Status messages: Reason for diversion?

[19AB67 16]

Hi folks, 

 

yesterday I flew CYVR--ANZ23--NZAA and got during my flight some status report: 

 

0355z APU BATTERY

0414z BOTTLE APU

1047z BOTTLE 2C CARGO

1526z FIRE LOOP1 ENG L

 

They are status messages -- I learnt -- because the crew cannot do anyway anything during flight. 

 

The APU battery failure should not hamper me, since I have another source of power to start it. 

The BOTTLE APU should not come into focus as long as the APU is not running, hopefully not before taxiing to the gate in NZAA. 

There are other squibs aside the one for BOTTLE 2C CARGO. 

And the left engine comprise loop2 aside FIRE LOOP1. 

 

Could the sum of status messages result into the decision to divert to a mid-way alternate? 

Or not before e.g. also FIRE LOOP2 ENG L pops up? 

 

Thanks.

Edited December 13, 2015 by 19AB67

[9MMPQ 1]

In a nutshell, yes.

 

Second to fourth messages should all have you look at your current position, flight planning & ETOPS requirements. ETOPS determines the maximum allowable amount of time you get between yourself & the nearest available & suitable airport. This is guided by particualr company certification & standards so this can vary between airlines.

 

Looking at my company, with the APU unservicable or otherwise unavailabe we would be limited to ETOPS 180. If i were to apply that here i would have to ask myself if there are areas coming up where in case of 1 engine failure my nearest alternate airport would be outside of the 180 minutes now still allowed. If that's the case i could not legally continue the flight and would have to divert or return.

 

Something similar happens with FIRE LOOP1 ENG L where i would also be limited to 180 minutes. If FIRE LOOP2 ENG L were to come on that would be reason for an immediate diverison.

 

While people usually think of ETOPS in case of an engine failure degraded fire surpression systems can also place limits on your flight. I'd have to look up what would be associated with the BOTTLE CARGO messages but it would certainly be something to look at. 

[kevinh 409]

 

Hi folks, 

 

yesterday I flew CYVR--ANZ23--NZAA and got during my flight some status report: 

 

0355z APU BATTERY

0414z BOTTLE APU

1047z BOTTLE 2C CARGO

1526z FIRE LOOP1 ENG L

 

They are status messages -- I learnt -- because the crew cannot do anyway anything during flight. 

 

The APU battery failure should not hamper me, since I have another source of power to start it. 

The BOTTLE APU should not come into focus as long as the APU is not running, hopefully not before taxiing to the gate in NZAA. 

There are other squibs aside the one for BOTTLE 2C CARGO. 

And the left engine comprise loop2 aside FIRE LOOP1. 

 

Could the sum of status messages result into the decision to divert to a mid-way alternate? 

Or not before e.g. also FIRE LOOP2 ENG L pops up? 

 

Thanks.

 

BIB, that isn't correct. They are status messages because they do not affect the safe continuation of flight. Not because there's nothing the crew can do about them.

 

According to the FCOM

 

"EICAS status messages indicate equipment faults which may affect airplane dispatch capability"

 

They are intended to be checked before dispatch and the MEL consulted for anything that is reported. The status page is not required to be checked in flight. See Page 1.1 of the FCTM.

 

You wouldn't need to divert as a result of status messages, but if you had FIRE LOOP1 ENG L and later FIRE LOOP2 ENG L the two loop failures would generate an EICAS advisory message DET FIRE ENG L, effectively promoting the alert level.