Airbus addresses hydraulic failure causing a second system to overheat

Last Update: October 23, 2012 / 16:51:39 GMT/Zulu time

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The FAA have released a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin advising that Airbus have addressed the issue of one hydraulic system failing with a second system overheating, a scenario that had happened more frequently recently.

Airbus reiterates, that if the green or yellow hydraulic system fails, a bi-directional power transfer unit (PTU) between the green and yellow system attempts to re-pressurize the failed system from the other. However, if the hydraulic system failed because of fluid depletion, the PTU is not able to pressurize the failed system and thus will run continuously causing an overheat condition and the second system failing, too.

Airbus thus reiterated, that the PTU must be turned off in case the failure has been caused by fluid loss, except during takeoff. If the PTU is switched off, the hydraulic fluid will cool down and the hydraulic system can be recovered.

A modification to the hydraulic systems has been developed in order to prevent overheating of the working hydraulic system, that include wiring changes as well to automatically inhibit the PTU, thus reducing the workload of the crew and reducing the danger of a dual hydraulic failure.

Airbus has released relevant service bulletins, the FAA however decided that "the airworthiness concern is not considered an unsafe condition that would warrant airworthiness directive (AD) action". The FAA however recommends to comply with the service bulletins.

Until the modification is implemented the FAA recommends, "that operators ensure that pilots follow the latest AFM procedures for the hydraulic reservoir low level AMBER caution. Pilots should address this caution with minimal delay to prevent any further degradation of the hydraulic system."
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This article is published under license from Avherald.com. © of text by Avherald.com.
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