Airbus Flight Instructor
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ECAM Operation and Tasksharing

The first ten articles covered what ECAM is and how it displays; this article covers how to use it — the operational philosophy from the FCTM, which lands the system knowledge onto "how two people in a cockpit handle a failure together". At its core are three bones: fly first, share clearly, stop before status. Simple as they look, these are the whole backbone of Airbus abnormal handling.

1. First priority — maintain the flight path

The FCTM states the first discipline flatly. Per FCTM AOP-30-30:

"When an abnormal situation is detected by the flight crew, the first priority of the flight crew is to maintain a safe flight path before the flight crew performs any READ & DO actions. For takeoff or go around, the flight crew should delay READ & DO actions until the aircraft reaches a minimum of 400 ft AGL... However, in some time critical situations, the flight crew has no time to refer to the ECAM/QRH/OEB procedure. Therefore, the flight crew must know, and strictly apply by memory, items referred to as MEMORY ITEMS or OEB immediate actions."

"Fly first" is the iron rule: however urgent the ECAM, fly the aircraft first. Takeoff/go-around READ & DO is delayed to ≥ 400 ft AGL — a compromise between stabilisation and delay; below 400 ft, actions may begin only if the flight path is safe. Time-critical cases (fire, stall) go by memory items, not the book. This echoes the aural article's non-cancellable warnings — they force immediate handling, whose first step is always the aircraft.

2. Tasksharing — the PF flies and initiates, the PM reads and does

Per FCTM AOP-30-30:

"In addition to the routine tasks "FLY" and "NAVIGATE" performed by the PF, it is the responsibility of the PF to: - Initiate ECAM/QRH/OEB actions that the PM must perform... In addition to the routine task "MONITOR" performed by the PM, it is the responsibility of the PM to manage the ECAM/QRH/OEB actions after the PF announces "ECAM ACTIONS": - Read & Do the ECAM/QRH/OEB actions in a spoken voice - Obtain PF confirmation before clearing any ECAM."

In a line: the PF flies and initiates, the PM reads and does. The key discipline: the PM must obtain PF confirmation before pressing CLR — preventing one person reading, doing and clearing alone, turning past an unhandled primary. This is two-crew cross-check landed onto ECAM handling.

3. The standard ECAM call sequence

The FCTM gives a standard PF/PM call flow (READ & DO), fitting words to the SD sequence:

An important FCTM reminder: the overhead/SD sensors confirming a failure may not be the same sensors that triggered the alert — so "the overhead light is on" does not equal "this is the failure"; judge in the round.

4. STOP ECAM — before reading STATUS

The most important part of the flow is STOP ECAM — why you cannot read straight through to STATUS. Per FCTM AOP-30-30:

"In all cases, the flight crew must stop the ECAM actions before reading the STATUS page, in order to: - Ensure that the Acceleration Flow Pattern is performed (i.e. in the case of failure after takeoff, to ensure that the flaps and the landing gear are retracted). - Perform any normal C/L, if applicable... - Consider any system reset... - Consider application of the ENG RELIGHT procedure after an engine failure..."

STOP ECAM's meaning: ECAM handles only "this failure", but it does not manage "whether the aircraft still needs to retract flaps, do a normal checklist, reset a system" — you stop to add these before reading STATUS. The classic case is an engine failure after takeoff: ECAM walks you through the engine, but retracting flaps and gear (the acceleration flow) is not in the ECAM — STOP ECAM to do it. One reset discipline: a reset may be done only for items the reset table permits, never from memory — refer to the QRH; a successful reset makes the STATUS page disappear. STOP ECAM is also for any action needing two-crew acknowledgement (ATC call, configuration change, baro setting) — then CONTINUE ECAM.

5. The STATUS page — preview the workload

Per FCTM AOP-30-30:

"The purpose of the STATUS page is to provide an overview of the technical status of the aircraft in all flight phases... The flight crew should read the procedures associated with the STATUS page during the STATUS page review to evaluate and anticipate the workload for each flight phase."

Reading STATUS is not only reading the limitations, but previewing "what to do in each coming phase" — the pending procedures on STATUS should be done at the appropriate phase (not all now); anticipating them avoids a scramble on approach. This is the operational landing of the STATUS-page "close of the drill" from the SD article.

6. Spurious cautions — the correct use of EMER CANC

Per FCTM AOP-30-50:

"Any spurious caution can be deleted with the EMER CANC pb. When pressed, the EMER CANC pb deletes both the aural alert, and the caution for the remainder of the flight. This is indicated on the STATUS page, by the "CANCELLED CAUTION" title. The EMER CANCEL inhibits any aural warning that is associated with a red warning, but does not affect the warning itself."

Echoing the ECP article: EMER CANC is only for a caution confirmed spurious; what it deletes leaves a CANCELLED CAUTION trace on the STATUS page (so it is not deleted without a trace, but marked "known spurious, on the record"). On a red warning it silences only, not the warning itself. Judging "spurious" needs grounds (the system is actually normal, the parameters contradict) — not deleted because it is "annoying".

7. After the drill — assess and decide

Per FCTM AOP-30-30:

"When the ECAM/QRH/OEB actions are completed, the flight crew should: - Resume the Normal Operations Task sharing rules - If time permits, review the FCOM... - Assess the situation... • Check any fuel penalty factor... • Check any landing distance penalty... - Make the decision - Inform the ATC, the cabin crew, the passengers, and airline operations as required."

Handling does not end at "the actions are done" — you must assess the consequences (is fuel enough to destination/alternate, is landing distance sufficient), decide, and inform. This lifts "operating ECAM" to "managing the whole abnormal". One closing logic: if an ECAM warning disappears while the procedure is being applied, it may be considered no longer applicable and the procedure stopped — a fault already resolved need not be run to the end.

Self-test

[!note]- Q1. What is the first priority on an ECAM alert, to what height is takeoff/go-around READ & DO delayed, and what is used when time-critical? Maintain a safe flight path first. Delay READ & DO to ≥ 400 ft AGL (below only if the path is safe). Time-critical: memory items.

[!note]- Q2. What are the PF's and PM's responsibilities, and what must the PM do before pressing CLR? PF flies and initiates; PM reads-and-does. The PM must obtain PF confirmation before clearing any ECAM.

[!note]- Q3. Why STOP ECAM before reading STATUS, and what four kinds of thing are done then? ECAM handles only the failure. Stop to ensure the acceleration flow, do any normal checklist, consider a system reset, consider an engine relight.

[!note]- Q4. What deletes a spurious caution, where is the trace left, and what does EMER CANC do to a red warning? EMER CANC. The trace is CANCELLED CAUTION on STATUS. On a red warning it silences only, not the warning itself.

[!note]- Q5. After the ECAM actions are complete, what else must be assessed? Fuel penalty and remaining fuel, landing-distance penalty; then decide and inform ATC, cabin, passengers, operations. If the warning disappears mid-procedure, the procedure may be stopped.

Key takeaways

Point Detail
Three bones fly first (400 ft) · share clearly (PF flies/initiates, PM reads/does) · stop before STATUS
CLR discipline PM obtains PF confirmation before clearing
STOP ECAM ECAM handles only the failure; stop for acceleration flow / checklist / reset / relight
Reset only per the reset table, never from memory — QRH
EMER CANC only for confirmed-spurious; leaves CANCELLED CAUTION; red = silence only
After the drill assess fuel & landing distance, decide, inform

References

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.

ESC