Take Care of Your Brakes
All Brakes are subject to wear. Some brakes may also experience oxidation which can lead to brake rupture. In the case of a brake rupture or if brakes are too worn, the aircraft braking performance is reduced. This can result in a runway overrun if the full braking capacity is required such as during a […]
Editorial – July 2022
by Yannick MALINGE – SVP & Chief Product Safety Officer
Fuel Microbiological Contamination Treatment
An aircraft fuel tank provides the perfect conditions for microbiological contamination to develop, especially when operating in hot and humid environments. Problems caused by microbiological contamination of fuel can range from inaccurate or erroneous fuel quantity readings to structural corrosion and engine fuel supply difficulties caused by clogged fuel filters. As a result, if treatment […]
Do not Wait to Apply the Engine Fire Procedure
Several recent engine fire events highlight the importance of timely application of the engine fire procedure. This article explains why flight crew must apply this procedure without delay. Decisive action when there is an engine fire alert may prevent further damage to the engine. This can help to ensure that a manageable fire situation does […]
Good Quality Hydraulic Fluid for Safe Operations
Several cases of uncommanded spoiler extension were reported to Airbus in recent years. Investigations showed that a high acidity level of the hydraulic fluid was a contributor to these events. This article recalls the importance of checking the quality of the hydraulic fluid and describes the improvements made to the AMM/MP procedure to perform hydraulic […]
Prevention of EGT Overlimit Events
A number of engine Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT) overlimit events at takeoff were reported to Airbus, including dual events leading to a significant increase in flight crew workload at low altitude. This article recalls the importance of monitoring the EGT margin of each engine to detect any degradation in engine performance early, and provides recommendations […]
Landing with Nosewheels at 90 degrees
In the past few years, several events occurred involving landing with the Nose Landing Gear (NLG) wheels turned to 90° from the aircraft centerline. The investigations identified the root causes, which were different for each event. Mitigating actions were developed and deployed accordingly. This article describes the outcomes of investigations into several events of aircraft […]
Editorial – January 2022
by Yannick MALINGE – SVP & Chief Product Safety Officer
Look out for Ice Ridges on the Lower Nose Fuselage
With the start of the winter season in the northern hemisphere, it is a timely reminder to re-publish this article, initially written in 2018. Ice ridges on the lower nose fuselage can cause Computed Airspeed (CAS) values delivered by the ADRs to be lower than the actual airspeed which may lead to unreliable airspeed events. […]
Lining Up with the Correct Glide Slope
The Instrument Landing System (ILS) is accurate and reliable, but the ILS antenna design today causes secondary glide slopes to appear above the primary glide slope. Flight crews must be aware of this phenomenon to prevent unwanted aircraft behavior during an ILS glide slope capture. This article explains the phenomenon of secondary glide slopes and […]