Hi all,

 

my 777-200 (with BA livery) periodically emits a soft ding while enroute on long flights. No warnings, no lights, no messages, no apparent reason I can imagine. To be clear, this is not the pilot attention request alert.

 

Any clue on the reasons for this sound ?

 

Thanks a lot !

 

Aldo

It's maybe the FSUIPC VAS alert sound?

Or wx uplink?

Or wx uplink?

 

 

No warnings, no lights, no messages

 

 

It's maybe the FSUIPC VAS alert sound?

 

^^^^Most likely this.

Thaks for the hints!

 

1. VAS was low along the last flight, I always keep procexp open to have VAS in sight, I'm sure VAS was not the issue. Moreover, VAS ding is somehow high pitched, while the ding I hear is "slow and soft" 

 

2. WX uplink.. well maybe, can the uplik be automatic and periodic as I hear the ding a number of times while flying.

I ask as usually I do call myself via FMC for the WX updates as part of my enroute tasks

 

Regards,

Aldo 

It's most likely to be the Crew Alertness system (I think that's what it's called) which is configured via the FMC.

if it not  the vas   than it be either  the alternate airport   uplink  that hasn't been mentioned  yet

 

 

Any clue on the reasons for this sound ?

 

The plane always gives clues as to what it's alerting you to, both visually and audibly (at least I can't think of any exceptions to this).

 

My bet is that you'll find a little *FMC right above where you'd see NO SMOKING ON, and other generic messages on the EICAS.  Always pay attention to sounds and the EICAS (seeing that the CAS means "crew alerting system").  You'll get your answers there.

 

Additionally, don't simply clear messages without reading them.  The CDU will have something in the scratch pad any time it has information for you.  My bet is that this information is the ALTN LIST information being updated.

Kyle you won the bet!

 

There IS in fact an *FMC message on the EICAS just above the no smoking message. I thought that was an alert to direct my attention to the FMCs, I wnth there but noticed no messages in the scratchpad line at the lower screen bottom where usually messages appear. Is there a way to recall messages on the FMC or is there another way to see messages when *FMC is shown on the EICAS ?

 

Thanks

Aldo

It's probably one of the weather uplinks ready to be loaded into the fmc. Go to the legs page and Rte data and see if you have a load option, if not check the descent forecast page.

 

 

Is there a way to recall messages on the FMC or is there another way to see messages when *FMC is shown on the EICAS ?

 

The FMC COMM page will show all pending actions (even if it doesn't show the message associated with it).  Moral of the story is to actually pay attention before you hit CLR.  If you accidentally clear it without reading it, go to the FMC COMM page and look at the prompt.

All thanks a lot for your kind comments and suggestions. I cannot fly until Sunday will try your suggestions then and report here.

 

Thanks again !

 

Aldo