 1 cautions generally mean? What is displayed/heard for a level 1 caution?

Answer 17

Level 1 cautions require crew monitoring only, and indicate a loss of redundancy or system degradation. Only the name of the failure is displayed on the E/WD. There is no master caution warning, no chime, and no system page is displayed.

Question 18

What does a level 2 caution generally mean? What is displayed/heard for a level 2 caution?

Answer 18

A level 2 caution requires the crew to be aware of the configuration or failure, but may not necessarily require immediate action. If this happens the name of the failure will be displayed on the E/WD, the master caution light will illuminate, the associated system page will be displayed on the S/D, and is normally accompanied by a single chime

Question 19

What does a level 3 warning generally mean? What is heard/displayed during a level 3 warning?

Answer 19

A level 3 warning requires immediate action by the crew as the aircraft is either in a dangerous flight condition, or has a system failure that affects the safety of flight. When a level 3 warning is triggered the name of the failure is displayed in RED on the E/WD, the master warning light illuminates, generally either a repetitive chime is heard or a specific aural alert, and the respective system is displayed on the S/D

Question 20

What are the 3 different types (not levels) of failures?

Answer 20

Independent, primary, and secondary failures

Question 21

What is an independent failure?

Answer 21

An independent failure is a system failure that does not affect other systems

Question 22

What’s a primary failure?

Answer 22

A primary failure is a failure that causes other systems to fail or operate at a degraded level

Question 23

What’s a secondary failure?

Answer 23

A secondary failure is a system that failed as a result of a primary failure. It will be located in the bottom right of the E/WD preceded by an asterisk.

Question 24

What’s an advisory?

Answer 24

An advisory is when a system should be monitored by a crew as a system or component is approaching a limit. An advisory is indicated by an automatic display of the associated system display, with the item title pulsing normal white to bright white, and the affected parameter pulsing green.

Question 25

When does the takeoff memo appear?

Answer 25

It appears 2 minutes after engine start, or when the TO CONFIG push button is pressed and at least one engine is running.

Question 26

Does the T.O. CONFIG button just monitor the items on the takeoff memo?

Answer 26

No. It monitors items that aren’t even displayed in the takeoff memo

Question 27

What’s the only item in the takeoff memo that will cause a CONFIG warning if improperly set?

Answer 27

The flap configuration. If the flaps are not set to either 1, 2, or 3, a CONFIG warning will sound if the T.O. CONFIG button is pressed.

Question 28

When does the takeoff memo disappear?

Answer 28

When takeoff power is applied

Question 29

When does the landing memo display? When does it disappear?

Answer 29

It appears below 2000’ RA. It disappears after touchdown when decelerating through 80 knots.

Question 30

When will FLAPS………..CONF 3 be displayed on the landing memo?

Answer 30

When the GPWS LDG FLAP 3 push button is selected on, or if the aircraft is operating in alternate or direct laws

Question 31

What items are always displayed at the bottom of the S/D?

Answer 31

TAT, SAT, ISA, UTC time, and gross weight. Additionally the G load of the aircraft will be displayed next to the UTC time if the g load is less than 0.7 or more than 1.4.

Question 32

On the ground in the ELEC PWR phase, what system page is automatically displayed?

Answer 32

The DOOR/OXY page

Question 33

Which system page is automatically displayed after the engine page disappears following engine start?

Answer 33

The wheel page

Question 34

When will the F/CTL page display for the flight control check on the ground? When will it disappear?

Answer 34

It appears when either pilot moves the side stick more than 3º in pitch or more than 22º rudder pedal deflection. It disappears 20 seconds after the flight controls are no longer moved those amounts.

Question 35

When is the wheels page changed to the engine page on the S/D during takeoff? When does the engine page then get replaced by the CRUISE page?

Answer 35

The engine page is displayed when the first engine reaches takeoff power. It changes to the cruise page when the aircraft is climbing through 1500’

Question 36

When is the cruise page changed to the wheel page during approach to land?

Answer 36

When the gear is extended

Question 37

What page does the wheels page change to after the last engine is shut down?

Answer 37

The DOOR/OXY page

Question 38

Will an automatic call up of a system display occur during a failure, if another system display has been manually selected?

Answer 38

Yes, and it will override the manual selection.

Question 39

When will the status page reappear during landing?

Answer 39

When the flap handle is positioned to 1