Approach flaps settings and attitude

[Guest LSangiovanni LIML]

Hi folks,A320 rookie here!Can anyone please explain which settings should i use during approach? Further, wy my plane keeps flying with nose up attitude at 200Kts when FMC allows 180Kts in clean configuration?Thanks in advanceLuigi ;-)

[Guest Calum]

Hello Luigi ,Well , it is never the same for every flight , as to when to adjust your flaps / speed / gear. Lets take if from TOD , Top Of Descent ...You set the ALT selector down to your appraoch altitude ( or given by ATC ) , lets say 15000ft for a start , so take the ALT selector on the FCU ( Autopilot controls ) down to 15000 , then , at the small white arrow pointing down ( TOD ) , left click the centre of the ALT selector , to put your aircraft into a managed descent ( MCDU will keep speed limit , navigation and control descent ).... Down 15000ft , cleared down 2400ft with ( probably ) radar vectors for ILS ... ( just set 2400 in ALT and left click the centre )Down passing 3000 , you notice on the ND ( Navigation Display ) , on your programmed route up ahead , there is a small purple (D) , this is your decelerate point , the point at which the autothrust will automatically start reducing speed prior to approach ( from 240-250 down to about 200 , then down to 180 , then VAPP ). By this time you are at 2400 , deceleration is in progress and you have ( probably / hopefully ) been told to intercept the LOC / ILS and report established. Now , the speed is down to 200 , but just above it , do you the the small brown = sign on the speed tape ? ( the airspeed on the Primary Flight Display ) , this is your max flap speed , if you put the next stage of flap down , that is where the " red bars " will drop to.Just as you are establishing on the LOC / ILS , and once you have set flap stage 2 configuration , the speed falls again automatically to VAPP ( Approach Speed ). As it falls , you will notice again , the small brown = follow you as the speed drops past 160 and 150. ( depending ) This is a very good guide as to when you can lower your next stage flap , because you know the flap/slat retraction speed ( red bars ) will only fall to where the last brown = was on the speed tape.Finally , call established , and one " dot " on the ILS dispaly ( on your PFD or ND ) , set final flap config ( speed permitting ) , and as you intercept the G/S fully , set gear down ( or at 7.0DME or 5.0DME depending ).Speed will be around VAPP by now , perfectly on the ILS with full flap and gear lowered.Close to the threshold speed drops ( probably not noticable ) to VREF , your speed over the threshhold , just in time for the autopilot to flare and smothly touchdown ( or you smoothly touchdown , however is controlling the aircraft :) )So basically , to help with flaps extension you need to ...Watch the small brown = signs on the Airspeed tape , and only set next stage flap once below the = on speed.For Gear ... , lower it as you intercept G/S , at 7.0DME , or at 5.0DME.Both Flap extension and Gear lowering will depend on Weight , Winds , Traffic around you / Terrain around you and the pilot / atc preference , but the above is a good guide.Remember , what you do on one approach , might be different on another ( different conditions ) , so dont be worried if you lower the last stage flap below G/S capture or something like that , its the way you want to do it ;)Good Luck Calum

[Guest LSangiovanni LIML]

Hi folks,one picture better than thousand words...You see, no way to keep aicraft leveled and GS centered :-(That's what i meanThanksLuigi ;-)http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/113359.jpg

[Guest LSangiovanni LIML]

Hi Calum,and thank you very much for detailed instructions.I have a question though: since i usually flight vectored approaches with Radar Contact, first, it's sometimes difficult to find that purple D on the ND; further, what i should do while i'm vectored through different headings/altitudes? Should i simply activate the approach phase (after all values entered)?Thank you very much againLuigi ;-)

[Guest Calum]

Sorry Luigi ,I cant see what is wrong with that picture ?The G/S and LOC are captured and being worked through , i am geussing flap stage 3 is in , and about to put full stage , in that picture , there is no reason the aircraft should not perform a correct autoland.Notes :A/P1 and A/P2 are onSwitch Selected Speed to Manages Speed and let it prepare itself perfectly.Calum

[Guest LSangiovanni LIML]

Sorry Calum,i had to look down (SHIFT+ENTER) cause i couldn't see the rwy; is that nose up attitude that i do not like :-(cheersLuigi ;-)

[Guest Phoenix_7]

to adjust the viewopen panel.cfg with notepadlook for this sectionVIEW_FORWARD_DIR=3.0, 0.0, 0.0change 3.0 to 9.0exit and saveJohnPSS SUPPORTsupport@phoenix-simulation.co.ukhttp://www.avsim.com/pss/phoenix.jpg

[JayBirdski 1]

Luigi, Do an advanced search through the airbus forum for Bob Scott scalar, for there you will find the answer and the *unsupported* solution to your problem. I made the changes on my buses and couldn't be happier.Jay EklundCAT V First Officer KDENhttp://online.vatsimindicators.net/812321/764.png

[JayBirdski 1]

Do the following at your own risk, no warranty implied or given, your mileage may vary.Add the following entries to your aircraft.cfg's under [Flaps.0]: for the A320 there should be an entry as follows:lift_scalar=1.42(Can use same entry for the 319 but I don't, I found it was the 320 and 321 that needed the most tweaking.) for the A321 it should be:lift_scalar=0.926 unless you are using the iFDG/PSS merge when these settings are not necessary.Jay EklundCAT V First Officer KDENhttp://online.vatsimindicators.net/812321/764.png

[JayBirdski 1]

Where it says "aircraft.cfg's under:" it shaoulda said (flaps.0), looks like the square brackets didn't come across in the post. Jay EklundCAT V First Officer KDENhttp://online.vatsimindicators.net/812321/764.png

[Guest LSangiovanni LIML]

Jay,thank you very much for the precious feedbacktake careLuigi ;-)