Abstract:
A device for monitoring a plurality of systems of an aircraft including a monitoring unit configured to monitor the systems and to detect a failure of at least one of the systems, a display configured to display information output by the monitoring unit including at least one failure condition including a list of tasks to perform to address a detected failure including tasks already performed and tasks to be performed, and an input device configured to input information indicating that a task has been completed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/073,983 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,697,718), filed on Feb. 14, 2002, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to French Patent Application 01 02570, filed on Feb. 26, 2001, the entire contents of both which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a device for monitoring a plurality of systems of an aircraft, especially of a transport aircraft. 
     More particularly, although not exclusively, the monitoring device is a centralized device of the ECAM (Electronic Centralized Aircraft Monitoring) type which automatically monitors a plurality of systems (engines, control surfaces, etc.) of the aircraft and which informs the crew of the status of these systems. 
     It is known that such a monitoring device especially includes at least: 
     a monitoring device for monitoring the systems and for detecting any failure of one of the systems; and 
     display means linked to the monitoring unit and capable of presenting, on at least one visual-display screen: 
     information relating to the monitoring of the systems; and 
     upon detection of a failure of one of the systems, information relating to the failure, as well as to a corresponding failure-handling procedure including a list of actions having to be carried out by at least one operator. 
     In general, the display means present the following types of information, in particular: 
     block diagrams representing the various systems monitored; 
     information warning of a possible failure, especially when a particular parameter which is monitored approaches its limit values or exceeds them. In this case, in general, the display means display a page presenting this parameter which, moreover, is highlighted by flashing, to draw the attention of the crew; 
     messages relating to particular functions (for example, the de-icing of the engines) which can be activated temporarily and which are activated in this instance. These messages are, needless to say, displayed only at the time when the corresponding functions are still activated; and 
     regulatory information, such as the thrust of the engines, the quantity of fuel remaining or the aerodynamic configuration, which for their part are displayed permanently. 
     Moreover, when a failure of a system is detected by such a monitoring device, the device: 
     alerts the crew by audible and/or visual means; 
     identifies the failure and displays the block diagram corresponding to the failed system, on the visual-display screen. All the displays indicated below are formed on the visual-display screen; 
     checks whether the failure is isolated or whether other systems are affected by this failure and, if appropriate, displays the list of the systems which are also affected; 
     displays the corresponding failure-handling procedure, including a plurality of particular actions which have to be carried out by an operator or the crew of the aircraft, to isolate the failure and deal with it so as to be able to carry on with the flight; 
     manages the failure-handling procedure as and when the operator or the crew carry out the various actions, deleting an action from the visual-display screen automatically as soon as it detects that this action has been carried out; and 
     when the failure has been dealt with, displays an operational status report for the aircraft, particularly including the limitations to be complied with (maximum speed, maximum altitude, etc.) for the remainder of the flight, the systems and/or the functions which are inoperative, etc. 
     Such a monitoring device exhibits a few drawbacks. In particular, when carrying out a fault-handling procedure which is presented and managed by the monitoring device: 
     when an action has been carried out, it automatically disappears from the visual-display screen. Consequently, among the operators of the aircraft (pilot, co-pilot), the operator who is not occupied with the failure-handling procedure (and sometimes even the operator who is occupied with it), does not always know what action or actions has or have been carried out and deleted, and therefore has trouble in evaluating the actual progress of the failure-handling procedure; and, moreover 
     since, in the usual way, the carrying out of certain actions is not detected automatically, that is to say cannot be detected by monitoring device, such an action (the carrying-out of which cannot be detected) still remains displayed on the visual-display screen, even if it has actually been carried out. In this case, the operator or the crew has to memorize all the actions (which are not detected automatically) which he has actually carried out, which requires sustained attention on his part. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a monitoring device of the type described above, which makes it possible to remedy the above-mentioned drawbacks. 
     To that end, according to the invention, the monitoring device of the type including at least: 
     a monitoring unit for monitoring the systems and for detecting any failure of one of the systems; and 
     display means linked to the monitoring unit and capable of presenting, on at least one visual-display screen, information relating to the monitoring of the systems, and, upon detection of a failure of one of the systems, information relating to the failure, as well as at least one corresponding failure-handling procedure including at least a list of actions having to be carried out by at least one operator; 
     is noteworthy in that the display means, upon detection of a failure and at least throughout the corresponding failure-handling procedure, display, on the visual-display screen, at least: 
     information identifying the failure-handling procedure; 
     if appropriate, a list of the actions already carried out relating to the failure-handling procedure; and 
     if appropriate, a list of the actions still having to be carried out relating to the failure-handling procedure, highlighting the next action having to be carried out; 
     and in that the monitoring device further includes an information means capable of being actuated by the operator and allowing the latter to inform the monitoring device, if appropriate, of the carrying-out of at least one particular action relating to the failure-handling procedure. 
     Thus, by virtue of the invention, the various operators (pilot, co-pilot, etc.) continuously and precisely know the actions already carried out and those still having to be carried out, and thus the state of progress of the failure-handling procedure, without having to memorize these actions, which, needless to say, increases the comfort of the operators in the carrying out of these actions, allows them to focus their attention and their memory on other information, and avoids unnecessary actions and/or checks. 
     Moreover, the information which is presented by the display means precisely illustrates the actual state of progress of the failure-handling procedure, since, by virtue of the information means, the operator can inform the monitoring device of the carrying-out of a particular action (of the above-mentioned undetectable type) which the latter would not have been able to detect automatically. The monitoring device thus knows precisely which are the actions which have been carried out, either because it has actually detected them being carried out, or because the operator has informed it that these actions have been carried out. 
     According to the invention, the display means, while a plurality of failure-handling procedures exist, display all the procedures on the visual-display screen in an order of priority, and the monitoring device further includes a means for indicating, on the visual-display screen, the procedure to be dealt with, that is to say which has to be dealt with in priority from among all the procedures displayed. This makes it possible, in a stressful situation, to guide the pilot in carrying out the procedures. This is particularly advantageous by comparison with certain usual devices which present the list of the various procedures to be performed and ask the pilot to choose which one he will deal with first. 
     Furthermore, advantageously, the display means present, on the visual-display screen, when a failure-handling procedure is terminated, at least one characteristic sign signaling the completion of this failure-handling procedure, and the monitoring device further includes a deletion means capable of being actuated by the operator and allowing the latter to delete from the visual-display screen all the information relating to a failure-handling procedure. 
     Moreover, advantageously, the display means continuously present on the visual-display screen the new limitations to be complied with by reason of a failure, as soon as these new limitations are known. Thus, despite the alterations which might have been generated by the failure, the crew is kept permanently informed of the limitations to be complied with for the remainder of the flight, which is a guarantee of safety. 
     It is known that certain failure-handling procedures include conditional stages, that is to say that the action or actions to be carried out at such a (conditional) stage depend on at least one particular condition (for example “if condition X is satisfied, then carry out action A, otherwise carry out action B”). To that end, it is necessary to know whether a particular condition is or is not satisfied, or which condition among several is satisfied. However, the monitoring device is not always in a position to identify the actual condition automatically. In such a situation, with the usual monitoring devices, it is up to the operator to determine the actions to be carried out and those to be ignored. 
     According to the invention, the monitoring device further includes a selection means capable of being actuated by the operator and allowing the latter, in a conditional failure-handling procedure including a plurality of conditions, to select one of the conditions, and the display means present, on the visual-display screen, the various possible conditions and highlight the actions to be carried out for a particular condition, on the visual-display screen, after the selection of this condition by the selection means. Consequently, it is sufficient for the operator to select the appropriate condition and the display means present him with the actions having to be carried out for the condition thus selected. The function of help with the handling of the failure is thus enhanced by the present invention. 
     Moreover, the monitoring device advantageously includes a cancellation means capable of being actuated by the operator and allowing the latter, if appropriate, to cancel the previous selection of a condition in a conditional failure-handling procedure. 
     Moreover, advantageously, the monitoring device further includes a deletion means capable of being actuated by the operator and allowing the latter to delete information presented on the visual-display screen, and the display means highlight, on the visual-display screen, among the information which is presented there, the information which is capable of being deleted by the deletion means. Thus, the operator knows exactly the information which he can delete with the aid of the deletion means. This makes it possible to prevent him accidentally deleting information which may be useful for the remainder of the flight. 
     Furthermore, advantageously, the monitoring device in accordance with the invention further includes an information means capable of being actuated by the operator and allowing the latter to inform the monitoring device of the occurrence of a failure, and an interrogation means capable of being actuated by the operator and allowing the latter to ask the monitoring device to have the display means present, on the visual-display screen, the failure-handling procedure relating to the failure. This makes it possible to take into account failures or incidents which cannot be detected by the monitoring device, but which can be detected by an operator, such as the presence of a cracked windscreen, for example. 
     In one particular embodiment, the monitoring device in accordance with the invention further includes an interrogation means capable of being actuated by the operator and allowing the latter to request supplementary information relating to a failure, and the display means present, on the visual-display screen, supplementary information relating to a failure, in response to an actuation of the interrogation means by the operator. 
     Furthermore, advantageously, the display means present, on the visual-display screen, for a failure-handling procedure, if appropriate, deferred actions corresponding to actions having to be carried out subsequently, and the monitoring device further includes a validation means capable of being actuated by the operator and allowing the latter to validate these deferred actions so as to carry them out (immediately) upon the validation. 
     In one particular embodiment, the monitoring device in accordance with the invention further includes a database including lists of operations to be verified (“check lists”) and means, automatic or manual, making it possible to control the display means so that they present, on the visual-display screen, at least one of the lists. These are lists of operations to be verified, which are generally drawn up on the basis of recommendations made by the constructor of the airplane, and which are adapted to the specific wishes of the airlines. These lists of operations to be verified are usually found on a paper medium, and their presentation in accordance with the invention on the visual-display screen makes it possible to facilitate reading them and making use of them. 
     The monitoring device in accordance with the invention preferably further includes means for automatically correcting these lists of operations to be verified, upon a failure, so as to take into account effects generated by this failure on the lists. 
     Furthermore, for reasons of safety, the monitoring device further includes a validation means capable of being actuated by the operator and allowing the latter to validate information which he has supplied to the monitoring device. 
     Advantageously, moreover, the monitoring device further includes: 
     a recall means capable of being actuated by the operator and allowing the latter: 
     by a first actuation, to recall to the visual-display screen, if appropriate, the last procedure deleted; and 
     by a second actuation, to recall to the visual-display screen, if appropriate, all the procedures deleted since the start of the flight of the aircraft; and/or 
     a recall means capable of being actuated by the operator and allowing the latter to recall to the visual-display screen, if appropriate, all the deferred actions which have been deleted and which have not yet been carried out. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is the block diagram of a monitoring device in accordance with the invention; 
         FIG. 2  diagrammatically shows an exemplary embodiment of a monitoring device in accordance with the invention; and 
         FIGS. 3  to  8  diagrammatically show the different presentations of information on a visual-display screen of a monitoring device in accordance with the invention, making it possible to give a good explanation of the characteristics and the advantages thereof. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIGS. 2  to  8  include indications such as they may appear in reality on a monitoring device of an airliner. That is why these indications appear in the form of words in English or of abbreviations originating from English, as used in reality and with which the person skilled and the art is more familiar than with indications in French. These words or these abbreviations are well known and understood by the users (pilot, etc.) and the manufacturers of monitoring devices for airliners, which is why they have not been transcribed into French in the following description unless such a presentation proves to be useful or necessary to explain the particular features of the present invention. 
     The monitoring device  1  in accordance with the invention and represented diagrammatically in  FIG. 1  is intended for the monitoring of a plurality of systems, such as the engines, the control surfaces and/or the lighting of an aircraft, in particular a civil transport airplane. This monitoring device  1  which is, preferably, a centralized device of the ECAM (Electronic Centralized Aircraft Monitoring) type, informs the crew of the aircraft of the status of these systems. 
     Such a monitoring device  1  comprises, in a known way: 
     a monitoring unit  2  which comprises: 
     a plurality of sensors or of monitoring means C 1  to Cn which monitor the operation of the various systems, especially by measuring particular parameters, such as the thrust of the engines, for example. These monitoring means C 1  to Cn can especially be integrated into the systems; and 
     a central unit  3  which includes a computer, which is linked by links e 1  to en, respectively to the monitoring means C 1  to Cn, and which manages or handles the information received from the monitoring means C 1  to Cn, 
     the monitoring unit  2  being capable of detecting a failure of one of the systems, either directly by a monitoring means C 1  to Cn, or from processing carried out by the central unit  3 ; and 
     display means  4  of the usual type, which are linked to the central unit  3  by a link  5  and which are capable of presenting, on at least one visual-display screen  6 : 
     information relating to the monitoring of the systems; and 
     upon detection of a failure of one of the systems, information relating to the failure, as well as to a corresponding failure-handling procedure including a list of actions having to be carried out by at least one operator. 
     The visual-display screen  6  may include several visual-display windows  7 A,  7 B. It preferably includes two superimposed windows  7 A and  7 B. 
     In  FIG. 2 , in a window  7 A have been represented types of information likely to be presented by the display means  4  to the crew, in the absence of a failure of the various systems which are monitored. 
     In this instance, what is involved is, by illustration: 
     regulatory information which is permanently displayed, such as: 
     the rate of climb, CLB; 
     the rotational speed N 1  of the low-pressure module of the engines; 
     the exit temperature of the gases from the engines, EGT (Exhaust Gas Temperature); 
     the rotational speed N 2  of the high-pressure module of the engines; 
     the flow of fuel, FF (Fuel Flow), the parameters N 1 , EGT, N 2  and FF being presented for each of the four engines of the aircraft; and 
     the mass of fuel remaining, FOB (Fuel On Board); and 
     messages giving information on the existence of particular functions which are activated temporarily, such as indicator lamps asking the passengers to fasten their seatbelts (SEAT BELTS) and not to smoke (NO SMOKING). 
     Furthermore, when a failure of a system is detected, the monitoring system  1  normally carries out the following operations: 
     it alerts the crew via audible and/or visual means, not represented; 
     it identifies the failure; 
     it checks whether the failure is isolated or whether other systems are affected by this failure and, if appropriate, displays the list of the systems which are also affected; 
     it displays the corresponding failure-handling procedure, including a plurality of particular actions, which have to be carried out by an operator (pilot, co-pilot, etc.) or the crew of the aircraft, to isolate the failure and to deal with it so as to be able to carry on with the flight; 
     it manages the failure-handling procedure as and when the operator or the crew carry out the various actions, as detailed below; and 
     when the failure has been dealt with, it displays an operational status report on the airplane especially including the limitations to be complied with (maximum speed, maximum altitude, etc.) for the remainder of the flight, the systems and/or the functions which are inoperative, etc. 
     To do this, according to the invention: 
     the display means  4 , upon the detection of a failure and at least throughout the corresponding failure-handling procedure, present, on the visual-display screen  6 , as can be seen in  FIGS. 3 ,  5  and  6  showing the window  7 A, at least: 
     information IF 1  identifying the failure-handling procedure; 
     if appropriate, a list L 1  of the actions already carried out relating to the failure-handling procedure; and 
     if appropriate, a list L 2  of the actions still having to be carried out relating to the failure-handling procedure, highlighting the next actions having to be carried out; and 
     the monitoring device  1  further includes an information means  8 A capable of being actuated by an operator (pilot, co-pilot, etc.) and allowing the latter to inform the monitoring unit  1 , if appropriate, that at least one particular action relating to the failure-handling procedure has been carried out. 
     Thus, by virtue of the invention, the various operators (pilot, co-pilot, etc.) continuously and precisely know the actions already carried out (list L 1 ) and those still having to be carried out (list L 2 ), and thus the state of progress of the failure-handling procedure, without having to memorize these actions, which, needless to say, increases the comfort of the operators in the performance of these actions, allows them to focus their attention and their memory on other information, and avoid unnecessary actions and/or checks. 
     Moreover, the information which is presented by the display means  4  precisely illustrates the actual state of progress of the failure-handling procedure, since, by virtue of the information means  8 A, the operator can inform the monitoring device  1 , as appropriate, of the carrying out of all the actions (of the “undetectable” type) which the latter would not have been able to detect automatically. The monitoring device  1  thus knows precisely which are the actions which have been carried out, either because it has actually detected them being carried out (the monitoring unit  3  can usually detect the effects generated by the majority of the actions capable of being carried out by an operator), or because the operator has informed it that these actions have been carried out. 
     The information means  8 A corresponds to an actuating element such as a key, a push button or a thumb wheel, for example, a keyboard  9  which is at the disposal of the operator and which is linked by a link  10  to the central unit  3 . This keyboard  9  includes other actuating elements  8 B to  8 L which also can be actuated by the operator and which will be specified below. 
     In  FIG. 2  has been represented a preferred, but not exclusive, example of a keyboard  9  including a plurality of actuating elements, some of which will be detailed below. 
     The information IF 1  identifying the failure-handling procedure being carried out (or to be carried out) is indicated and highlighted by an appropriate means  11 , for example a cursor of triangular shape, which is placed at the same level as this procedure information IF 1 . Needless to say, other means of highlighting could be provided in supplement or in a variant thereof, such as a change of color or of brightness or an alteration to the graphics, for example. According to the invention, when there are a plurality of procedures in existence, the means  11  identifies the procedure which has to be followed as a priority, as represented in  FIG. 6 , for example. 
     At the same time as they display the above-mentioned information on the window  7 A relating to the failure-handling procedure, as represented in  FIG. 3 , the display means  4 , upon detection of a failure, can present the block diagrams S 1  and S 2  of the systems which have failed, in the window  7 B, as shown in FIG.  4 . 
       FIGS. 3 ,  5 ,  6  and  7  illustrate various stages of the same failure-handling method. Thus: 
     at the stage of  FIG. 3 , the failure of a system (in this instance, by illustration, the overheating (OVHT) of the hydraulic circuit) has just been detected and the failure-handling procedure IF 1 , as well as the list L 2  of the actions A 1  to A 4  then having to be carried out, are displayed. These actions are, in the present example, the shutting-off of the pumps A and B of the engines  1  and  2 . With no action yet having been carried out, the list L 1  does not contain any element and it is therefore not displayed. Moreover, the next action A 1  to be carried out (“GREEN ENG 1  PUMP A”, that is to say the shutting-off of the pump A of the engine  1 ) is highlighted by a double-arrow cursor  12 . Other normal means for highlighting are possible, needless to say; 
     at the stage of  FIG. 5 , the first action A 1  has been carried out. The carrying-out of this action A 1  makes it possible to create the list L 1 . Moreover, in the window  7 B of the visual-display screen  6  simultaneously displaying the block diagrams S 1  and S 2 , the shutting-down of the pump A is highlighted, in particular by a change of color and/or of thickness of the lines of the block diagrams, as can be seen in the case of block diagram S 1  in FIG.  4 . In  FIGS. 3 ,  5  and  6 , lists L 1  and L 2  exhibit different line thicknesses. It is possible, needless to say, to use other known means (color difference, especially) to differentiate these lists L 1  and L 2 . The cursor  12  is moved automatically on to the following action A 2  to be carried out. The above-mentioned operations are repeated for all the actions A 1  to A 4 ; 
     at the stage of  FIG. 6 , all the actions A 1  to A 4  of the failure-handling procedure IF 1  have been carried out. List L 2  has therefore disappeared. The display means  4  furthermore present an indicator  13 A and, in this instance a solid (vertical) bar which is provided beside the information IF 1  and L 1 , which informs the operator of the conclusion (that is to say of the complete performance) of the failure-handling procedure IF 1 . This indicator  13 A also indicates to the operator that all the information (namely the procedure IF 1  and the list L 1 ) which was placed at its level can be deleted by the operator, by the actuation of a particular deletion means  8 B. This deletion means  8 B may, for example, include the “CLR” key of FIG.  2 . As can be seen, other indicators of this type  13 B,  13 C and  13 D (vertical bar) are arranged beside other information IF 2 , IF 3  and IF 4 . These indicators  13 A,  13 B,  13 C and  13 D inform the operator that he can successively delete each group of corresponding information by starting from the top (IF 1  and L 1 , then IF 2 , then IF 3 , then IF 4 ), by successive actuation of the deletion means  8 B. Thus, the operator is perfectly aware of the information which he can delete with the aid of the deletion means  8 B. This makes it possible to prevent him accidentally deleting information which may be useful for the remainder of the flight. Among the indicators  13 A to  13 D, only the indicator  13 A is solid, since only the corresponding information or operation (IF 1  and L 1 ) has been carried out. It will be noted that the information IF 2  is failure information (absence of pressure), a failure which is generated by the carrying-out of actions A 1  to A 4  (shutting-off of the pumps), and information IF 3  makes it possible to indicate the elements (F/CTL″: “Flight Control”, namely the piloting control surfaces) which are affected by this failure. As for the information IF 4 , this relates to a deferred procedure (“Deferred Proc”), which will be explained below; 
     at the stage of  FIG. 7 , the procedure IF 1  and the list L 1  have been deleted, in response to one (and only one) actuation of the deletion means  8 B. 
     Moreover, according to the invention, the monitoring unit  2  automatically determines, and the display means  4  present (also automatically) on the visual-display screen  6 , for example in the window  7 B, if appropriate, the new limitations which are generated by reason of the failure. These new limitations are presented continuously as soon as they are known (hence for all of the rest of the flight), as illustrated partially in  FIG. 8  on which has simply been indicated the space (“LIMITATIONS”) where these limitations will be noted, without giving an example thereof. 
     Furthermore, according to the invention, the monitoring device  1  further includes a selection means  8 C capable of being actuated by an operator and allowing the latter, in a conditional failure-handling procedure which includes, in the usual way, a plurality of conditions, to select one of the conditions, and the display means  4  present, on the visual-display screen  6 , the various possible conditions, and, as appropriate, the corresponding actions, and highlight, on the visual-display screen  6 , after the selection of a particular condition by the selection means  8 C, the actions to be carried out for this condition. To that end, they may cause only the actions to be carried out to appear, or may differentiate (for example, via a set of colors) the actions to be carried out from those to be ignored. 
     Consequently, by virtue of the invention, it is sufficient for the operator to select the appropriate condition, and the display means  4  present him with the actions having to be carried out for the condition thus selected. The function of help with the handling of the failure is therefore enhanced by the present invention. 
     Moreover, the monitoring device  1  includes a cancellation means  8 J making it possible to cancel the selection of a condition, which the operator has just made, in a conditional failure-handling procedure. To implement this cancellation function, which can be called “UNDO”, for example, the operator may have available a box to be ticked in front of each row of the screen corresponding to an (IF ( . . . )) condition. He selects a condition by clicking in a box. The latter is then enabled and a symbol, such as “✓”, is displayed within this box. To implement the “UNDO” function, the pilot clicks on the enabled box containing the symbol “✓”. The latter is then disabled and the displaying of the symbol is deleted. The corresponding condition is then no longer selected. 
     It is also possible to provide a recall means  8 K which can be called “RECALL”, for example, capable of being actuated by the operator and allowing the latter: 
     by a first actuation, to recall to the visual-display screen  6  the last procedure deleted, if appropriate; and 
     by a second actuation, to recall to the visual-display screen  6  all the procedures deleted since the start of the flight of the aircraft, if appropriate. 
     The monitoring device  1  in accordance with the invention moreover includes: 
     an information means  8 D specified below, capable of being actuated by the operator and allowing the latter to inform the monitoring device  1  of the occurrence of a failure or of an incident, which cannot be detected by the monitoring means C 1  to Cn, but, on the other hand, by the crew, such as the cracking of the windscreen or the presence of a bomb on board the aircraft, for example; and 
     an interrogation means  8 E capable of being actuated by the operator and allowing the latter to ask the monitoring device  1  for the display means  4  to present the failure-handling procedure relating to this failure or this incident, on the visual-display screen  6 . 
     The information means  8 D is preferably formed in such a way as to allow manual input of the failure or of the incident by a menu. 
     Moreover, according to the invention, the monitoring device  1  takes account of all the failures, even those indicated manually by the operator, when it draws up the operational status report on the aircraft and when it calculates the new limitations. 
     For reasons of safety, a validation means  8 F can be provided, necessitating manual validation on the part of the operator of the failure information which he has entered into the central unit  3  via the information means  8 D. 
     In the context of the present invention, this validation means  8 F or a similar validation means may also be designed to oblige the operator to carry out the validation of all the information which he has input into the monitoring device  1  or at least some of it, this information not then being taken into account by the monitoring device  1  unless it has actually been validated by the operator. 
     The monitoring device  1  in accordance with the invention moreover includes an interrogation means  8 G, for example the “MORE” key of the keyboard  9  of  FIG. 2 , capable of being actuated by the operator and allowing the latter to request additional information relating to a failure. The display means  4 , in response to such an actuation of the interrogation means  8 G, then present, on the visual-display screen  6 , for example in a particular region of the window  7 B having the header “More Info”, as represented in  FIG. 8 , additional information relating to the failure, and in particular information on the failure, on what has happened and/or on the limitations generated by this failure. 
     As indicated above with reference to  FIG. 6 , the display means  4  may, by information, on the visual-display screen  6 , present a deferred procedure IF 4  (“Deferred Proc”) including actions having to be carried out subsequently, for example during the approach (“APP”: Approach”) or the landing (“LDG”: “Landing”). These actions are presented (for example, in gray) so that the operator knows that they are not to be carried out for the moment. 
     However, the monitoring device  1  includes a particular validation means  8 H, which is capable of being actuated by the operator and which allows the latter to validate these deferred actions (which may, for example, change color (blue) when they are validated), so as to carry them out immediately upon the validation. 
     This makes it possible to carry out the deferred actions (in cooperation with the monitoring device  1 ) at any moment in the event of necessity, for example when a failure occurs during the approach. 
     The monitoring device  1  may, moreover, include a recall means  8 L which makes it possible to recall all the deferred actions which have been deleted from the screen  6  by the crew members (for clarity of the display) and which have not yet been carried out. 
     In one particular embodiment, the monitoring device  1  in accordance with the invention further includes a database  14  represented in FIG.  1  and including lists of operations to be verified or checked (of the “check lists” type) which are capable of being displayed by the display means  4 . 
     This relates to lists of operations to be verified which are generally drawn up on the basis of recommendations made by the constructor of the airplane, and which are adapted to the specific wishes of the airlines. These lists are usually found on a paper medium, and their presentation in accordance with the invention on the visual-display screen  6  makes it possible to facilitate reading them and making use of them. 
     These lists may be called up according to two different modes: 
     either manually by an actuation means  8 I capable of being actuated by an operator; 
     or automatically, especially on the basis of the phase of flight, by means  15  which are incorporated into the device  1 . Hence, when, after a defined duration in one phase of flight (for example during the approach), in which validations have to be carried out, the operator has not (manually) called up the corresponding list, the means  15  automatically order them to be presented on the screen  6 . 
     The monitoring device  1  in accordance with the invention further includes means  16  which are linked by a link  17  to the database  14  and which are intended automatically to correct the lists (“check lists”) upon a failure, so as to take account of the effects generated by this failure on these lists.