Controls and Indicators — Pedestal, PFD, F/CTL Page and the Memos
This closing article maps where the crew reads and works each flight-control function: the pedestal/overhead controls, the PFD flight-control cues, the SD F/CTL page surface positions, the E/WD slat/flap indication, and the key memos. It is the cockpit-facing summary of everything in 00–30.
The Engine Warning Display (E/WD)... displays: Position of slats and flaps (Refer to DSC-27-20-30 ECAM F/CTL Page). — FCOM DSC-31-15
1. The controls — pedestal and overhead
Per FCOM DSC-27-20-30:
- Two sidesticks — each with a PTT and a takeover/priority pb (16); spring-loaded, not linked, AP-locked at neutral;
- Pitch trim wheels — the mechanical THS control with a graduated scale (override the electronic trim);
- RUD TRIM panel — switch (L/R) + reset-to-neutral, indicator ±30° (20);
- Speedbrake control lever — and its armed position for ground spoilers;
- FLAPS lever — five positions, balks at 1 and 3, out of detent to move (25);
- PRIM/SEC guarded pushbuttons — engage / FAULT / reset (released = OFF) (02);
- TURB DAMP pb — inhibits turbulence damping (11).
2. The PFD — what is protected and how to trim
The PFD carries the law and protection status (04, 17):
| Cue | Meaning |
|---|---|
| green = / amber X | protection available / lost (bank & pitch limits) |
| VαPROT / VαMAX (green) → VSW (black/red) | speed scale: protected vs alternate/direct |
| red arrow / green CAPT/F/O | sidestick priority — losing / taking authority |
| sideslip index yellow → blue β target | normal vs engine-out optimum-climb target |
| amber USE MAN PITCH TRIM / red MAN PITCH TRIM ONLY | no auto-trim / elevators lost (THS only) |
3. The SD F/CTL page — surface positions and system status
Per FCOM DSC-27-20-30, the SD F/CTL page shows, from the FCDC:
- surface positions — elevators, ailerons, spoilers (extended/retracted arrows), rudder, pitch trim (THS), rudder trim and the travel-limitation value;
- hydraulic system pressure (normal / low) and PRIM/SEC status (normal / failed);
- spoiler fault indications (fault, fault-retracted, position-not-valid).
[!note]- The F/CTL page reads the actuators' own feedback (integrative synthesis) The surface positions on the F/CTL page come from the actuator feedback transducers via the FCDC (03/04) — spoilers shown as binary arrows (the FCDC only concentrates extended/retracted for them, 04), the others as analogue positions. Cross-reading the hydraulic and PRIM/SEC rows on the same page tells you why a surface is where it is — e.g. a green-low row explains an elevator on PRIM 2.
4. The E/WD — slats/flaps and the memos
Per FCOM DSC-31-15 / DSC-27-30-20, the upper ECAM (E/WD) shows the slat/flap position (F/S symbols, position indexes) with the high-lift messages (28–30):
| Message | Meaning |
|---|---|
| green pulsing F RELIEF | FLRS active |
| green pulsing A LOCK | slat alpha/speed lock active |
| amber F LOCKED / S LOCKED | flap / slat WTB applied |
| amber F / S | flap/slat failure or low pressure |
And the memos (lower E/WD):
- SPEED BRK — amber flashing in flight phases 2–5; green in phase 6 (amber after 50 s if an engine above idle); in phase 7 green then amber after 5 s with SPD BRK STILL OUT caution;
- TURB DAMP OFF — green when TURB DAMP pb is OFF;
- plus the ECAM cautions F/CTL ALTN LAW / DIRECT LAW (12/17).
[!warning]- SPEED BRK turns amber to warn you they are still out The SPEED BRK memo flashes amber when speedbrakes are extended where they shouldn't be (phases 2–5, or after landing) and escalates to a SPD BRK STILL OUT caution in phase 7 (FCOM DSC-27-20-30) — the system's reminder to stow them. Green means a normal in-flight deployment (phase 6).
5. Counterintuitive points
[!warning]- Three displays, three jobs PFD = law/protection status + how to trim; SD F/CTL = surface positions + hydraulic/computer status; E/WD = slats/flaps + memos. Read all three to build the full picture.
[!warning]- Green pulsing = protection working; amber = something is locked/failed F RELIEF/A LOCK (green) vs F/S LOCKED (amber) — the colour tells you protection vs failure.
Self-test
[!note]- Q1. Where do you read the control law and whether you can still stall? The PFD — law message, green = vs amber X, and VαPROT/VαMAX vs the VSW barber pole.
[!note]- Q2. Where are surface positions and PRIM/SEC status shown? The SD F/CTL page (from the FCDC) — surfaces, trims, travel limit, hydraulic pressure, PRIM/SEC.
[!note]- Q3. Where is slat/flap position, and what do F RELIEF / F LOCKED mean? The E/WD — F RELIEF (green) = FLRS active; F LOCKED (amber) = flap WTB applied.
[!note]- Q4. What does an amber flashing SPEED BRK memo tell you? Speedbrakes are extended when they should be stowed (phases 2–5 or after landing) — stow them.
Key takeaways
| Display | Shows |
|---|---|
| Pedestal/OVHD | sidesticks (priority pb), pitch trim wheels, RUD TRIM, speedbrake lever, FLAPS lever, PRIM/SEC pb, TURB DAMP pb |
| PFD | law/protection (=/X), VαPROT/VαMAX/VSW, sidestick priority, blue β target, USE/ONLY MAN PITCH TRIM |
| SD F/CTL | surface positions, trims, travel limit, hydraulic pressure, PRIM/SEC status (via FCDC) |
| E/WD | slats/flaps position, F RELIEF/A LOCK (green), F/S LOCKED (amber), memos |
| Memos | SPEED BRK (amber when wrongly out), TURB DAMP OFF, F/CTL ALTN/DIRECT LAW |
References
- FCOM DSC-27-20-30 (Flight Control System — Controls and Indicators) — pedestal/overhead controls (sidesticks with priority pb, pitch trim wheels, RUD TRIM panel, speedbrake lever with armed position, PRIM/SEC pushbuttons, TURB DAMP pb); SD F/CTL page surface positions (elevators/ailerons/spoilers binary/rudder/pitch trim/rudder trim/travel limit), hydraulic pressure, PRIM/SEC status, spoiler fault; SPEED BRK and TURB DAMP OFF memos; high-lift EWD messages (F RELIEF, A LOCK, F/S LOCKED).
- FCOM DSC-31-15 (E/WD) — upper ECAM shows slats/flaps position and FWC warning/caution/memo messages.
- FCOM DSC-27-20-20-10 / DSC-31-40 — PFD law/protection status symbols (=/X, VSW), sidestick priority, sideslip target, USE/MAN PITCH TRIM.
Independent study material, not an Airbus publication and not endorsed by the manufacturer. Always defer to the current operator FCOM, FCTM, and QRH for operational use.