EMERGENCY DESCENT

2008 www.a330jam.com

AIRBUS A330

EXAMPLE: FIRST OFFICER AS PILOT FLYING

CABIN ALTITUDE AT, ABOVE OR APPROACHING 10,000

PILOT FLYING

Note: If cabin altitude is climbing slowly and the outflow valves

are already closed, consider descending before cabin
altitude reaches 10,000. Use OP DES and speed brake
as required.

PILOT NOT FLYING

DON OXYGEN

CHECK COMMUNICATIONS

SELECT INT ON ACP

CHECK (and call) FMA

THR IDLE | OP DES | HDG | AP
THRUST: CHECK (or assist) IDLE (see IDLE above N1
guages)
SPEED BRAKE: EXTEND (gently)
OXY: consider N/100% setting to N setting - long descent &
heavy crew

Remember WX radar settings in descent

FCU (2ND LOOP)

ALT: set 10,000 or Minimum Safe Altitude
(whichever higher)
HDG: parallel planned track at 15 nm (new devn procs)
SPD: adjust as required - use maximum speed
(up to Vmo/Mmo) unless structural damage is suspected if so limit speed and manoeouvre with care (limit bank angle)
Consider not using speedbrake with severe structural
damage as the added vibration may further degrade
airframe integrity.

CHECK COMMUNICATIONS
COPY. CAPTAIN ON THE MIC

Note: Anti-ice ON increases engine idle

and therefore shallows descent path
notably.
Note: If anti-ice is required/used - OEB should still apply

(Wing anti-ice on, pack flow high. Leave on until 10,000 or MEA)

PAX OXY (if cabin above 14,000) ................ MAN ON

ANTI-ICE ...................................................... CONSIDER
EXTERNAL LIGHTS ..................................... ON
SEAT BELT & NO SMOKING SIGN .......... ... ON
ENGINE START SEL ........ IGN
TRANSPONDER .............. SQWARK 7700
MAYDAY CALL ................. ISSUE
(consider oxy mask N/100% switch to N setting)
Confirm Min Safe Altitude (Flight plan, Airways
chart or ND MORA (CSTR & scale > 20 nm))

FASTEN SEATBELTS signs and

EXIT signs automatically ON if
cabin altitude above 14,350

Consider Decompression NAV procedure

(eg. over New Guinea - see RMS)

FCU (1ST LOOP)

*ALT: TURN (DOWN) & PULL
*HDG: TURN (LEFT or RIGHT - away from busy AWYS)
(now) 90 degrees & PULL (see WWT for devn procs)
*SPD: PULL (set speed for descent)

Note: If Cabin is noted climbing

towards 10,000 and the outflow
valves are not closing to manage
cabin pressure (2 automatic
controllers malfunctioning),
manual control may be attempted
by selecting MODE SEL > MAN
on the Cabin Press Panel and
then MAN V/S CTL > DN.
This should manually
close the outflow valve(s).
With manual control of the
outflow valves, they only move
at 1/5 the rate compared to
automatic control.
ECAM would generally warn of a
pressurisation control problem
well in advance.

Note: Cabin alt > 10,000 don Oxygen masks

immediately (within 5 seconds)

DON OXYGEN
SELECT INT ON ACP

Note: Extend speedbrake slowly

FIRST OFFICER ON MIC
whilst monitoring VLS.
If speed goes below VLS,
AOA protection engages speedbrake will automatically
EMERGENCY DESCENT
retract and AP may disconnect.

R.O.D approx 6,000 FPM

depending on speed - amber

Time of useful consciousness without axygen (varies from source to soure):

40,000: 15-20 secs. 35,000: 30-60 secs 30,000: 1-3 mins 25,000: 3-5 mins

NO SMOKING sign
on automatically
A330-300 only

BACK-UP PA - DO IF AUTOMATIC PA NOT WORKING:

All passengers and crew fasten seatbelts and breathe oxygen
from the masks provided until further notice.
The automatic PA (which cycles 3 times) is very loud and may be heard
in the cockpit through the closed door.

CALL OUT ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN PF DUTIES

WHEN ESTABLISHED IN DESCENT

I HAVE CONTROL, MY RADIOS.

ECAM ACTIONS
CARRY OUT ECAM ACTIONS TO ECAM ACTIONS COMPLETE
Note: If reducing speed to 250 kts
in OP DES, be careful not to select the
speed until at or approaching ALT*
as the speed reduction becomes a higher
priority than the descent. The R.O.D may
reduce to a few hundred feet per minute
thereby delaying the capture at 10,000 or
MEA.
Valuable time may be lost for passengers
requiring oxygen or first aid from the cabin
crew.

PNF TAKES OVER RADIOS

2,000 TO GO
STOW SPEEDBRAKE
Consider 250 kts
(selected speed)

LEVEL OUT AT 10,000 AMSL OR MEA

1,000 TO GO

Terrain MORA on the ND is the highest MORA

within 40 nm of the aircraft (continuously updated).
TERRAIN ON ND will also give an immediate
terrain awareness in the descent.

Confirm Area QNH with ATC if proceeding below

Transition Level
@ 10,000 AMSL or MSA (whichever higher)

Check Cabin altitude - when below 10,000 instruct PNF

to remove oxygen mask

If leveling out at MEA above 10,000

continue to evaluate terrain as flight progresses

When PNF oxygen removed

temporarily hand over and remove own oxygen mask

Note: To reset communications from the

oxy mask mic to the boom/hand mic, the left
hand door of the oxy mask housing must be
closed and the reset button pressed.

PA to CABIN CREW

Note: Descent from Fl410

to 10,000 takes approximately
5 min and 40 nm

CABIN CREW CARRY OUT FOLLOW-UP DUTIES

DIVERSION / ONWARDS FLIGHT CONSIDERATIONS (in brief)

A - AIRPORTS in range (see FMGS > DATA > CLOSEST AIRPORTS)
F- FUEL. Flight fuel and additional fuel required to proceed to alternate(s) - FMGS EFOB predictions
O - OXYGEN endurance (pax and crew) if flight over high terrain (above 10,000/14,000) - is required
T - TERRAIN in the flight path and at the landing airport
W - WEATHER. Enroute and destination weather
COMMUNICATIONS TREE
- TECH CREW DECISION
F - FAMILIARITY with destination
- ATC
S - SERVICES - fire, ambulance, security
- CABIN CREW
T - TRAFFIC DENSITY.
- PASSENGERS
- COMPANY - SATCOM, HF, VHF or via ATC

DEPRESSURISATION INDICATIONS
- Sense of pressure drop in the ears
- Pain in sinuses/ears
- Bloating of lungs or stomach/intestines
- The need to breath rapidly
- Fog in the cockpit
- Air becoming cold and thin
- Sudden boiling of liquids in hot bev containers
- Air noise due decompression
- Papers, books and loose items moving about
- Airframe vibration (fuselage damage)
- Cabin excessive altitude warning (aural
and visual)