What does the A320 overhead panel do and how is it used?
Learn what each Airbus A320 overhead panel section controls, the normal start-up flow, AUTO logic, and fixes for power, ADIRS and bleed faults.
The Airbus A320 overhead panel is the cockpit’s system-management centre. In real-world aviation and high-fidelity flight simulation, pilots use it to control electrical power, ADIRS, fuel, hydraulics, pneumatics, air conditioning, pressurisation, anti-ice, lights and safety systems. Normal use means selecting the required configuration, then verifying the result on ECAM.
This Aviation & Real-World Flying explanation follows standard A320-family logic. Exact labels and behaviour vary with aircraft options, operator procedures and simulator depth, so use the checklist supplied with the aircraft when it differs from a generic sequence.
What does the A320 overhead panel control?
The overhead panel controls aircraft systems rather than flight path, speed or route programming. The engine master switches are on the pedestal, while the FCU and sidesticks control guidance and flight; our explanation of the complete A320 cockpit layout shows how those areas fit together.
Airbus uses a command-and-confirm workflow. You select a system on the overhead, then check its actual state on the system display or warning display. Our guide to reading A320 ECAM indications and procedures explains that second half of the process.
The related dark cockpit philosophy means attention-getting lights are normally absent when systems are correctly configured. It does not mean every light must be extinguished: an AVAIL indication may show that a source is ready, while an ON or OFF legend can simply report a commanded position. Amber FAULT indications require investigation, but the switch legend and ECAM matter more than colour alone.
Which overhead switches do A320 pilots normally use?
On a normal simulator flight, pilots actively use only part of the overhead panel; the remaining systems stay in their standard automatic configuration.
| Panel area | What it manages | Normal use | Frequent mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical | Batteries, external power, engine generators and APU generator | Establish a stable power source and confirm bus supply on ECAM | Assuming EXT PWR AVAIL means external power is connected |
| ADIRS | Attitude, heading, position and inertial navigation data | Set all three selectors to NAV early and allow alignment to finish | Moving the aircraft or expecting normal guidance before alignment |
| Fuel | Wing and centre-tank pump control | Configure pumps according to fuel load and the aircraft checklist | Leaving required pumps off, or blindly selecting every pump without checking the modelled fuel system |
| APU and bleed air | Auxiliary power, pneumatic air, packs and engine-start air | Use the APU or another valid pneumatic source for engine start | Confusing an available APU or electrical source with usable bleed air |
| Hydraulics | Engine-driven pumps, electric pumps and power-transfer controls | Leave the normal pumps and automatic logic in their checklist positions | Manually overriding pumps or the PTU without a procedure |
| Air conditioning and pressurisation | Packs, temperature, ventilation and cabin-pressure control | Keep packs and pressurisation in automatic operation for routine flights | Selecting manual modes to cure a warning without reading ECAM |
| Anti-ice and heating | Engine and wing anti-ice, probes and window heat | Use engine or wing anti-ice only when conditions and procedures require it | Leaving all anti-ice systems on throughout the flight |
| Lights and signs | Beacon, navigation, strobe, landing, taxi and cabin signs | Change them by phase of flight | Forgetting the beacon before engine start or pushback |
| Fire and miscellaneous systems | Fire protection, cargo smoke, oxygen, evacuation and calls | Leave guarded and emergency controls alone except for prescribed tests or procedures | Pressing a fire pushbutton as part of a normal start-up |
How do you use the A320 overhead panel during start-up?
Use the overhead in a deliberate sequence: establish electrical power, begin ADIRS alignment, restore the normal automatic configuration, prepare fuel and pneumatic air, then verify the aircraft on ECAM.
- Check the initial switch state. A saved flight or cold-and-dark preset may not match the checklist. Correct obvious abnormal positions, but do not begin by switching everything on.
- Establish electrical power. Select both batteries on so their OFF indications extinguish. If EXT PWR AVAIL is displayed, select external power; otherwise start the APU using its MASTER and START controls, wait for APU AVAIL, and confirm a valid generator source on ECAM. Batteries alone are not the normal long-term ground supply.
- Set all three ADIRS selectors to NAV. Start alignment early and enter or confirm the aircraft’s position through the MCDU when the add-on requires it. Realistic alignment may take several minutes, while some simulators offer accelerated or instant alignment.
- Restore the normal automatic configuration. Engine bleeds, packs, pressurisation and hydraulic controls should normally remain in their checklist positions. Do not force manual settings merely because the associated system has not yet become active.
- Configure fuel and signs. Select the required fuel pumps before engine start and set the passenger signs as appropriate. Turn on the anti-collision beacon before the engines are started or the aircraft begins moving under pushback.
- Provide start air. For a normal APU start, select APU BLEED after the APU is available. External electrical power supplies electricity only; starting without the APU requires a separate ground pneumatic source, if the simulator models one.
- Confirm the result on ECAM. Check electrical supply, bleed pressure, fuel configuration and any cautions before using the engine mode selector and master switches on the pedestal. During a normal start, the aircraft manages functions such as pack-valve closure automatically.
For an aircraft-specific example, our Fenix A320 cold-and-dark sequence for Microsoft Flight Simulator follows the practical battery, external-power, APU, ADIRS and engine-start flow. Once alignment has begun, the MCDU position and flight-plan setup is normally the next cockpit task.
Should every A320 overhead switch be turned on?
No; the normal Airbus configuration relies heavily on automatic control and extinguished pushbutton indications.
- AUTO is normally preferable to a manual override. Packs, pressurisation, crossbleed and several other systems are designed to manage routine changes themselves.
- OFF can represent an abnormal selection. Fuel pumps, generators, engine bleeds and hydraulic pumps may show an illuminated OFF legend when manually deselected.
- ON is not always a normal permanent state. APU bleed, electric hydraulic pumps and anti-ice are selected for particular conditions or phases.
- Guarded controls are not routine controls. Fire, evacuation and emergency functions should be operated only for their test or abnormal procedure.
- Not every simulator models every system. A simplified A320 may animate a switch without reproducing its electrical, pneumatic or failure logic.
When is the overhead panel used after engine start?
After start-up, overhead work is mostly limited to source changes, exterior lights, signs and weather-dependent anti-ice.
| Flight phase | Typical overhead actions |
|---|---|
| After engine start | Confirm engine generators and bleeds, turn off APU bleed, then shut down the APU after the required cooling period if it is no longer needed |
| Taxi and take-off | Set taxi, runway-turnoff, strobe and landing lights according to procedure; use anti-ice only when required |
| Climb and cruise | Change exterior lights and signs by phase, monitor ECAM and respond to icing conditions |
| Descent and landing | Set signs and landing lights, and start the APU when required for the arrival or turnaround plan |
| Shutdown | Transfer to external power or the APU, switch off fuel pumps and other services as prescribed, set ADIRS to OFF, and switch batteries off last |
Why is the overhead panel not doing what you expect?
Most simulated A320 overhead problems result from an incomplete power configuration, unfinished ADIRS alignment, missing pneumatic air or a switch state that does not match the aircraft’s checklist.
Why is the A320 cockpit still dark?
The aircraft probably lacks a connected electrical source, even if one is available. Confirm both batteries, press the external-power pushbutton when AVAIL is shown, or establish APU generation and check the electrical ECAM page.
If ECAM shows powered buses but individual screens remain black, check their brightness controls and any saved failure or aircraft-state preset. Display brightness is separate from electrical generation.
Why is there no heading or navigation guidance?
The ADIRS selectors may still be OFF, alignment may be incomplete, or the initial position may not have been confirmed in the MCDU. Set all three selectors to NAV, keep the aircraft stationary during a full alignment and wait for the alignment indications to clear.
Why will the engines not start?
An A320 engine needs pneumatic rotation before fuel and ignition can produce a start. If N2 does not rise after the start command, check APU availability, APU BLEED, the normal crossbleed configuration and any modelled ground-air source.
If N2 rises but the engine does not light, the problem is less likely to be the overhead panel. Check the engine mode selector, engine master, fuel supply and any ECAM start-abort message.
Why do warnings remain after start-up?
A persistent warning usually means a system is manually deselected, unavailable or still outside its normal operating state. Read the ECAM message and system page before changing more switches; random switch selection often creates a second fault while hiding the first.
Why does an overhead switch appear to do nothing?
The selected A320 may not simulate that subsystem, or its effect may only be visible on an ECAM system page. Also check for an unopened guard, a cockpit-interaction issue, an active failure and a saved state that has overridden the expected configuration.