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OEB

FLIGHT OPERATIONS
SUPPORT

OPERATIONS ENGINEERING BULLETIN

BP N33, 31707 Blagnac Cedex France

A318/A319/A320/A321

Issued by STL

OEB N: 205/2
File in FCOM Vol 3

FEB 11

Associated with QRH OEB


PROC N: 205/2

This OEB covers a significant operational issue. Non-compliance with this


OEB should have a significant impact on the operations of the aircraft.
The Operators shall distribute its content to all flight crews without delay.
An extract of this OEB is provided for insertion in the QRH.
It is recommended that all Operators accelerate the incorporation of all
corrective Service Bulletins as soon as they become available.

SUBJECT:

INCORRECT VERTICAL PROFILE


DURING NON PRECISION
APPROACHES

APPLICABLE TO:

All A318/A319/A320/A321 aircraft with


Thales/GE FMS 2 (Rev 2+ "S4",
Release 1A "S5" and "S6")

CANCELLED BY:

Thales/GE FMS 2 Release 1A (R1A)


"S7" standard

R REASON FOR ISSUE 2:


R This OEB is revised to:
R
- Provide the operators with clarifications on the criteria to identify Non
R
Precision Approaches (NPAs) impacted by the issue
R
- Simplify the operational recommendations for flight crew
R
- Clarify the impacts on RNP AR approaches and use of FLS function.

Operations Engineering Bulletins are issued by Airbus as the need arises to quickly transmit technical and
procedural information. They are distributed to all FCOM holders and to others who need advice of changes to
operational information.
Information in this bulletin is recommended by Airbus but may not be approved by Airworthiness Authorities.
If the procedures contained in this OEB differ from the procedures in the AFM, the AFM remains the reference.

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R REASON FOR ISSUE 1:


This OEB is issued to provide the operators with the operational
recommendations to apply when the flight crew performs a Non Precision
Approach (NPA) with two or more Flight Path Angle (FPA) coded in the
Navigation DataBase (NDB).
EXPLANATION:
R BACKGROUND
R
R
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R
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The FMS computes the vertical profile of the final approach backwards
from an anchor point that is the Missed Approach Point (MAP), the Runway
threshold (RWY) or the Final End Point (FEP). The FMS adapts its vertical
profile to take into account for each waypoint, the following Navigation
DataBase data:
- FPAs
- Altitude constraints.

R
R
R
R

Note 1: The OEB scenario can impact RNP AR procedures.


However, the mandatory preliminary validation of such procedures enables
operators to detect the misbehaviour in advance. It is then possible for
operators to ask for a new coding of the approach.

R Note 2: The use of FLS is not affected as the computation of the FLS beam
R is not impacted.
R DESCRIPTION OF THE MISBEHAVIOUR
R
R
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When the theoretical altitude of the FAF, based on the FPA coded on the
anchor point (called FPA-based altitude in this document), is higher than
or equal to the FAF altitude constraint, the FMS erroneously disregards the
FPA coded on the FAF.

OEB N 205/2

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R As a result, the vertical profile before the FAF may erroneously consist in:
R
- A descent segment (not respecting the coded FPA), followed by
R
- A level off at the altitude constraint coded at the FAF.
R Note that this altitude constraint at the FAF should always respect the
R Minimum Obstacle Clearance (MOC) altitude.
See the below illustration (example):
R

Approach chart

Aircraft trajectory

OEB N 205/2

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MCDU example

FPA coded at the


FAF
AT or ABOVE
altitude constraint
coded at the FAF

R LIST OF IMPACTED APPROACHES


R
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The Flight Operations/Engineering department of operators can identify the


potentially impacted NPAs with the help of:
- A list established by Airbus, or
- With a Navigation DataBase reading tool.
For this second solution, they have to extract from the Navigation
DataBase all NPAs having both:
- AT OR ABOVE altitude constraint coded at the FAF
- A FPA coded on the FAF (i.e. intended for the leg preceding the
FAF).
When a list of potentially impacted procedures is established, the operator
can also study each procedure to check whether the actual FMS vertical
profile is acceptable.
This check can be performed in a simulator or with an aircraft when the
weather conditions are VMC (Visual Meteorological Conditions).
This check enables to establish a list of impacted NPAs.

R PROCEDURE:
R The following procedure only applies for flight crew.
R 1) If the operator has established a list of impacted NPAs, updated with
the current Navigation DataBase cycle:
R
When preparing a NPA, the flight crew must check if the procedure is
R
in the list or not:
R
OEB N 205/2

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R
R
R

If the procedure is not in the list (i.e. not impacted), there is no


restriction on the use of managed lateral and vertical guidance.
If the procedure is in the list (i.e. impacted):
- USE SELECTED vertical guidance (FPA) mode only
- DO NOT USE vertical managed guidance (FINAL APP)
- DISREGARD the VDEV symbol

R 2) If the operator has not established a list of impacted NPAs, or if the list
R
is not updated with the current Navigation DataBase cycle:
R
The flight crew must check if the procedure contains (refer to the
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MCDU example on page 4):
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- 2 or more FPA between the descent point and the
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MAP/RWY/FEP and
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- An AT OR ABOVE altitude constraint coded at the FAF
R
R
R

If the above coding is not used in the procedure, there is no


restriction on the use of managed lateral and vertical guidance.
If the above coding is used in the procedure:
- USE SELECTED vertical guidance (FPA) mode only
- DO NOT USE vertical managed guidance (FINAL APP)
- DISREGARD the VDEV symbol

R Notes:
R
1) On an impacted NPA, NAV mode may still be used for lateral
R
guidance.
R
2) For an impacted RNAV approach, the flight crew must not use the
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LNAV/VNAV minimum.
In all cases, the flight crew should check the approach procedure through
the MCDU (Refer to Standard Operating Procedures Descent
Preparation). If during the approach, the aircraft does not follow the
published vertical profile, the flight crew should revert into selected vertical
R guidance mode.
CORRECTIVE ACTION:
The future Thales/GE FMS 2 R1A S7 standard will cancel this OEB (MOD
and Airbus SB TBD).
Note: The interchangeability code, given in the Illustrated Part Catalog (IPC),
indicates the conditions for interchangeability of equipment. After installation of
corrective modification(s)/SB(s), if an Operator reinstalls any equipment affected by
this OEB it is the Operator's responsibility to ensure that the recommendations
given in this OEB are applied again for the applicable aircraft.

OEB N 205/2

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