7
$\begingroup$

There was a recent incident (avherald.com) with an Air France Boeing 777 on approach to CDG where several different aural warnings can be heard in the ATC audio recording (YouTube) when the pilot has the mic keyed. They went around and ultimately landed safely, but I'm just curious what all of the different aural warnings that can be heard in the recording in the linked video indicate.

Note: I am specifically not asking for speculation about the cause(s) of the incident. That is explicitly off-topic here. I'm only asking what the different aural alerts that can be heard are designed to indicate.

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
1
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ A video about the incident made by a 777 pilot. He comments on the audio recording from about 8 minute mark. youtu.be/cslSQB5mgyc (also explains the procedures and mentions a couple of possible reasons for the problem) $\endgroup$
    – Jan Hudec
    Apr 7, 2022 at 17:00

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
6
$\begingroup$

I can only hear 2 distinct warning sounds in the video:

  1. There is a high-low tone audible from 0:31 to 0:35 (also heard later). This is the master warning siren.
  2. There is a low-to-high sound audible from 0:48 to 0:50 (also again around 0:57). This is the autopilot disconnect wailer.

My 777 FCOM groups both of these sounds in the same category (under siren):

Aural Light Calls Attention To
Siren Master WARNING lights EICAS Warning Message:
AUTOPILOT DISC
CONFIG DOORS
CONFIG FLAPS
CONFIG GEAR STEERING
CONFIG PARKING BRAKE
CONFIG RUDDER
CONFIG SPOILERS
CONFIG STABILIZER
OVERSPEED
CAIN ALTITUDE
PILOT RESPONSE
STABILIZER
Beeper Master CAUTION lights New EICAS caution message, except:
ENG SHUTDOWN
ENG SHUTDOWN L
ENG SHUTDOWN R

(Boeing 777 FCOMv2 15.20.5 - Warning Systems - System Description)

There are however company options available to play the wailer instead of the siren for autopilot disconnect, meaning some airlines get different aural alerts.

I cannot hear the master caution beeper in the video.

References for all sounds (YouTube links are timestamped):

  • Master Warning Siren: YouTube (0:46 - 0:49), example of PILOT RESPONSE in-flight (thanks @ymb1): YouTube (43:21 - 43:30)
  • Autpilot Disconnect Wailer: YouTube (0:07 - 0:09)
  • Master Caution Beeper: YouTube (0:04 - 0:05)
Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
2
  • $\begingroup$ The third sound I was referring to is a high-pitched chirp that I can hear at least a couple of times in the background behind the pilot breathing in between the Master Warning and the AP disconnect. If you start listening around 0:50, there's what sounds like a chirp right around 0:54 and again at 0:56 before the AP disconnect sounds again. $\endgroup$
    – reirab
    Apr 7, 2022 at 8:45
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ @reirab OK, I just listened to that part again. I think I know what chirp you mean, but I'm not familiar with it as an aural alert in the 777. It might be something partially cut-off by the transmission or even an artifact of poor AM radio quality. Not sure though... $\endgroup$
    – Bianfable
    Apr 7, 2022 at 9:27
3
$\begingroup$

It sounds to me like the beeper which indicates a Caution message on the EICAS. That could be any of a large number of conditions.

A Warning message from EICAS is accompanied by a siren, and it didn't sound like one to me, but even that could be any of a number of conditions.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
3
  • $\begingroup$ If you play the video at 50% you will hear the beeper as well as a hi-lo tone. I thought at first it was the master caution warning, but I don't have the 777 manuals with me to confirm. $\endgroup$
    – Raffles
    Apr 6, 2022 at 20:12
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ @Raffles There seem to be at least 3 different tone patterns in the video. There's at least a high-low, a high-pitched chirp, and a repeated low-to-high ramp-up (latter is AP disconnect, maybe?) $\endgroup$
    – reirab
    Apr 6, 2022 at 21:30
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ The Caution beeper sounds like this. $\endgroup$
    – Bianfable
    Apr 7, 2022 at 8:33
0
$\begingroup$

The Hi-Lo tone is the Auto Pilot disconnect aural warning. I can't identify the other coming later in the vidéo.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .