A319
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
Level cruise at 16;000; clear day.  Total electrical failure.  Reverted to manual Direct Law flight; no communication.   Immediate action item of ACCESS TRANS executed and reestablished electric power with APU and Number 2 generator.  Multiple ECAMs and failures indicated.  Tried to communicate with Dispatch through VHF; bad transmissions.  Initially had no ACARS or communication radios.  Confirmed to continue to destination and land.  Landing normal.  Initial diagnosis by Maintenance showed faulty TR 1.  However the total loss of Comm 1 was unexplainable; and that there was a total electrical failure with 2 engine generators and APU generator operational.  Review QRH more frequently and remember the memory items.
The Captain states that initially the electrical failure was total; resulting in no displays; no lights; no radios; no fans; and direct law flight controls.  He cannot remember if the essential bus switch was pushed or if there was a fault light displayed; but the APU was started.  Before the APU came online; the Number 2 Generator picked up the load and the lower ECAM and some flight displays began to power up.  When the APU came on line; it picked up the number one AC bus and most systems returned to normal.  The RAT did not deploy indicating that power was being sensed on at least one AC bus.  The reporter also states that Direct Law was surmised by the way the aircraft felt; but when the power came back on the aircraft was in Normal Law.  Post flight revealed over 30 failures in the maintenance computer; and repairs required replacing seven relays; TR Number 1; and installing a 'kit' required by an AD for this fault.
A319 captain experiences total electrical failure at 16;000 feet during day VMC cruise; resulting in no communications and Direct Law.  Power is eventually restored using Generator 2 and the APU.  Flight continues to destination for landing.