AIRBUS A-320,A-319 PROCEDURES AND GENERAL QUESTIONS!

[dodiano]

I´ll be more than happy to help anyone out with any technical question or Procedural question regrading the A-320 familly I currently have A-320 Rating and I´m flying both the A-319 and A-320 for a Company in central America and soon I´ll be flying the A-321... So please anything I can help do not hesitate to Ask!! You can also ask about handling characteristics or any question that might pop out I will try my best to answer them!

Regards.

Roberto Soriano

[Matt Olieman]

Can't get any better then that... an authentic A320 pilot with data to share :)

Thanks Roberto :D

[IAN]

HI Roberto

Thank you for your offer to help out on all things A320-.... ummmm where to start :D
I have been trying to get detailed measurements on the seats in order to and replicate them ..any info on this topic would be great

cheers

Ian

[dodiano]

Hi Ian,

Well sometimes measurements are difficult for me to get cause well... ¨CAP I have to take some measurements ...¨ LOL! But I think I can do it let me try it in one of the long flights with the nicer captains!

Take care.

Roberto

[warvet]

Roberto,
I fly A340 sim and my question is how long after rotation or altitude do you turn on your AP1 and manage alt and hdg etc? Thanx in advance

Tim
A340
Canada

[dodiano]

Hi Warvet, thanks for your question...

Actually on the A-320 an internal logic on the Auto Pilot doesn´t allow it to be engaged after 5 seconds after takeoff or for the first 100 feet to use the SRS mode ( SPEED REFERENCE SYSTEM) or the Horizintal line on the PFD that gives you pitch... SO basically after takeoff with the Gear Up and that is how Standard Opertaing procedires say so you Engage the AP... But where is the fun on that?? :)

Some Guys like to fly it manually to 10,000 feet in my case I do it so in Airports where the traffic load is low but in Airports where there is a lot of traffic and work is better to engage the AP and start managing that cockpit!

Take care.

Roberto

[Matt Olieman]

I love to see answers like that Roberto. As a Sim builder and Sim Pilot, I certainly appreciate that. Thank you for being here.... :)

[warvet]

Roberto,
i agree with Matt ty for your response. Another question for you tho when you have already started decent at what time do you deem it necessary to hit LOC button on FCU then after that at what speed are you setting the FCU or are you staying at managed FMS spd all the way down and finally after all that when do you hit the APPR button for LOC/GS? Thanx in advance.

Tim
A340
Canada

[dodiano]

Ok this one is a bit hard to answer but I will is easier to do it on the plane than to talk about it:

¨for you tho when you have already started decent at what time do you deem it necessary to hit LOC button on FCU then after that at what speed are you setting the FCU or are you staying at managed FMS spd¨

OK we only hit the Loc button if we are doing a Localizer approach or if it is neccesary or we are requested to intercept the localizer if not is better to use the APP switch cause it intercepts the Localizer first and once that is acquired it intercepts the Glide Slope... ALSO for non Precission VOR approaches if you hit the APP switch it will intercept the GLIDE PATH computed by the FMC and also the VOR radial signal!

Now regarding speed this is not easy!! It took me a while to figured this one out... As you know you are allowed to fly 250 kts below 10,000 feet now if traffic permits it and you donpt get too close to the one in front of you and the ATC allows it we normally do 250 kts till 20 - 15 NM from the airport why?? Cause mantaining the speed without interruption of the descent we come Idle all teh way and less fuel is burnt more profit for the company...

Now if you have an altitude in between you reduce your speed so that you level the plane at 250 kts over that constraint but when you reduce the plane will not accelerate therefore not burn more fuel allowing you a couple more minutes at idle and also enough time to ask for lower... And then is where you put 250 again on the speed and the plane will descent at a faster rate... This is hard and not always is the case...

Know you can do it all MANAGED that means the FMS Speed you mention this way the plane will respect the constraints and decelerate to 250 kts just before reaching 10,000 feet and there after will mantain a profile speed to be able to pass above all the constraints without exceding 250 kts it will be playing with the speed all the way down and pitch...

Remember to arm the ¨approach mode¨ on the MCDU some 20 NM from the airport or 30 but beware cause the speed will go down to green dot therefore if you don´t want the plane to deccelerate you must get the speed selected that means Pull the speed Knob and select 250 you have to play with the speed in order to achieve the rate of descent you want without burning that much fuel REMEMBER if you do a go around you´ll need the most fuel to get to your alternate!!

Also remembner this and this is how we are taught to do it once the ATC says ¨CLEAR FOR THE ILS APPROACH¨that is your cue to press the switch and make sure you are at least turning to intercept the LOCALIZER if you do it before that you might get it all wrong and get the signal turning you to the other side.

Regards,

Roberto Soriano

[warvet]

WOW! :o :D

Robert you are awesome ty so much for that help. That is going to improve my approaches so much. It is indeed a pleasure having you with us.

:D Tim
A340
Canada