Typical A320 Flight Simmer Mistakes: Overwriting Approach Phase | Real Airbus Pilot

[@___Brandon___]

You passed a 210 kt restriction within 10 kts (thats fine) but then your speed increased to 240 kts. imo it's not a mistake if it makes you comply with restrictions as your example you exceeeded the speed restriction you just passed by 30 kts and you pass the subsequent restriction of 185 kts while still at 220-225 kts.

[@XL0hr]

yes!

[@RealScarKnight]

yes!

[@MODECHARLIE]

I wouldn't call it a mistake tho. Simmers for the most part fly an aircraft that was designed for multi crew ops as single pilot. Pulling the speed and early activation of approach phase is a way of having complete control of your own speed, and not getting behind the profile while you talk to atc, get directs, configure the aircraft etc. One operation is optimized for two poeple being present, in a cockpit with quick reach of controls, buttons with division and oversight of each other's tasks. The other is a result of the operation of an airliner on PC desktop, through monitor (which also offers a limited view of cockpit) a keyboard, mouse and possibly limited flight controls.

[@SHOVEIT]

I would have really enjoyed if you recorded the landing as well :D But very interesting video, I didn't know the airbus holds the speed at the green dot. There is still so much to learn

[@onecharliemike6022]

Right! This video doesn't feel complete without the landing.

[@mio2540]

its a company thing. at my airline we select 250 passing through 10,000 and activate appr mode. on approaches were usually 210 on abeam and 180 on base and straight-ins. our flaps speeds are clean at 250, flaps 1 at 210, flaps 2 at 180, then vapp for 3,4. ofc this changes a lot with atc, vectors, and constraints.

[@A330Driver]

It shouldn’t be a company thing though. During my type rating Airbus made very clear they do not want to see this kind of interaction with the system - though I know that in some airlines it’s done and even some Airbus KZbinrs practice it.

[@prc6608]

@@A330Driver not correct, there are no such restrictions. Also if you read the FCTM, AIRBUS always mentions RECOMMEND, SHOULD…..never MUST. Remember those manuals are written by Airbus, but double and triple checked by lawyers.😏

[@enzino237]

Is it really a mistake though? I tend to pull for OP DES and select speed and activate approach phase or have the PM activate it when passing 10.000 ft for a couple of reasons: 1) My operator requires us limit the V/S to the difference of the actual passing altitude/level and the target altitude/level, but the way the Airbus FMGC programs the descent is to level off at 250 kts at the platform altitude and perform a level deceleration to around S speed for a decelerated approach. If I were to limit V/S and keep 250 kts I may end up a bit high on energy when I capture the glide slope. 2) I don't know what the A330 is like, but the A320 increases thrust when ALT* engages to capture the platform altitude and then retards thrust when the DECEL point sequences. Far from ideal in my opinion. So, what I do with selected speed is that when I am at around 20nm at 5000 ft at 250 kts, I just manage the knob and then play with V/S to attain a continuous descent similar to what VNAV path would do on the 737 (now, that was a good VNAV!) Obviously, I could just ask the PM to manage the speed at that point, but I reckon that below 10.000 ft the lesser time is spent head down the better. I would argue it is not a mistake, but rather a technique.

[@Kdlc1992]

We must be working for the same operator then (rate!) and you summed up exactly what I was going to post ;)

[@jonaskoch2314]

Interesting, I remember other KZbin-real world A320 pilots using that technique too. I think

[@marcschmidt2786]

Heard someone say, always aim for the safest course of action. So maximum use of automation (managed mode) is a good decision. Thanks for another really good shorty!

[@shauncobb4310]

I wasn't sure if you were into betas, but Microsoft added the IniBuilds A320 v2 to the sim for beta users with the most recent update and will be released when they update the next Sim Update 14, shortly before Christmas. From what I've seen so far, it is pretty accurate, similar to the IniBuilds A310 for the sim. Has an EFB so was hoping once it comes to the sim officially, we could see some tutorials, even though there are plenty of them on KZbin.

[@A330Driver]

The inibuilds is absolutely something I’ll have a look at when I’m back from my current layover.

[@drewkong1520]

Oh well, I just have learn this ‘mistake’ days ago with an real world Airbus Captain KZbinr days ago😂 I mean active approach phase in 10000ft and using select speed all the way down, until some point I clean all the speed restriction and using manage speed back again for the approach😂 but thanks for this video, now I got some idea when is applicable😂

[@steventhompson1846]

In regards to the “too much drag” and the managed speed range, try adjust the idle factor to -6/0 on the database / ident page. That will use a steeper descent profile up until alt constraints. Our airline had -6.0/performance factor set automatically. Definitely always had us at the top of the speed band in managed speed.

[@onecharliemike6022]

ATC expects too much from us. As a Boeing and TBM sim pilot I have never made this mistake.

[@GustavoRodrigues]

But you busted not one, but two speed restrictions. You should have slowed down and activated the approach phase before the automatic point.

[@bearded_canuck]

Going 240 in a 210 and then 210 in a 185 speed constraint seems like a much bigger issue then using selected speed to manage the speed and not completely blowing through 2 constraints. IMO the only thing this video does is show you to not always listen to the manual.

[@aviator1111]

Flying and explaining things at the same time is hard considering there is also no second pilot that helps you. I am pretty sure he would have started deploying flaps, decreasing speed earlier if he was focused.

[@bearded_canuck]

@@aviator1111 Never said doing those things together weren't hard. My point being if your making an educational video saying here's what your doing wrong and then commit even bigger mistakes it's not a good video. If commentating and doing the procedure is to hard to do at once imo you should be doing the procedure and then providing voice over in editing.

[@CaptAbdulaziz]

Hello, really enjoy your videos. Activating APPR PHASE and staying in SELECTED SPEED isn’t an issue if you have no constraints. If you are No. 1 for the approach and ATC wants you to expedite, you can activate APPR and maintain high speed. Then, just before ALT* push speed so the aircraft can decelerate in a straight and level flight, extending flaps in schedule.

[@A330Driver]

It's going to be less efficient though. Especially when ATC wants you to expedite. The computers can perfectly compute the optimum deceleration point, especially when combined with a speed restriction at the FAF/FAP. If you go selected you'd have to manually guesstimate that point. Chances that you'd manually get it just as accurate as automation would are rather slim and you'd have to use either a bit of thrust or a bit or speedbrake, both effectively wasting energy and thus money.

[@XL0hr]

In your example, there was a bit of thrust added just before the 210kn restriction. If you had selected 210 already, that wouldn't have happened. You'd be a bit slower, but idle all the way...@@A330Driver

[@A320Seal]

This was really insightful. More Airbus related content please! :) Keep up the good work.

[@Aleksandar6ix]

Interesting. I never actually activate approach phase myself as it does so automatically. But I do use selected speed too. I think the reason was that I was slowing down too early by my perception

[@owenklein1917]

I love these flight simmers mistake videos. I’m not working on becoming a pilot till after college but i like to be as realistic as i can when i sim so i really appreciate these videos. Thanks. And I’d also like to ask, how much does your knowledge as an a330 pilot apply to the a320?

[@sergioroleira1]

Please make a video to explain how to land and flair, please. Thanks for the videos

[@Jamboliner]

FMGC manages the entire flight from Take Off to Landing. If you interfere with any of the parameters, will it be speed, altitude or heading, you may need to adjust. Cheers Emanuel for the info. I try to stay in manage as much as possible too, since that is what I read ages ago in a manual. Simming since 95 eheh. I learn soomething too. How to get out of app mode!

[@MrCaiobrz]

I am a flight simmer mostly on Airbus and I never did that. My understanding is that the Airbus have a managed system to be used =p

[@prc6608]

Unfortunately in some cases (high wind for ex), it doesn’t work that well. At the end of the day remember that’s it’s a video games, you must check what it does and intervene if it doesn’t do what it’s suppose to.

[@MrCaiobrz]

@@prc6608 The A320v2 or the A320FBW are study level. They do sometimes deviate and/or disable the AP due to weather too.

[@sebastianhaas7395]

I have a general question. I recently switched to fly the 737 (thanks to your videos) and using VNAV much more, which is basically managed mode in Airbus. Q) If ATC gives you a descend instruction without e.g. expedite or level at, are we supposed to descend in managed/VNAV or unmanaged/LVLCHG mode?

[@november_alfa]

Would you also say the same with an instructed speed by ATC of 210, that you would still fly maybe 10kt faster to keep the configuration clean?

[@erikvroom3119]

So when should I activate the approach mode then? I used to do it around 10.000 ft, which I understand is wrong, but what is the correct time to do so?

[@A330Driver]

When you aim to reduce to final approach speed, or anticipate no longer increasing towards managed speed after going selected due to an ATC speed limit.

[@erikvroom3119]

@@A330DriverSorry, meant the approach phase. Just realised that's something different to 'mode'. Is it still the same then?

[@igornebov]

So if ATC instructs me, for example, 180 knots untill 6 miles final, shoud I use manage mode during the downwind, then activate approach phase when its time to slow down about 210 knots IN the managed mode, and only AFTER that select the required speed?

[@alejandromartinezalvarez9584]

Activate approach phase whenever you want. Pull and select the speed given by ATC. If you manage speed, aircraft is going to target green dot speed, so it’s going to accelerate if clean config. If you continue selected 180 as instructed, set F1 (F2) then manage speed when passing 6NM or whenever no restrictions and it’s going to target speed for that config… and continue to Vapp

[@XL0hr]

A great reason for selecting speed in your case would have been passing GN204 with the required 185 instead of your actual 210 knots! I think you kinda showed the opposite of what you claimed. Plus: keeping managed speed in your example increased workload which is the opposite of what it should do. Classic reference: "children of the magenta line" kzbin.info/www/bejne/a3a2e3tng7GAgtU

[@reticentsimmer]

@737NG Driver | A330 Driver Which airport is this?

[@reticentsimmer]

@@737simviator Ok, thank you

[@williamwidjaja850]

But fenux vnav is just wonky