Narrative:

Flying A320 in cruise at FL380 in cirrus clouds. Strong southwest flow from gulf of mexico over florida peninsula; fueling convection in broken line across central florida. Not near any towers. Using VHF-1 for ATC; encountered such strong; continuous communication static that we could not hear either ATC or other aircraft for about 2 mins. This was on all frequencies and both VHF-1 and VHF-2 communication radios. Finally; static stopped and we were able to hear ATC again. All static wicks installed and appeared normal. This has happened about a dozen times over the 6 years and 4000 hours I have been flying the A320 series aircraft. The A320 series has the worst communication static problem I have ever encountered in any transport category airplane of any manufacturer. Also; there is a well-known problem of alternate channel bleedthrough on the A320 series that is especially bad at charlotte; nc (clt); taxiing from the terminal ramp to runway 18R; northbound on taxiway east; when we are on ground control 121.8 and we hear the departure ATIS bleed through loudly from 132.1. This does not appear to be a problem with only certain individual tail numbers; but a general problem with the entire fleet of this aircraft type. It is amazing to me that a transport category aircraft could be certified this way. This is the kind of communication static one would expect to experience in a cessna (absolutely no exaggeration). Suggest FAA/airbus special certification review of A319/320/320 communication radio/antenna/static wick/bonding issues.callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter believes that the VHF problems are more pronounced in airbus equipment than in other aircraft types. The static issue occurring in flight is most critical and could be a safety of flight issue because the aircraft is essentially NORDO for a period of time exposing it to traffic conflicts.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT REPORTS RECURRING A320 VHF COM RADIO STATIC PROB AT ALTITUDE. HE ALSO NOTES A PERSISTENT FREQ BLEEDOVER PROB AT CLT 18R RWY APCH END.

Narrative: FLYING A320 IN CRUISE AT FL380 IN CIRRUS CLOUDS. STRONG SW FLOW FROM GULF OF MEXICO OVER FLORIDA PENINSULA; FUELING CONVECTION IN BROKEN LINE ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA. NOT NEAR ANY TWRS. USING VHF-1 FOR ATC; ENCOUNTERED SUCH STRONG; CONTINUOUS COMMUNICATION STATIC THAT WE COULD NOT HEAR EITHER ATC OR OTHER AIRCRAFT FOR ABOUT 2 MINS. THIS WAS ON ALL FREQUENCIES AND BOTH VHF-1 AND VHF-2 COMMUNICATION RADIOS. FINALLY; STATIC STOPPED AND WE WERE ABLE TO HEAR ATC AGAIN. ALL STATIC WICKS INSTALLED AND APPEARED NORMAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT A DOZEN TIMES OVER THE 6 YEARS AND 4000 HRS I HAVE BEEN FLYING THE A320 SERIES AIRCRAFT. THE A320 SERIES HAS THE WORST COMMUNICATION STATIC PROBLEM I HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED IN ANY TRANSPORT CATEGORY AIRPLANE OF ANY MANUFACTURER. ALSO; THERE IS A WELL-KNOWN PROBLEM OF ALTERNATE CHANNEL BLEEDTHROUGH ON THE A320 SERIES THAT IS ESPECIALLY BAD AT CHARLOTTE; NC (CLT); TAXIING FROM THE TERMINAL RAMP TO RUNWAY 18R; NORTHBOUND ON TAXIWAY E; WHEN WE ARE ON GROUND CONTROL 121.8 AND WE HEAR THE DEPARTURE ATIS BLEED THROUGH LOUDLY FROM 132.1. THIS DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A PROBLEM WITH ONLY CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL TAIL NUMBERS; BUT A GENERAL PROBLEM WITH THE ENTIRE FLEET OF THIS AIRCRAFT TYPE. IT IS AMAZING TO ME THAT A TRANSPORT CATEGORY AIRCRAFT COULD BE CERTIFIED THIS WAY. THIS IS THE KIND OF COMMUNICATION STATIC ONE WOULD EXPECT TO EXPERIENCE IN A CESSNA (ABSOLUTELY NO EXAGGERATION). SUGGEST FAA/AIRBUS SPECIAL CERTIFICATION REVIEW OF A319/320/320 COMMUNICATION RADIO/ANTENNA/STATIC WICK/BONDING ISSUES.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE REPORTER BELIEVES THAT THE VHF PROBLEMS ARE MORE PRONOUNCED IN AIRBUS EQUIPMENT THAN IN OTHER ACFT TYPES. THE STATIC ISSUE OCCURRING IN FLT IS MOST CRITICAL AND COULD BE A SAFETY OF FLT ISSUE BECAUSE THE ACFT IS ESSENTIALLY NORDO FOR A PERIOD OF TIME EXPOSING IT TO TFC CONFLICTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.