Preface
Hey docs team! Here is the first part of my review of your Pilot Briefing. This is the overhead only. The rest will follow in a separate issue. I already told you: You did a fantastic job! I'm impressed. Please take the following list as an offer, a suggestion, not as criticism. I know it looks huge, but it isn't, compared to the overall size of the Pilot Briefing.
Things I didn't explicitly watch out for:
- grammar
- punctuation
- other language-related stuff.
I'm not a native speaker, and I think we have more qualified people for the job.
General
- The explanation of the FAULT lights is often accompanied by a reference to ECAM cautions. Technically, the ECAM caution is completely independent from the so called "local warnings". Ideally they occur at nearly the same time, but there can be situations in which the FAULT light comes on without any ECAM event. I'll leave it up to you.
Summary
Hope this makes it easier for you to track the issues.
Overhead Aft
Overhead Aft -> Emergency Locator Transmitter Panel
Emergency Locator Transmitters are mounted in the back of the aircraft, and are designed to be triggered upon impact or may be manually activated using the remote switch and control panel indicator in the cockpit.
There is only one ELT mounted in the back of the aircraft. An option for a second ELT used to exist, but it’s not common anymore. Instead, there is an additional handheld ELT mounted in the cockpit wardrobe.
An audio alert starts and a distress signal is transmitted for search and rescue upon activation.
The audio alert (i.e. the distress signal) is only audible when the correct frequency (in this case 121.500) is selected in the RMP (and the corresponding reception knobs of the ACP are set accordingly).
Overhead Aft -> Maintenance Panel -> CVR Headset
Headphone output to monitor the Cockpit Voice Recorder, e.g., for testing.
Scratch the "e. g.". It's the sole purpose of this jack.
Overhead Aft -> Maintenance Panel -> BLUE PUMP OVRD
OFF: The blue electric pump is off
That's correct as long as the AUTO condition isn't fulfilled (at least 1 engine running). I'd change it to something like "OFF: The blue electric pump is controlled by the the automatic logic".
Overhead Aft -> Pedestal Light and Audio 3 Switch -> 3rd Audio Switch
Audio from the 3rd radio can be switched to either jump seat (NORM), CAPT or F/O.
a) I don't like the title "3rd Audio Switch" and would prefer something like AUDIO SWITCHING, like the legend on the panel. b) This switch has essentially nothing to do with the radios. It switches the ACP and transfers its output to the Captain's or FO's headphones. If set to CAPT 3, the captain can control their volume through the ACP3:
Overhead Fwd
Overhead Fwd -> Air Condition Control Panel -> APU BLEED pushbutton
FAULT: Amber Light and an ECAM caution, when the system detects an APU leak.
I'm not 100% sure and don't have the time to confirm right now, but I think there are also other conditions for the FAULT light to come on. This is more a reminder to myself to verify again. If anyone else wants to pick it up, feel free!
Overhead Fwd -> ADIRS Panel -> Operation
ON BATT will then flash as a self-test at the start of alignment. If one or more of the ADIRU's are running on battery power, ON BATT will display constantly.
Can we replace "flash" with something like "come on for a defined time" or something? Flashing sounds to me like it goes ON-OFF-ON-OFF... continously.
Overhead Fwd -> Auxiliary Power Unit-> MASTER SW
APU fuel pump operates if fuel pumps are not in operation.
To be precise, one fuel pump in the left wing tank is sufficient. The control depends on fuel pressure availability, not the status of the fuel pump. Could be renamed into "if at least one fuel pump in the left wing tank is in operation".
OFF: Air inlet flap closes at 7%
7% of what? Make it 7% N
or N = 7%
. (I prefer the latter, because later on you use N = 60%
in a different context)
FAULT lt: [...]
Do we need to list every possible malfunction? 99% of our users won't understand it anyway.
Overhead Fwd -> Auxiliary Power Unit-> START
ON: When N = 60%. The APU starter is de-energized. The ignition is turned off.
According to my docs it's 55%.
At 55% the backup start contactor opens (from this moment there is no more power supply to the starter) and 5s later the start contactor opens (coincidence: this is at around 60% then).
Overhead Fwd -> Cabin Pressurization-> MODE SEL
FAULT: Appears in amber and the ECAM caution light, when both automatic systems are faulty.
The part with the ECAM caution light sounds weird.
Overhead Fwd -> Calls Panel -> Description
The flight interphone system is used for communication between the cockpit and the external service interphone panel, located at the nose gear.
I know what you mean, but the panel is not located at the nose gear. It's somewhat close to it, but it's in the fuselage. Airbus calls it the External Power panel
.
Overhead Fwd -> Calls Panel -> Usage -> MECH
The cockpit call light will illuminate on the external service interphone panel, and an external horn will sound. When the button is released, the horn is silenced. The cockpit call light will remain illuminated until the reset switch, located on the external service interphone panel, is pushed.
Same as above. The term "external service interphone" is especially problematic, because this jack is associated to the flight interphone system.
Overhead Fwd -> Calls Panel -> Usage -> FWD/AFT
A "CAPTAIN CALL" message will appear on the corresponding flight attendant indication panel.
Can you double-check your references for that? I'm pretty sure it says COCKPIT CALL (or CKPT CALL?), although I can't find any reference right now. If needed, I can check that out next time at work.
In general, I'm missing a note in this paragraph that explains that voice communication is established between the FAs station and the cockpit when the FA picks up the handset. But maybe it's not really needed...
Overhead Fwd -> Cargo Smoke Panel -> Usage -> SMOKE light
Both channels need to detect smoke, or one channel detects smoke and the SDCU finds that the other channel is faulty.
a) Reference to "both channels", without explanation what these channels are. An uninformed user could interpret this as "both the forward and aft cargo compartment need to sense smoke before the warning comes on".
Question: Does the user really need to know what happens on such a detailed level? Isn't it enough to know "there is most probably smoke in the cargo"? If the answer is yes, then we should spend more words on explaining how the system works.
b) SDCUs don't exist in aircraft built after 2006. This function is now integrated in the CIDS, called CIDS-SDF (Smoke Detection Function).
Overhead Fwd -> Cargo Smoke Panel -> Usage -> DISCH light
Amber light comes on, indicating that the agent bottle has fully discharged.
Can we scratch "fully"? Because it comes on when the pressure drops below a certain threshold and it's rather far from "fully discharged".
Overhead Fwd -> Electrical System Control Panel -> Usage -> AC ESS FEED
Can we add a paragraph that in case of normal AC ESS Feed failure, the AC ESS Bus is automatically fed from AC BUS 2 after 5 seconds, regardless of the pushbutton position. This is correctly implemented in our aircraft by the way.
Overhead Fwd -> Emergency Electric Power Panel -> Usage -> GEN 1 LINE
OFF: GEN 1 line contactor opens. The AC BUS 1 channel is supplied from GEN 2 through bus tie contactors. This is used for smoked drill.
I saw that you mostly copy&pasted this paragraph (including the typo ;) ) but I think we should point out the main function of this pushbutton a bit more. This is not incorrect, but pretty much fails to describe what makes this pushbutton so special.
I can provide a more accurate description later and will open a separate issue for it, if that's ok for you.
Overhead Fwd -> Fire Control Panel -> Usage -> APU FIRE
close low-pressure fuel valve and APU fuel pump.
[...] and turn off APU fuel pump
(I know, but... you know... the fuel pump isn't "closed" ;) )
Overhead Fwd -> Fire Control Panel -> Usage -> APU AGENT
Pushing it will discharges the respective fire bottle.
Discharge. Typo.
Overhead Fwd -> Fire Control Panel -> Usage -> APU TEST
When presses there is a continuous repetitive chime sound
pressed. Typo.
Overhead Fwd -> Fuel Control Panel -> Description
Each engine is fed by their corresponding centre and wing tanks
AE vs. BE. You use center everywhere else.
Overhead Fwd -> Fuel Control Panel -> Usage -> CTR TK PUMP 1 + 2
This is just a reminder for the future, not something that is actually wrong. And you probably know already. NEOs don't have center tank pumps anymore. They have been replaced by transfer valves. Our current aircraft model has the wrong legends, which makes it kind of correct again.
Overhead Fwd -> Fuel Control Panel -> Description
Only the last 30 minutes of recording is retained.
Aircraft built after 2003 have a 120 min recording time requirement. Airbus installs CVRs capable of 25h of recording since the end of 2020.
Overhead Fwd -> Fuel Control Panel -> Usage -> CVR ERASE
GND CTL must be on additionally.