Originally Posted by X2FLY

Wow, StirFry,
You have some serious Airbus Hate issues. The airbus is a great airplane, and the ECAMS work just fine when properly followed.. Sounds like you are hearing second hand opinions. The crew DID report smoke in the Cockpit, and sounds like they did exactly what they were trained to do. You don't second guess anything when you see smoke (Like it sounds like as opposed to getting a smoke indication) either way you get on the ground and figure it out later. When you actually get smoke in the cockpit, you attempt to follow the checklist, isolating as much as you can the smoke source (IF YOU CAN), and if not then you shut just about everything you can (Emergency Electrical Config). You should have enough to get back to the field in IMC, but apparently not since they were asking for a PAR (probably meant ASR) approach. They could have just wanted to expedite things however - believing something was burning (Since something probably was). The ECAMS work great so not sure what you are talking about. You sound like a rookie, who just happened to get his hands on a QRH and read the Smoke section. From an outsider not proficient in the bus- you would think it a bit confusing. Take a chill pill PAL.

x2fly
(former Airbus Instructor) SIM and current line pilot.