A321
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Total 9000
Distraction; Workload
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem
Aircraft; Staffing; Weather
[Aircraft X] - ZZZ to PHX. Flight delayed 2 hours due to A/C being parked at maintenance. The Maintenance person who brought the A/C to the gate said they were short staffed and didn't have any qualified brake riders to bring the plane to the gate. Once the A/C arrived at the gate we updated the weather enroute to PHX. I contacted dispatch to request a re-route to approach PHX from the Northeast vice from the Southeast due to a line of weather building from the south and southeast of PHX. For the flight: Captain/ PF (Pilot Flying) and FO/PM (First Officer / Pilot Monitoring). Departure was uneventful. Enroute the ride quality deteriorated during the last half of the flight. We were assigned EAGUL 6 arrival with RWY 8 transition. As we were descending via the STAR to OBASE 210 at 7;000 feet (7;000 feet set in the FCU) and ATC requested we delete the speed assignments until QUENY (210 at 10;000 feet). Just after passing GEENO there was a line of weather quickly building directly crossing the arrival corridor. I told the FO; I'm using heading select to deviate slightly right to avoid a cell. ATC asked us if we were slight right on the arrival; the FO quickly responded to ATC that we took a slight deviation right for WX and we were returning to centerline. I steered back on course and set the FMS to managed heading. It was then I noted we had descended below the altitude restriction at QUENY because the aircraft dropped out of managed descent. I reset 10;000 in the FCU and climbed back to 10;000. Simultaneously; the FO immediately told ATC of the altitude deviation and of our prompt corrective action. ATC advised us of traffic approaching from the south; to keep visual separation; switch to final approach and have a good evening. The FO talked me back into the green and the rest of the arrival and arrival was safely completed.On final approach; when we put the gear down; the Normal brake system failed and the Auto brakes kicked off. The FO stated it wasn't an immediate action item and quickly accomplished the ECAM items. Because we were in an A321 we still had alternate brakes and NWS. I thought the safest course of action and I made the decision to continue and land on RWY 8. We had 11;489 feet on a dry runway with alternate brakes and normal NWS.1. I am a brand new Captain on the A321 with about 50 hours in the airplane. I am still adjusting to the aircraft. I've only flown into PHX maybe twice (ever). With the delay; it would have been nice if Dispatch would have been more engaged in helping get the flight out and help us keep an eye on the weather. 2. The Maintenance 2 hour delay for not having anyone to bring the aircraft over from the [parking area] was a contributing factor for entire crew. We all wanted to get the flight out on time and we felt the effects of that pressure to get things underway despite the delay. 3. In retrospect; I should have been more directive about our weather deviation. Tell the FO to ask ATC for a right of course deviation or make an ATC request/inquiry earlier about the arrival weather & possible deviations. At night and into an unfamiliar airport; asking for ATC help would have made the deviation decision easier. 4. Once I made the decision to deviate; we should have requested or told ATC that we were making the turn to north and how far off track we needed. 5. I realize that when selecting 'heading select' that the aircraft is longer in managed descent but vertical speed. The responsibly for meeting altitude restrictions then falls on the PF to 'manually' meet those altitude restraints on the arrival. Being new on the aircraft I am still building my situational awareness and in that moment my scan broke down. Once realizing my error; fessing up and making timely corrections was a good response and the FO did an outstanding job in talking me back into the green. Couple of things: Having the undo maintenance delay contributed to setting the tone for the flight. Waiting around unnecessarily for Maintenance to deliver the aircraft was just an unwanted perturbation. It would have been nice to have Dispatch more involved in helping us with the weather planning. Having the iPad tools to access the weather radar helped tremendously for keeping the SA (Situational Awareness) on the building weather from the south. Plan ahead as much as practical and use all the tools available to assess the weather situation. Request deviation early for ATC if able. If as in our case; we tried to avoid at the last minute what we perceived rapidly building cells. Be direct with the PM and ATC about what we are doing to avoid the weather once the decision is made.I've reviewed and discussed with my FO and other pilots with extensive AIRBUS experience on how to improve my scan and what to expect when using selected heading on an arrival. Close altitude monitoring and properly using the FMC altitude window to protect from descending below arrival (or other) constraints.
A321 Captain reported heading and altitude deviations while hand flying an approach; and an ANTI SKID/Brake issue after lowering landing gear.