Hi all,can someone explain what that gauge below the LDG GEAR GRVTY EXTN handle or below the clock, resp., is?Furthermore, what is the switch just right of the gear indication lights?Thanks,Etiennehttp://www.airliners.net/open.file/551656/L

Hi,The gauges are belonging to ACARS - they show ATC-messages and connection statusThe switch next to the gear lights is the Anti-skid on/off switch which should be on in normal operations. Anti-skid can be compared to ABS or ESP - the anti-skid system prevents skidding in wet conditions (or dry, or snowy...)Stefan Bergert

Thanks for the reply. :)Now what would such a typical message be? I have no real idea what ACARS actually is or does... :-hmmmThanks again! :-hahEtienne :-wave

Never seen examples from exactly this type of Airbus-gauge, but acars is installed on many planes nowadays, Boeings, Airbus,... Basically it is a system which enables text comm between the aircraft and ATC or the airline OPS-center. With acars you can make weather-requests (METAR,TAF), upload routes and performance data into the FMC, write text messages (containing pos-info or other usefull info for aircraft/ATC or your airline). It also sends messages containing your actual dep. time, block time etc. which is usefull for the airline.A message you might get would be sth. like "ATC COMM established", "ACARS uplink" when you recieved a message from ATC.Stefan