Some questions

[Guest jspallanzani]

Hi,I have some questions about the PSS A320.First, when I reach the Top of Descent, I press the altitude selector (after having selected a lower altitude). Is it normal the is starts descending at about 2000ft/min all the time (and more, sometimes it can be 2500), and when you look at the altitude strip, you can see the aircraft is following the descent profile excactly (so is it normal the FMS makes the aircraft descending so fast?)Is there something in the FMS to follow a DME Arc?Is it normal that, when approach a LLZ for a backcourse approach, when I activated the LOC button on the FCU, that the aircraft starts turning in the wrong way? (it seems to join the LLZ outbound)After takeoff, when I active the autopilot, most of the time, if I don't set a VS on the FCU, the nose's aircraft will drop for 3-4 seconds then it will start climbing at about 4000ft/min?What is the use of the PACKs? Where can we find something explaining the use of all material? (checked on instruments manual but do you have something else?)Where can we find the "wheel brake fans" like told in the Flight tutorial? The crew oxygen? The emergency lights?Is it normal that in the virtual cockpit, we cannot use the mouse to change things?How can we get the overhead panel when you are in the virtual cockpit? (the 5 on numpad doesn't work, always have to go back to 2d panel is a little bit annoying).Thank you very much in advance.

[Guest]

>First, when I reach the Top of Descent, I press the altitude>selector (after having selected a lower altitude). Is it>normal the is starts descending at about 2000ft/min all the>time (and more, sometimes it can be 2500), and when you look>at the altitude strip, you can see the aircraft is following>the descent profile excactly (so is it normal the FMS makes>the aircraft descending so fast?)>2000-2500 isn't exceptionally fast at all. Fast would be 5000+ feet per minute.>Is there something in the FMS to follow a DME Arc?>yes. Program custom waypoints on the arc at different angles and identical distance from the VOR.>Is it normal that, when approach a LLZ for a backcourse>approach, when I activated the LOC button on the FCU, that the>aircraft starts turning in the wrong way? (it seems to join>the LLZ outbound)>Never tried an autopilot controlled backcourse approach, much more fun by hand :).>After takeoff, when I active the autopilot, most of the time,>if I don't set a VS on the FCU, the nose's aircraft will drop>for 3-4 seconds then it will start climbing at about>4000ft/min?>Not seen that. >What is the use of the PACKs? Where can we find something>explaining the use of all material? (checked on instruments>manual but do you have something else?)>They're the airconditioning systems.>Where can we find the "wheel brake fans" like told in the>Flight tutorial? The crew oxygen? The emergency lights?>Not modelled I think. The switches are on the overhead but they're dummies.>Is it normal that in the virtual cockpit, we cannot use the>mouse to change things?>yes. When the 320 series was created that was not possible.>How can we get the overhead panel when you are in the virtual>cockpit? (the 5 on numpad doesn't work, always have to go back>to 2d panel is a little bit annoying).>look up. It's over your head.

[Guest Calum]

Great answers by Jwenting , but heres one or two of the other q's answered.>First, when I reach the Top of Descent, I press the altitude>selector (after having selected a lower altitude). Is it>normal the is starts descending at about 2000ft/min all the>time (and more, sometimes it can be 2500), and when you look>at the altitude strip, you can see the aircraft is following>the descent profile excactly (so is it normal the FMS makes>the aircraft descending so fast?)Indeed , between 1400ft/min and can go to aroundd 2700ft/min is the usual on the A320. It usually descends around 2300-2700ft/min just to start it on a descent and to catch up with the " MINI G/S " ( on PFD between Attitude Indicator and Altitude Indicator ) , which appears if you pass the TOD without starting the descent.>Is it normal that, when approach a LLZ for a backcourse>approach, when I activated the LOC button on the FCU, that the>aircraft starts turning in the wrong way? (it seems to join>the LLZ outbound)You must go to the MCDU , on the RAD NAV page , and reverse the CRS ( course ) by 180' , so it follows inbound.>After takeoff, when I active the autopilot, most of the time,>if I don't set a VS on the FCU, the nose's aircraft will drop>for 3-4 seconds then it will start climbing at about>4000ft/min?If you have excessive pitch up on take-off ( not followed the FD on the PFD ) , then the aircraft will pitch down slightly more to re-capture the vertical profile ( passing waypoints at set altitudes ) , seen on the F-PLAN page.Calum

[Guest jspallanzani]

Thank you for answers.Still have some questionsWhen you say the FMC will create some points at different angles, I would like to know how do we tell the FMC the distance from VOR, degrees of the arc..?Also, for the overhead, I know it's up :-)What I want to know is to make it appear to modify things on it on virtual cockpit view. You can press Shift+4 for pedestral view in the virtual cockpit, to be able to click and modify elements. How do we do for overhead panel?Also, why is it written in the flight tutorial to set flaps before taxiing? I thought that could damage them?Also, how do we arm spoilers on ground? (when I try to arm them like if I was landing, they get up auto since I am already on ground...)Could you explain me the different lights switches in the bottom row (of the overhead)? Because when I turn on the taxi & rwy switches, I don't see anything. I must turn on the landing lights so they appear on ground. But what I see when I switch landing lights on, is really strong lights. Is it normal? On other aircrafts I use, taxi lights are really strong and takeoff ones are a little less strong to be able to see the ground more.About the seat belt activation, is it always passing 10,000? Or it is at the pilot's discretion? Because sometimes, on real aircrafts, they activate it just before landing. On some checklists, they say when you pass 18,000, and also some at 10,000.Thank you very much!

[Guest Calum]

Hellooo again :) ,>When you say the FMC will create some points at different angles, I >would like to know how do we tell the FMC the distance from VOR, >degrees of the arc..?This is called a " PBD " , a Place - Bearing - Distance waypoint. I think it is only modelled on the PSS A340Pro , not PSS A320 , but it might be. Basically , if you want to enter a waypoint 20nm from XYZ ( VOR ) on a radial of 157 , you enter " XYZ/157/20 " into the MCDU using the keypad , then enter it in the desired place on the F-PLAN page.>What I want to know is to make it appear to modify things on it on >virtual cockpit view. You can press Shift+4 for pedestral view in >the virtual cockpit, to be able to click and modify elements. How >do we do for overhead panel?You cant do anything in A320Pro Virtual Cockpit , if just couldnt work for FS2002 ( and they couldnt patch a working VC for FS2004 ).>Also, why is it written in the flight tutorial to set flaps before >taxiing? I thought that could damage them?The flight tutorial is very badly wrong if it says that. Every aircraft sets/brings in flaps on take-off/landing ( on the ground ). It is very safe to extend / retract flaps on ground and big aircraft like A320 should always have some flap setting for take-off and landing.>Could you explain me the different lights switches in the bottom >row (of the overhead)? Because when I turn on the taxi & rwy >switches, I don't see anything. I must turn on the landing lights >so they appear on ground. But what I see when I switch landing >lights on, is really strong lights. Is it normal? On other >aircrafts I use, taxi lights are really strong and takeoff ones are >a little less strong to be able to see the ground more.here is a quick guide :Taxi-out : Taxi Light on Line-up/departure : Taxi Light on / Landing Light onClimb-out (above 1500ft) : Taxi Light off / Landing Light onabove 10000ft : Landing Light offCruise : all bottom row of lights offbelow 10000ft : Landing Lights onIAF ( start of Approach ) : all bottom row of lights onTaxi-in : Taxi Light onThat is a rough guide. As for the top row of lights , these are usually left on for all parts of flight.>About the seat belt activation, is it always passing 10,000? Or it >is at the pilot's discretion? Because sometimes, on real aircrafts, >they activate it just before landing. On some checklists, they say >when you pass 18,000, and also some at 10,000.This is the airlines policy , not pilots. It can vary from 10000ft to 24000ft or above. It is rarely switched off below 10000ft.>Also, how do we arm spoilers on ground? (when I try to arm them >like if I was landing, they get up auto since I am already on >ground...)Going to the centre pedestal and mouse-clicking and holding the spoiler lever , set it to " RET ". Or "shift+/" arms them. I usually dont use it though on take-off and bring them up manually if needed , they do help , but the mixture of reverse thrust and autobrake usually does enough.:)Calum

[Guest]

>Still have some questions>When you say the FMC will create some points at different>angles, I would like to know how do we tell the FMC the>distance from VOR, degrees of the arc..?>enter the custom waypoint as VOR_name/radial/distance>Also, for the overhead, I know it's up :-)>What I want to know is to make it appear to modify things on>it on virtual cockpit view. You can press Shift+4 for>pedestral view in the virtual cockpit, to be able to click and>modify elements. How do we do for overhead panel?>Check your keymapping. In a clinch, use the menu to bring up the overhead.>Also, why is it written in the flight tutorial to set flaps>before taxiing? I thought that could damage them?>Airline procedures. Not valid for a 320 of course but in the DC-9/MD80 series the flaps are set before taxi to serve as FOD guards so no stones and scrap are sucked into the engines that's kicked up by the wheels.Visit airports, you'll find that almost everyone taxies with flaps deployed (and the rest deploys them sometime during taxiing).>Also, how do we arm spoilers on ground? (when I try to arm>them like if I was landing, they get up auto since I am>already on ground...)>Spoilers are armed automatically before takeoff I think. No need to do that yourself.>Could you explain me the different lights switches in the>bottom row (of the overhead)? Because when I turn on the taxi>& rwy switches, I don't see anything. I must turn on the>landing lights so they appear on ground. But what I see when I>switch landing lights on, is really strong lights. Is it>normal? On other aircrafts I use, taxi lights are really>strong and takeoff ones are a little less strong to be able to>see the ground more.>Limitation of FS2002 (which the product was designed for).>About the seat belt activation, is it always passing 10,000?>Or it is at the pilot's discretion? Because sometimes, on real>aircrafts, they activate it just before landing. On some>checklists, they say when you pass 18,000, and also some at>10,000.>Airline procedures and pilot discretion.If you're having to make some steep turns or climbs you might want to delay turning them off for example, and some airlines prescribe keeping them on to cruise altitude.I mostly as a passenger see them being turned on 10-15 minutes before landing and turned off 10-15 minutes after takeoff.

[Guest jspallanzani]

All right, thanks for that, I just don't really understand why, in the VC, we can modifiy the pedestral, use the FMS, etc. but not the overhead.Will get back to you if have other questions.Thanks again!