Narrative:

On takeoff out of tpa; as PF I called for the gear up and the captain raised the gear handle. The landing gear did not retract and we received the appropriate ECAM message. The ECAM instructed us to cycle the gear handle; which we did; and the gear retracted. We then received two additional ECAM messages. One was for the captain's pitot and the other was a thrust reverser two fault. Again we completed the ECAM procedure which simply had us switch the captain to adr 3. There were no additional steps for the thrust reverser message. Once we had the screens normal; we continued to climb. I continued to fly and talk to ATC and the captain called dispatch and maintenance. After talking to dispatch and maintenance; they didn't seem to be concerned that there was a problem. The WX for our route of flight was VFR and ZZZ1 was as well. They suggested we continue to ZZZ1; enter the log items and maintenance would check it out in ZZZ1. We agreed and dispatch signed off. We then communicated with the flight attendants and made appropriate announcements to the passenger. By now I have leveled off at our cruising altitude. The captain asked me to continue to fly and talk with ATC while he got out the flight manual to see if there was any additional information or notes. When he got out the irregular procedure for the thrust reverser fault; it said; 'land at the nearest suitable airport.' we were both a little shocked. The captain again got dispatch and maintenance on the line to discuss this and I informed ATC we would need a clearance to ZZZ2. Dispatch concurred that ZZZ2 was the best airport from our current position and we made an uneventful approach and landing in ZZZ2. My biggest concern was that this fault requires a landing at the nearest suitable airport. However; the ECAM gave no action items. Nothing even gave us a hint that this was the case until we pulled out the flight manual. When the captain mentioned it to dispatch and maintenance; it was just as much of a surprise to them. If it is that critical to get the aircraft on the ground; it seems to me there should be something to let the crew know this in a timely manner. Supplemental information from acn 649488: 1) believe ECAM should have step; land at nearest suitable airport. 2) ACARS call me; dispatch was not on initially; only got maintenance (was expecting dispatch to initiate contact; only got commercial radio) 3) once started paperwork for next leg ACARS was totally worthless for the divert could not get ATIS; WX; NOTAMS; etc. Had to get from dispatch and patch was poor through commercial radio.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 FLC NOTES A CRITICAL DISPARITY BETWEEN ECAM AND FLT MANUAL PROCS REGARDING AN INFLT THRUST REVERSER FAULT.

Narrative: ON TKOF OUT OF TPA; AS PF I CALLED FOR THE GEAR UP AND THE CAPT RAISED THE GEAR HANDLE. THE LNDG GEAR DID NOT RETRACT AND WE RECEIVED THE APPROPRIATE ECAM MESSAGE. THE ECAM INSTRUCTED US TO CYCLE THE GEAR HANDLE; WHICH WE DID; AND THE GEAR RETRACTED. WE THEN RECEIVED TWO ADDITIONAL ECAM MESSAGES. ONE WAS FOR THE CAPT'S PITOT AND THE OTHER WAS A THRUST REVERSER TWO FAULT. AGAIN WE COMPLETED THE ECAM PROC WHICH SIMPLY HAD US SWITCH THE CAPT TO ADR 3. THERE WERE NO ADDITIONAL STEPS FOR THE THRUST REVERSER MESSAGE. ONCE WE HAD THE SCREENS NORMAL; WE CONTINUED TO CLB. I CONTINUED TO FLY AND TALK TO ATC AND THE CAPT CALLED DISPATCH AND MAINT. AFTER TALKING TO DISPATCH AND MAINT; THEY DIDN'T SEEM TO BE CONCERNED THAT THERE WAS A PROB. THE WX FOR OUR RTE OF FLT WAS VFR AND ZZZ1 WAS AS WELL. THEY SUGGESTED WE CONTINUE TO ZZZ1; ENTER THE LOG ITEMS AND MAINT WOULD CHK IT OUT IN ZZZ1. WE AGREED AND DISPATCH SIGNED OFF. WE THEN COMMUNICATED WITH THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND MADE APPROPRIATE ANNOUNCEMENTS TO THE PAX. BY NOW I HAVE LEVELED OFF AT OUR CRUISING ALT. THE CAPT ASKED ME TO CONTINUE TO FLY AND TALK WITH ATC WHILE HE GOT OUT THE FLT MANUAL TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY ADDITIONAL INFO OR NOTES. WHEN HE GOT OUT THE IRREGULAR PROC FOR THE THRUST REVERSER FAULT; IT SAID; 'LAND AT THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT.' WE WERE BOTH A LITTLE SHOCKED. THE CAPT AGAIN GOT DISPATCH AND MAINT ON THE LINE TO DISCUSS THIS AND I INFORMED ATC WE WOULD NEED A CLRNC TO ZZZ2. DISPATCH CONCURRED THAT ZZZ2 WAS THE BEST ARPT FROM OUR CURRENT POSITION AND WE MADE AN UNEVENTFUL APCH AND LNDG IN ZZZ2. MY BIGGEST CONCERN WAS THAT THIS FAULT REQUIRES A LNDG AT THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT. HOWEVER; THE ECAM GAVE NO ACTION ITEMS. NOTHING EVEN GAVE US A HINT THAT THIS WAS THE CASE UNTIL WE PULLED OUT THE FLT MANUAL. WHEN THE CAPT MENTIONED IT TO DISPATCH AND MAINT; IT WAS JUST AS MUCH OF A SURPRISE TO THEM. IF IT IS THAT CRITICAL TO GET THE ACFT ON THE GND; IT SEEMS TO ME THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING TO LET THE CREW KNOW THIS IN A TIMELY MANNER. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 649488: 1) BELIEVE ECAM SHOULD HAVE STEP; LAND AT NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT. 2) ACARS CALL ME; DISPATCH WAS NOT ON INITIALLY; ONLY GOT MAINT (WAS EXPECTING DISPATCH TO INITIATE CONTACT; ONLY GOT COMMERCIAL RADIO) 3) ONCE STARTED PAPERWORK FOR NEXT LEG ACARS WAS TOTALLY WORTHLESS FOR THE DIVERT COULD NOT GET ATIS; WX; NOTAMS; ETC. HAD TO GET FROM DISPATCH AND PATCH WAS POOR THROUGH COMMERCIAL RADIO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.