GOCKY

If the said Airbus was designed to chime when a dispatcher sends a message (I read in previous posts that it does not), maybe we wouldn't even be having this conversation right now.

ATC calls our operations daily requesting that a particular flight tunes to a particular frequency. We (as dispatchers) have the option to "flash" or "chime" the ACARS message. In this case, I would have chose to "Chime" my flight crew. We also have the option to require an acknowledgment. Again, in this case I would require my flight crew to "acknowledge" that they did indeed receive my ACARS message.

If it's a message from crew sked, or an ACP asking a bout a delay, I simply would send the message with no chime.

We have A300's, B747-400's, MD-11's, B757 and B767's. I believe flight control has the ability to chime these ACARS at any time, even below 10000 feet. (Please save that discussion for another thread)

2Co2Fur1EXwife

That would require $$$ in Mangnt eyes; either through software upgrades or otherwise. Why do general aviation aircraft have more info at their fingertips than we do? Money. Also, its real simple DO YOUR JOB! were paid to fly the airplane

dundem

The Airbii that I've flown have no aural ACARS cues; there's just a flashing message on the upper ECAM.

I think what some may have incorrectly referenced is the SELCAL. SELCAL (on the airplanes that I've flown) has an aural alert that could wake the dead, or cause you to die from fright. I could not imagine any non-comatose person sleeping through one of those calls.

EMBFlyer

I remember some of our more seasoned pilots telling me that when we first got ACARS in the RJ, it would have an aural alert (something to the effect of "Incoming Message"). They said it became too distracting, so they disabled it. When we get a message, all we get is a line in the scratchpad of the FMS letting us know. If we have a single FMS aircraft, it's really hard to keep looking down for messages. The "data chirps" in our headset is really the only way we know to look.

SomedayRJ

I remember - in an unrelated but not really fashion - that a subtle change on the ECAM on the A330 is all you get, too, when the trim tank is transferred. (TRIM TK XFR -> TRIM TK XFRD in the memo field. subtle!)

Not endeavoring to excuse them, of course, but it seems that subtle changes to the ECAM are common for important things on the Airbus.

Bwipilot

The Boeing 737 I drive has an aural chime. It's blocked below FL 230 to prevent distraction.

Green Banana

On many aircraft, once you get one call on the SELCAL, you have to reset the system. The ring sets off a light. If you do not press the button and turn off the light, the next message will not ring. This was true on the Dash and 737 that I have flown. No knowledge of the A320.

LostInPA

-Agreed on all counts. Not sure how it goes at DL/NWA, but at my employer, it seems as if SELCAL is frequently INOP (maybe not technically INOP, just doesn't work all that well) in many areas. Not making excuses for those guys, but who knows....

Sniper

After every aircraft incident or accident, the thought of 'we should put a better alert on that' comes up. In the case of NW188, it's a aural chime or a light (or both) for the ACARS. For the Colgan accident, it was a better indication for selection of 'iceing speeds', or maybe gear down, props full forward, add flaps = you need to add power. For the Turkish 737, it's an alert telling you the auto throttles are still on. For a recent Delta 767, it's better runway identification (I've seen a 747 on youtube that verbally announced the runway - pretty cool).

If everything had a bell and a light to get your attention, there'd be way too many bells and lights, allowing you to get complacent about the real time you need to pay attention NOW, like a rapid decompression, fire, trim runaway, windshear encounter, or terrain warning; all things that will result in loss of life if immediate action isn't taken - things with bells and lights and master warnings.

The fact is, ACARS messages are an extremely low priority item in the big picture, and that is played out in the NW188 investigation. 8 ACARS messages missed, and the plane still landed safely @ its intended destination without any damage to anything but the careers of the crew.

The dark (and quiet) cockpit concept is one of the best safety enhancements in aviation IMO.

flyingchicken

No kidding...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c88f3Q32hJ8