A320
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew Diverted; General Maintenance Action; General Declared Emergency
Aircraft
Cruise flight at FL350 about 180 NM west of [a major airport]; got 'ELEC AC BUS 1 FAULT' on ECAM. Lost approximately 24 systems associated with AC Bus 1. First Officer took over controls as pilot flying maintained stable flight as we lost both autopilots and autothrust. I carried out our Non-Normal Procedures as per Flight Operations Manual; A320 Pilot Hand Book; and QRH; conducting ECAM actions. ECAM actions guided us to a point where we were to reset Number 1 Generator to restore AC BUS 1; 'one attempt only; if no reset then select GEN 1 off'; which was the case. After completing ECAM; and ECAM follow-up in QRH; it was apparent that we were not going to restore AC BUS 1.After reviewing the failures which included Thrust Reverser 1; Spoiler 3; and Brake System 1 associated with loss of Blue Electric Pump and Blue Hydraulic System; I decided that as a precaution we should not attempt a landing but should; instead; divert to an airport with a longer runway. I contacted Dispatch and he agreed that we divert to a nearby airport as it was closer to our 'Present Position'; which we had been considering. We then advised ATC that we were diverting due to aircraft systems lost to an electrical failure that could affect our required landing distance and I wanted a longer runway than at [the nearest airport]. I then advised the flight attendants of the situation and; as we had lost the cabin PA function from the flight deck; asked them to inform the passengers. We were given expeditious handling by ATC and I decided it unnecessary to declare an emergency as we had full control of the airplane and all crucial systems were operating normally except the automation. The left Thrust Reverser was inoperative; but had the right; spoiler three was inoperative as well but we had considered these failures when we selected our diversion airport and runway. Weather in the area was clear VMC. Upon contacting Approach I decided it would be prudent to have the fire trucks called out. The Controller said that we would have to 'declare an emergency' to have the crash trucks out. After a few seconds of contemplation on my part the Controller said 'we declared an emergency for you' and they deployed the fire trucks along our landing runway. I did not at any time declare an emergency. The only event that frustrated our course of action was the loss of communications with operations due to loss of ACARS. I could have gone over to commercially provided radio but decided I needed to get back with the First Officer who was flying the airplane manually and handing ATC communications. I wanted evaluate our fuel situation and make the decision to start heading to a suitable diversion airport. I decided that letting ATC know our intentions; would get back to Operations and we could deal with our primary duty of getting the airplane to a safe landing. In range of our diversion station I called operations and informed them of our ETA.The landing was uneventful. Maintenance met the aircraft at the gate.
An A320 flight crew enroute suffered the loss of AC BUS 1 and elected to divert to an airport with longer runways due to the resulting partial loss of spoilers and reverse thrust. ATC declared an emergency for them when they requested CFR as a precaution.