A319
Dispatch Dispatcher
Communication Breakdown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory
Aircraft
Aircraft called on ARINC and requested a phone patch with Maintenance Control. The autopilot and auto throttle disconnected; dual flight director failure; and had a Landing Gear Retract EICAS message. Maintenance Control recommended running the FMGC (Flight Management and Guidance Computer) Dual Failure Checklist in the QRH. The checklist was run by the crew; and it was not able to clear the faults. We addressed the Landing Gear Retract fault message with the Landing Gear Shock Absorber Fault Checklist in the QRH. Since the gear had been retracted and the fault did not appear until well into the flight there was not much we could do with that checklist. Dispatcher and Captain [advised ATC]. Dispatcher also recommended running the Landing with Abnormal Landing Gear Checklist so he crew could be prepared early. Flight landed and taxied to the gate with an ARFF escort. Dispatcher and crew had difficulty communicating over ARINC. It took almost an hour from when the first call came in to the end of the phone patch. We used multiple frequencies. The longest period we lost contact was for about 10 minutes. Dispatcher lost contact with crew a without realizing it at least once; since he was talking to Maintenance Control about what options were.
Approximately midway through our 3 hour flight; a landing gear shock absorber failure seemingly set off a series of other system failures; to include both flight directors; both auto pilots; and the auto throttles. The CA was the PF at the time of the failure and I was the PM. While I was establishing a phone patch with Maintenance; the hand flying CA inadvertently drifted off course; an error that was caught by ATC and was quickly corrected. Shortly thereafter; [ATC was advised] while alerts; QRH checklists; and troubleshooting were completed in an effort to regain the lost systems. At this time; the CA transferred controls to me so that he could speak directly with Maintenance. A decision to continue to our destination was made; given the prevailing VFR weather; with the request to abandon the RNAV arrival; and instead getting simpler headings and altitudes to fly from ATC. During the descent; at approximately 11000 feet; all malfunctions cleared; and all autopilot functions were recovered. A normal landing was accomplished.
A319 Dispatcher and First Officer reported multiple equipment failures and had difficulty communicating via phone patch over ARINC.