MSFS2020 A320 - RNAV Tutorial Walk Through

[@geoffh2560]

A really clear explanation of an RNAV approach - finally it all makes sense, thanks!

[@Nativusdes]

Thank you, finally someone makes something like this! Could you do the VOR/DME approach next in the A320?

[@delbydoo]

Thank you - very clear and understandable. Homework tonight lol

[@ryg2304]

Good stuff mate. Gonna be trying some rnav approaches when I get home today. Thanks!!!!!!

[@ferransimo329]

Once again, thanks for explaining us how an RNAV approach works. Everything is crystal clear with this tutorial as I didn't notice on my previous landings that once you reach the final approach fix you must switch the APP buton on the MCP (on RNAV approaches), makes it definitely more sense right now, as the magenta lines appear too in the PFD although as you said, it works different from an ILS approach. Thanks so much and, as always, keep up the good job!!

[@Easyjetsimpilot]

You're very welcome 👍

[@flightssights953]

I've been working on learning the 'MacDoo' in the FBW A20N in recent days. There are some pages and individual options in the MCDU which I still don't really understand, and I was wondering what the possibility was of a tutorial video featuring all of the slightly more obscure, lesser-travelled stuff at some stage. As far as I'm aware, not even FlyByWire themselves have made tutorials that cover some of the things I'm trying to figure out, and I have looked around the internet with a surface level scan for help from Airbus or the MCDU manufacturer and found little of help there either. Still, I very much appreciate this, and will be trawling through your backlog to add to my knowledge on this plane which didn't interest me at first, mainly because with the FBW mod the sim's performance jumps off a sheer cliff, but I'm starting to get the bug for it, now.

[@coffeeguy6673]

Have learnt so much from your channel the last few days, thanks so much Gavin. I've been practising my ILS landings thanks to one of your other videos, and now this one, superb stuff ! Liked and subbed, cheers, Daz, Leicester.

[@Easyjetsimpilot]

Thank you Daz 🙏

[@timcarey1647]

Another great tutorial with clear steps.

[@captshark2153]

Hello Gavin, great tutorial! I did a couple of RNAV into KSAN 27 this evening. Worked well, but the glide slope was putting me short of the threshold. Managed speed was too fast as well. All was not too bad since most of the time I turn of A/P on approach. Anyway, I'm going to try other airports like the more popular ones to see if they work as good as the ILS. Thanks, Bro!

[@Easyjetsimpilot]

Remember that the Rnav does not have a glide slope. It has a glide path which is not as accurate as a glide slope and so you should be visual with the runway and have AP turned off by MDA.

[@captshark2153]

Lol when I did my instrument training decades ago GPS was very new (expensive). I never learned RNAV approaches. Haha! After I typed out that comment I realized that these are non precision approaches without vertical Nav. That FAP is the last constraint. I just saw they implemented the bird (flight path vector) similar to fighters. This will help a lot for RNAV approaches! Thanks again!

[@ChrisKarlic]

Love your tutorials. Would love to see you perform an RNAV approach for INNSBRUCK Austria airport with the A320 neo. Im having a hard time doing an RNAV there as my plane at Final approach tends to head left towards the mountains for some reason.

[@Luca-games007]

Its becoz the rnav at LOWI is broken and final waypoint is in wrong place which makes landing there impossible unfortunately :(

[@raphaelbrakha6575]

Tried RNAV Z 08 at LOWI via EMLEM twice and unfortunately, the database is not correct. Arriving way too high...

[@DeepFuture]

@@raphaelbrakha6575 thanks I was wondering why the constraints were so high on that.

[@g_pazzini]

The "CAT 3 SINGLE" is displayed because you have the ILS freq automatically tuned into the RAD/NAV page. I'm sure we should clear it to fully test the RNAV glidepath capture capability.

[@paulvanderhaegen761]

VERRY interesting tutorial indeed and tanks for pointing out the inop stuf maybe work for the flybywire guys. i see that the system is not 100% accurate since you ave to make a correction before landing is that also the case in real a320 or is this a sim limitation cheers.

[@Easyjetsimpilot]

Rnav is not as accurate as ILS and so the approach would not bring the aircraft down to the runway on autopilot. The final part of the landing should be a visual approach.

[@tonyhorn2954]

All well and good when you load the RNAV as part of the flight plan initially. Lots of luck trying to load one when you are assigned an unexpected RNAV at destination. Many MANY RNAV approaches just do not exist in the FMS database.

[@Easyjetsimpilot]

Most exist, but FINAL APPR Mode doesnt work.

[@tonyhorn2954]

@@Easyjetsimpilot No, they DO NOT EXIST. Read the forums. Try loading approach for YSSY. ZERO RNAV approaches and half the ILS approaches are missing as well.

[@guilhermecr1883]

Hi. Another great video. How do you know that you are on the right course when performin a RNAV Approach? I mean, we don't have a localizer guiding you laterally and, for whatever reason I'd like to disconnect autopilot and continue the approach, how could I follow my lateral guidence? Only by the flight director?

[@leojames7331]

If you just imagine he's saying "Mmm Bop" then you're in Hanson heaven..

[@guillaumefo]

Very interesting tutorial, thank you Sir ! much appreciated I'll be waiting for the next videos ;) (RNAV/VNAV on G1000 with a TBM, Cirrus or Cessna maybe ?)

[@Easyjetsimpilot]

Thank you. Sorry, I only have experience on the A320 & not the G1000.

[@guillaumefo]

@@Easyjetsimpilot oh okay, i'll find other tutorials then, but i'll surely follow you for the A320 :)

[@Easyjetsimpilot]

@@guillaumefo Thank you. If there is anything specific about the A320 you want to know, then please ask.

[@guillaumefo]

@@Easyjetsimpilot manual landing ? i struggle with the elevator, it jsut doesn't respond at the end at 140kn on my approaches might be the trim ?

[@Easyjetsimpilot]

@@guillaumefo No, not a trim issue as the A320 has auto trim built in. There is a known bug that at slow speeds, you lose elevator control. Try setting your final approach speed to 145kts (by 5 miles out) & only make small adjustments when taking AP off.

[@MuneebKhan123]

One of the best tutorials out there - my question is that I am not losing altitude fast enough from UNPOP to RN513 when performing a managed descent - any ideas what I could be doing wrong ? Using A32NX Mod (latest dev release)

[@Easyjetsimpilot]

Try managing your speed (speedbrakes/spoilers) to slow you down leaving UNPOP.

[@hpharold23]

Make you armed Approach phase in MCDU

[@killerdcx9103]

great video man! thank u for your help

[@Easyjetsimpilot]

Thank you. Any questions, please ask.

[@Bokken2006]

Hi Easyjet I successfully completed a RNAV landing in YSSY but when I try it in Europe (most recently) I hit Approach right before the final waypoint as I always do... and the plane just starts spinning around with no "Final Approach" popping up? I'm flying the Stock A320 btw.

[@Bokken2006]

Never mind I realised that I had to wait for the blue and purple boxes to align before hitting approach, thanks for your vid!

[@hpharold23]

You're awesome!

[@MrBillpam91]

Well I cant follow this. The programming screen there is not displaying what is on mine. How do I set the flight plan in msfs before clicking FLY?

[@jress9967]

Is the A320 Flybywire Stable version able to fly RNAV approaches?

[@Easyjetsimpilot]

I actually can't recall as I haven't flown it in ages. But I don't think so using FINAL APPR.

[@Lwright]

Quick question. On the MCDU when you choose what runway you’ll use for your arrival, what does it mean when there is a Y and a Z? For example there might be a ILS RWY 25 Y and a ILS RWY 25 Z. What is the difference between the two? When I look at Navigraph I can’t see anything on there about a Z and a Y runway 🤔

[@Easyjetsimpilot]

They are just slightly different approaches, different waypoints etc used for the approach. Usually, not that vastly different.

[@Cuberin]

Everytime I try this I have the same problem: nothing happens by pressing the APR button in the autopilot. So the plane doesn't show the "Final App" announce nor descends beyond my altitude selection on AP. I have all data on APR page and activated this phase, so I can't understand what's happening. I need help folks!

[@A32092]

thanks bro . Bird -on is also ok at minima?

[@Easyjetsimpilot]

Yes but turn off FDs when disconnecting AP.

[@MahlonBouldin]

Great tutorial. Thanks! One question: How do you enter a flight plan to take off and land at the same airport. When I've tried to put that in, the A320 won't take it. I'm using the default A320 Neo. I get the "Not in Database" message

[@gagelutz1775]

Are you using vatsim or are you playing alone

[@5mudgee]

Be good if this worked on xbox series x.The constraints are all displaying 260. Major bug issue Who knows what altitudes too be at.

[@Bitsadola]

My friend,everytime the constrains height have a plus sign(ex +1500)and i put the altitude to 1500 the aircraft dont activate final and dont descend after that waypont direct to the runway..why?

[@Easyjetsimpilot]

Which version of the A320NX Re you using?

[@Bitsadola]

@@Easyjetsimpilot the stable one

[@Bitsadola]

@@Easyjetsimpilot it happens on Açores Horta LPHR,dont have ILS.one of the aproachs Y W Z have 1500 the others have +1500 therefore i have to use the TRK/FPA u tell us in one of your videos..

[@Easyjetsimpilot]

@@Bitsadola if using track/FPA, this will not respect the constrains. Only managed descent does that.

[@atournetworksongs829]

Thank you

[@DeepFuture]

Do you manually tune anythng on an RAD NAV page for an RNAV appr ?

[@Easyjetsimpilot]

An Rnav (RNP) approach doesn't use any of the RADNAV page.

[@DeepFuture]

@@Easyjetsimpilot thanks a lot.

[@Robin-bk2lm]

When I try this the approach phase disappears from the MCDU as I get close to the approach. No longer there at all.

[@Easyjetsimpilot]

Because the aircraft has entered the approach phase automatically.

[@brianpavlik8140]

How did you do the cabin "ding"? Is that a mod?

[@Easyjetsimpilot]

Pax announcements are from Self Loading Cargo

[@Robin-bk2lm]

You said RNAV can be done without charts, then at 11:30 you said you need the MDA from the chart. Is it required?

[@Easyjetsimpilot]

The approach can be performed without charts as the A320 plots the course for you. However, to preformed any approach professionally, charts are required.

[@gabrielkastoun2048]

Of what site do you use the nav aids? And what site are you subscribed to

[@Easyjetsimpilot]

navigraph.com/ 👍

[@paull123]

Hi Gavin tried 4 attempts at replicating this video but with no success. I cannot arm the appr button. When I go to approach page mine shows APPR RNAV24 on the top whilst in your video yours just shows APPR. Also as my page is different I cannot see on the RHS of the page Final, MDA or DH. What am I doing wrong ? Thanks in anticipation. Paul.

[@paull123]

Also when I go back to flight plan it shows enter destination data.

[@paull123]

Weird even though I can see UNPOP on the display I cannot see it on the MCDU.

[@Easyjetsimpilot]

Hello. If you are using the A320NX mod, it is currently unable to do an Rnav using APPR mode. This is due to the new custom Auto pilot. It will be coming soon.

[@paull123]

@@Easyjetsimpilot Ahhh thanks Gavin for responding. No wonder Ive been scratching my head for hours. Just assumed you were using the mod for the video. Thanks again.

[@stuartardern3038]

I don't get the activate approach on the mcdu using the A320nx,

[@Easyjetsimpilot]

Activating the APPR mode is on the autopilot. Activating the APPR PHASE is on the MCDU. You need to go to the PERF page to select this.

[@stuartardern3038]

@@Easyjetsimpilot cheers. I meant the approach phase. On the mcdu. Tried to follow this but didn't get the option.

[@Easyjetsimpilot]

The MCDU needs to have been set up correctly at the start of the flight to go through all the flight phases before reaching the APPR phase.

[@stuartardern3038]

@@Easyjetsimpilot yes. Think that's where I went wrong. Just followed your video from start but I guess you had set alot up in the mcdu. Cheers for all your doing. 59 yrs old and learning a new thing lol.... use to look at pmdg flyers with envy. Thought sod it. Time to jump in so a big thank-you for all your doing..

[@navidshahed4569]

Why insist on Navigraph? what about the AIP? Which should be Free.

[@Easyjetsimpilot]

Navigraph isn't essential. But having the same AIRAC cycle in the simulator as the aircraft is.

[@Robin-bk2lm]

Anyone know if he shut AP off at some altitude?

[@stevenswadel]

"The McDoo" lol love it.

[@griffon555]

Is it flybywire mod stable or beta ?

[@Easyjetsimpilot]

Stable.

[@griffon555]

@@Easyjetsimpilot do you have last version ? Because me even if i get final app plane not descent . Perhaps I must to push altitude knob to managed descent.

[@mikesmith4926]

When setting up the RNAV approach how do you determine the speed, I looked on the KTPA sheet and found the waypoint, glide slope degrees but could not see the speed. Maybe I missed it or is it a standard number?

[@Easyjetsimpilot]

As a basic rule of thumb, your speed should be determined by your flap settings (unless ATC has instructed you otherwise):- Flaps 1 before turning to final Flaps 2 when glide slope is alive Flaps 3 with gear (5-6 miles out) Flaps full soon after.