Alternator Failure

Question 1

How can all possible emergencies and abnormalities of the electrical system be easily detected?

Answer 1

Simply by frequently checking the ammeter and warning annunciator panel.

But the exact determination of the failure is difficult to discover. The electrical failures of the aircraft will be due to the failure of one or both alternators.

Question 2

What do we check first?

Answer 2

First, we check the light to determine if it is due to one or both alternators

You only must look at both ammeters.

Question 3

Accordingly, if we see that only one has failed, we must perform the following procedure:

Question 4

1

Answer 4

Affected Alternator: “OFF”.

Question 5

2

Answer 5

Alternator circuit breaker: “CHECK IN”.

Question 6

3

Answer 6

Affected Alternator: “ON”.

Question 7

4

Answer 7

Affected Ammeter: “CHECK” (if there is no indication, recycle the alternator 3 or 4 more times).

Question 8

If the low voltage light is still on:

Question 9

1

Answer 9

Alternator: “OFF”.

Question 10

2

Answer 10

Non-essential electrical equipment: “OFF”.

Question 11

3

Answer 11

Land at the nearest possible airport.

Question 12

If the emergency is due to both alternators failing, you should:

Question 13

1

Answer 13

Avionics master: “OFF”.

Question 14

2

Answer 14

Non-essential electrical equipment: “OFF”.

Question 15

3

Answer 15

Both alternators: “OFF”.

Question 16

4

Answer 16

circuit breakers: “CHECK IN”.

Question 17

4

Answer 17

Restart the alternators ONE BY ONE

Question 18

5

Answer 18

Ammeters: “CHECK” (if there is no indication, recycle the alternators 3 or 4 more times).

Question 19

6

If at this point if we have recovered the two alternators

Answer 19

we will proceed to land at the nearest possible airport.

Question 20

7

If we have only recovered one of the alternators:

Answer 20

we will turn off the inoperative alternator, reduce electrical loads to a minimum and proceed to land at the nearest possible airport.

Question 21

8

f we have not recovered either of the alternators:

Answer 21

turn off both alternators, reduce electrical loads to a minimum and proceed to land at the nearest possible airport. (Assuming that the maximum time left on the battery is half an hour).

Question 22

NOTE

Answer 22

NOTE: Due to the limited battery life, you should look into the possibility of lowering the landing gear as soon as possible, this is because if we want to lower the gear (as in normal operation) there exists a possibility that there will not be enough battery to do so and as a result we would have to perform an emergency extension of the gear – which would aggravate the situation.