Hello guys,

 

first of all I´d like to say how awesome is the NGX!

What a fantastic add-on!

 

Today, flying from SBGL (Galeão Rio) to SPIM (Lima) i got my first failures, i believe.

When passing through FL250 for my initial climb I got a master warning. When I looked on the overhead, i saw a "Auto Fail" message on the pressurization panel.

 

Well, i descended to FL100 and didn´t know what to do. Where in the manuals should I look for to resolve this failure?

QRH manual? Then I just follow the emergency checklist? Where do I see if I´m able to continue the flight to my final destination?

Where do I look (which manual) for the Maximin Landing weight?

I´m in doubt about the procedure after we get a failure.

 

I was able to land on SBGL again without any major problems.

 

I believe that the failure was generated by the option "Service Based Failures" that is ON. Is that so?

If it is, how do I reset the failure? Next flight, will I get it again? The same failure plus another one that the simulator triggers?

 

Sorry for the questions. but I´m kinda newbie to that failure thing.

 

One last question, not NGX related:

Also, I use my ipad to keep the PDF files, on a software called Documents to Go, but I'm not able to search for strings on those files.

Does anybody have a software on the ipad that can do that?

 

Thanks in advance

 

Bruno Fontes

SBRJ

Auto fail commonly triggers around that altitude if you have left the packs off or something similar. It's unlikely a service based failure as they are very rare (but still possible) and leaving something in the wrong config is more common (I have done it myself from confusion with FS2Crew start procedure).

 

As for checking if it was a failure and how to reset, it is done in failures menus in the FMS. If it was a failure and not just a panel setting mistake it will still be active and needs to be reset. Actually even if it was incorrect panel setup (packs/bleeds off etc) you will need to reset the oxygen mask deploy in the failures menu anyway from memory.

 

Descending to FL100 was the right thing to do, after that check your issue with the QRH, which would instruct you to go over your pressurization panel to see if it isn't configured correctly. If the problem is resolved I guess you can continue if you're comfortable with the passengers having masks dangling in front of them

Where in the manuals should I look for to resolve this failure?

 

QRH manual under AIR.SYSTEMS. Or use the Alphabetical Index for "AUTO FAIL".

 

Then I just follow the emergency checklist?

 

Follow the checklist. However, you do need to use your judgement when doing a checklist. If you need to land, don't delay a landing to complete the checklist.

 

Where do I see if I´m able to continue the flight to my final destination?

 

If it says, :"land as soon as possible", declare an emergency and land. If it says plan to land at the nearest suitable airport, you may want to think about diverting.

 

Where do I look (which manual) for the Maximin Landing weight?

 

FCOM vol. 1 under LIMITATIONS.

 

I believe that the failure was generated by the option "Service Based Failures" that is ON.

 

Did you follow the normal checklist? It could be the result of a pilot making a mistake. Or it could be that the service failures are on. You can turn that off by using the FMS PMDG Options, Failures, All Systems menu. You can also reset the failures and maintain the aircraft from that menu.

 

Next flight, will I get it again? The same failure plus another one that the simulator triggers?

 

I think so.

Mostly it is a common simmer mistake by leaving packs off or bleeds off.

But, before the AUTO FAIL you have another 2 important warnings/cautions.

At 10000ft cabin altitude the TTO config warning will sound (beeep beeep beeep), at 14000ft cabin altitude Master caution OVHD and OXY ON will illuminate and only after those warnings the AUTO FAIL will come on.

Or, if you have a door opened or a hole in the fuselage the aircraft will not pressurize, an excessive cabin depressurization rate will trigger that warning also if under 10000fts.

a dc power failure will trigger also the AUTO FAIL, but, in this case you have more visible failures.

 

Now, to determine what the failure is:

Does the ALTN light comes on? If yes, check FMC failure, if not, it is mostly an user error (I don't think about a dual failure)

If you want to know if it's a failure rather than user error - check the failures page on the cdu.

 

For pdfs on the ipad - use goodreader.

When passing through FL250 for my initial climb I got a master warning. When I looked on the overhead, i saw a "Auto Fail" message on the pressurization panel.

 

Hi Bruno,

 

Let me add some things.

 

Yes, refer to the QRH for non-normal's.

 

If the AUTO FAIL light is illuminated, the QRH will lead you to go to the backup, ALTN mode. The ALTN automatic controller is identical to the AUTO controller. Both provide the same service.

 

If the AUTO FAIL light goes out and pressurization is under control after you switch over to the ALTN mode, you can continue to your destination at your normal cruise altitude. Declaring an emergency and descending to 10,000 feet is overkill and unnecessary for now as long as pressurization is under control.

 

If after switching to ALTN mode and the AUTO FAIL light stays illuminated, you'll have to switch to MAN mode. If your able to stabilize pressurization at this point, there is no need to make a emergency descent to 10,000 feet unless pressurization is uncontrollable.

 

If pressurization is uncontrollable, then an emergency descent to a lower altitude might be in order, depending on your cruise altitude.

 

If accomplishing an emergency descent, declare an emergency with ATC.

 

 

.

If AUTO FAIL goes on indicating a SINGLE CPC failure, the system automatically pass the control to the alternate channel, ALTN will automatically come on, there is no need to switch it manually except for AUTO FAIL light extinguishment.

It is also simple to find if it is a complete system loss or only one channel out.

Other than ALTN light (green) and AUTO FAIL the altitude selection window is a suitable way to see if the system is working. Dashes mean that both channels are failed, switch directly to manual as there is no ALTN function working.

If altitudes are visible and AUTO FAIL is ON also the ALTN is on, switch to ALTN to extinguish the light.

 

Basically:

Dashes= descend

Numbers= stay (or descend depending on other advices like cabin warning and so on)

 

In the sim we can check on the FMC the active failures, in the real one it isn't possible, so act as for procedures but, in some cases, act immediately as safe as possible.

If cabin warning sound is present, descend, then check. If only auto fail is present, no audio warning, check the cabin pressure controller and gauges. Maybe a single channel failure or maybe you must start to descend soon.

 

Other than that, not only failures trigger the AUTO FAIL, it will come on if cabin altitude reaches NEAR 16000fts, it comes on for a 2000 (maybe) fpm of cabin rate of climb...

In the first case, aural warning and OXY ON are already present, in the second case the pilot and passengers will feel it, after few minutes of climb the pressure will rapidly reach the warnings, but the master caution already alerts the pilots.