SELF-MONITORING INDICATOR

Visiting the flight deck of “SA” we can see one of the largest instruments on the Flight engineer panel which is called the self-monitoring indicator.

When visiting the museum, Mr. Yves PINGRET, flight test engineer, who made the first flight on January 10, 1973 and totalized 158 flights on board “SA”, explained the functions of this indicator.

"This instrument was requested by the flight test teams, because in addition to ensure the smooth conditions of the flights, we were the flight control crew and at the same time we also had to carry out various tests requested by the flight team test engineers.

It is the synthesis of six instruments multiplied by four, so it would have been necessary to install 24 instruments to have the secondary parameters and to simplify since we did not have enough space so we invented this instrument which in operation mode would provide permanently the following indications for the 4 engines :

- Oil temperature

- Oil pressure

- Remaining amount of oil

- Fuel temperature

- TCA temperature

- De-icing circuit pressure. " Y.P.

Only the first six aircraft built were equipped with this instrument.

Here is "How it works"

This extract from the flight manual shows the range of parameters, the triggering of the alarm, the type of alarm and the alarm indication on the central alarm panel (Master Warning)

“When we were in AUTO mode we could read the less desirable setting on the magnetic indicator (above).

And if we wanted to read in manual mode (here on the instrument we see number 4) we pressed the engine button to check number 4 ... so all the parameters of this engine could be red.

And then we returned to automatic mode. "Y.P.

Brief description of the indicator's functions.

1 FAILURE FLAG

Diagonal lines indicate a failure of the linear indicator.

2 VERTICAL LINEAR INDCATOR

Graduated indicator which shows the magnitude of the measured parameter.

3 MAGNETIC INDICATOR

Identifies the reactor is monitoring.

1 LIMIT ALARM INDICATOR (Red or Amber)

If the pre-displayed circuit limitations are exceeded, the indicator lights up in red or amber (depending on the setting)

A group of four lights illuminates to show which engine is concerned by the alarm and the corresponding ENG light on the central panel alarm lights up.

2 Controls the central alarm circuit for the displayed engine parameter,

and causes the limited alarm light to illuminate

3 ILLUMINATED INDICATOR (Amber)

Indicates that the firewall of the landing exchanger is closed in flight.

Fortunately, this instrument remained on board “SA” in 1976 when it was refitted by Air France for ADP guided tours, as it could not be used for commercial aircraft.

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Many thanks to Mr. Yves PINGRET who agreed to check this article and who gave us some news, which delighted and pleased us.