Malaysian Institute of Aviation Technology

TOPIC 7:
ELECTRONIC CENTRALIZED
AIRCRAFT MONITOR
(ECAM)
 INTRODUCTION
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 An electronic instrument system that monitors

functions of the entire aircraft and displays the
information on two color multifunction displays in
the aircraft cockpit.
 First introduced by Airbus in the A320.
 It also produces messages detailing failures and
in certain cases lists procedures to undertake to
correct the problem.
AIRBUS A320 ECAM DISPLAY
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Malaysian Institute of Aviation Technology
 PURPOSE
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 It provides information on the various aircraft systems by

displaying green memo messages (e.g. Ignition, Seat
Belt Sign, Rat Out, etc.) and displays system parameters
(Engine N1, Hydraulic Pressure, Flap Position, etc.). If a
system parameter exceeds a preset value, then the
corresponding system page is automatically displayed
for review.

 The other main function of the ECAM is to display

system warnings and cautions and their respective non-
normal checklist procedures. The ECAM warnings and
cautions are prioritized in three levels according to their
seriousness.
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Those below are control system that been occupied by

ECAM:
• Engine
• Bleed air
• Cabin Pressurization
• Electrical Alternating Current
• Electrical Direct Current
• Hydraulic
• Circuit Breaker
• Auxiliary Power Unit
• Air Conditioning
• Door
• Landing Gear
• Fuel
 System Components
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• CRT display unit

• Control Panel
• Symbol generator units
• System data analog/digital converter
• Flight warning computers
• Master warning and caution lights
• Maintenance control panel
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Block Diagram ECAM System

 Display Unit
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• Colour CRT’s mounted up and down display

• Up ECAM display is dedicated to information on the

status of the systems, warnings and corrective action
in a sequenced checklist format. Message display and
operates in three modes ( failure mode, status mode,
memo mode).

• Down ECAM display is dedicated to associated

information in pictorial format
 Displayed Information
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Up ECAM Display
• Warning messages
• Status information
• Memo information

Down ECAM Display

• System synoptics (schematic diagrams)
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 Modes of Operation
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Automatic selected modes

• Normal mode (flight phase)
• Advisory
• Failure related

Manually selected mode

• Status mode
 Normal mode
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• In normal operation the automatic flight

related phase is used and in this case the
displays are appropriate to the current
phase of aircraft operation, i.e. preflight,
engine start, take off, climb, cruise,
descent, approach touch down, after
landing
 Advisory mode
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When a parameter drift out of its normal operating

range :
•The up CRT displays the relevant system page
•The word ADV flashing next to the title
•The parameter which triggered the advisory
pulses
•This action draws the crew’s attention to the
situation well before a warning level is reached
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• Adv mode has priority over the manual

and normal modes
• Automatically engaged when a parameter
drifts out of its normal operating range for
longer than 2.5 seconds
• To draw the crew’s attention to the
abnormal parameter, the parameter and
the system page title will flash.
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Automatic advisory mode can be disengage by

• Pressing the corresponding pushbutton
switch
• Calling another system page manually
• If the parameters returns to normal
• A warning occurs
 Failure Mode
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• Has priority over all the other modes, but

can be over-ridden by calling a system
page manually.
• Can be disengaged when the warning
message/s have been cleared (by the use
of the CLR pushbutton) or if the failure
conditions have returned to normal.
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 Status Mode
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• Automatically after a warning message

when all corrective actions have been
carried out

• Manually by pressing the status button on

the control panel
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 Failures are classed by importance ranging from level 1
failures to level
Malaysian 3offailures.
Institute In the event of simultaneous
Aviation Technology

failures the most critical failure is displayed first. The

warning hierarchy is as follows:

• Red Warnings
Level 3 • Situations that require immediate crew action and
Failure that place the flight in danger
s
• Amber Cautions
Level 2 • Failures that require crew attention but not
Failure immediate action
s
• Cautions
Level 1 • Failures that lead to a loss of system redundancy
Failure & require monitoring but present no hazard
s
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 Level 3 Failures - Red Warnings

 Situations that require immediate crew action and

 that place the flight in danger. For example an
 engine fire or loss of cabin pressure. They are
 enunciated with a red master warning light, a
 warning (red) ECAM message and a continuous
 repetitive chime or a specific sound or a synthetic
 voice. The chime can be silenced by pressing the
 master warning push button.
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 Level 2 Failures - Amber Cautions

 Failures that require crew attention but not

immediate action. For example air bleed
failure or fuel fault. They have no direct
consequence to flight safety and are
shown to the crew through an amber
master caution light, a caution (amber)
ECAM message and a single chime.
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 Level 1 Failures – Cautions

 Failures and faults that lead to a loss of

system redundancy, they require
monitoring but present no hazard.
Examples include the loss of DMC3 when
not in use. Level 1 failures are enunciated
by a caution (amber) ECAM message only
(no aural warning).
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Upper
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Lower
 Control Panel
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 Functions
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ECAM Control Knobs

Selects respective display on/off and control brightness. When the upper ECAM
display is selected OFF, the E/WD automatically transfers to the lower ECAM display.

T.O. CONFIG Key

When pushed, simulates takeoff power application to trigger a warning if the airplane
is not properly configured for takeoff. If the airplane is properly configured, the
"T.O.CONFIG NORMAL" message in the takeoff memo displays green.

EMER CANC Key ( RED )

When pushed: Warnings: Present aural warning is cancelled. MASTER WARN lights
extinguish. ECAM message display is not affected. Cautions: Present Cautions is
cancelled for remainder of flight. STATUS page is automatically displayed.
"CANCELLED CAUTION" message and the title of the inhibition is suppressed after
AC power application until first engine start, but can be manually recalled by pushing
RCL key for more than 3 seconds.
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System Page Keys

When pushed, the related system page appears on the lower ECAM
display.
Illuminates after manual selection or when an advisory is detected. If
pushed a second time while illuminated, the system page for the present
phase of flight or current warning appears.

Left / Right CLR Keys

Illuminates when an ECAM warning, caution, or status message is
displayed. When an Illuminated CLR key is pushed, the ECAM display will
change.

STS Key
Illuminates when ECAM STATUS page is displayed. When pushed, the
STATUS page is displayed on the ECAM lower display. When pushed with
no present status messages, "NORMAL" appears for five seconds. The
STATUS page may be cleared by pushing the STS key a second time or by
pushing the CLR key.
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RCL Key
When pushed, Recalls warning and caution massages that have been
suppressed with the CLR key or automatic flight phase inhibition.
"NORMAL" appears for five seconds with no current warnings or cautions.
When pushed for more then three seconds, caution messages suppressed
by the EMER CANC key are Recalled.

ALL Key
When pushed and held, all system pages are displayed in succession at
one-second intervals. If the ECAM control panel fails, push and hold the
ALL Key until the desired system page appears and then release the key to
maintain the display. If only one ECAM screen is available, repeatedly
pressing the ALL Key will cycle to the desired page.