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Guest flight_matt

Cannot slow the A330 down enough for landing! (speed brakes extended!)

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Guest flight_matt

When landing, I progressively extend the flaps to FULL but the airspeed increases. This is a typical approach with 5 miles remaining before touch down...* Flaps full extended* Decent is 700fpm (0.700)* I have to FULLY EXTEND the airbrakes else the airspeed creeps up and up!* The engines are at IDLE for almost all of the approach* 20% fuel remaining* I CANNOT SLOW THE PLANE!It's seems that either the airplane is as light as a feather or the engines are creating far too much power at idle.With an aircraft weighing over 200 tonnes, surely I am doing something wrong here!?Please help!Thanks,Matt

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matt:when in flight the airbus the computer controls the throttles. until you receive the "retard" command at ~30' before landing the throttles are to stay in the CL gate. (another way to state this, you only control throttle settings during taxi, otherwise the throttles are one of these gates: CL (normal climb, cruise, decent and approach), FLX (flex takeoff) and TOGA (full thrust takeoff and go-around).if you wish to control speed, you need to 'pull the SPD selection knob' (right mouse click on the center of the knob (no +/- sign showing)) to engage 'selected speed guidance'. the ABus will display the current speed (which it is now holding) instead of the "---" ("---" means the MCDU is flying the speed as outlined in the flightplan), you then dial 'what you want to ABus to fly'. don't touch the throttles.this is discussed in detail, manual pgs. 32-35.on final approach you must confirm you have the MCDU's 'PERF APPROACH' (APPR) screen completed (see manual p. 58), and then 'activate' approach mode; then engage managed speed guidence by 'pushing' the SPD selector knob (left mouse clickon the center of the knob (no +/- sign showing)). the display will go from number for the speed you set in 'selected speed guidance' to "---" (means the MCDU is flying the speed as outlined on the APPR screen with calculations of the aircraft weight and final flap setting).you activate APPR mode in two ways:1) if in managed decent mode (meaning the ABus is controlling pitch and speed) on the decent page you will see "activate APPR" at key 6L.2) if in control speed (meaning you are controlling speed and pitch through settings on the FCU) you need to be on the APPR page where you will see "activate APPR" at key 6L.NOTE - don't activate APPR until you are on the ILS as the aircraft will want to slow to Vref (based on flap setting). it is possible to activate APPR at any time ... including climb if hitting the MCDU L6 key when "activate APPR" is shown on the DEC and APPR screens.BIG thing to remember when driving a ABus - pilots tell computers what to do, and the computers do the flying (this is how the airbus was designed to fly ... without 'direct' human control).--


D. Scobie, feelThere support forum moderator: https://forum.simflight.com/forum/169-feelthere-support-forums/

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Guest flight_matt

Hi,Thanks for your reply, but after I have confirmed the APPR phase and started the decent, the engines remain at IDLE for the whole approach! (even at FULL flaps, and to counter act the speed increase - the speed brakes are also fully deployed, again, for the whole decent!)I am aware of the airbus throttles and throttle setting gates (using "+" and "-" next to the number pad on the keyboard).All I hear during the whole approach is the engines as idle power (the engine N1 is at about 15-20% power).Matt

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Guest pbn

I haven't flown the busses much lately, so my memory could be deceiving me. Have you activated the "ILS" button. IIRC then it's needed, no matter if you are flying manually or automatic, to be "allowed" to land. I belive I had the same problem a long time ago and that was my problem.CheersPeter

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Hi Matt,I think we're a bit short on detail here! Could you give us an example of what speed and altitude you are starting from,what are your initial target speeds - and what are your final target speeds? You might also throw in at what distance, height and speed you turn on to final approach. The only times I have had this type of problem with the 'bus was in my early attempts before I got the notion of proper descent planning and speed management into my head.The other thing I've also noticed, and this comes form watching countless flight deck videos, is that in the r/w the speed brakes seem to be used more for 'dumping lift' than lowering the airspeed so trying to control airspeed using speed brakes might not be the ideal solution.Tim

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Probably a more pertinent question ... what's your ias when you capture the glide slope with regard to what the FMC says it should be for the configuration you're in?Tim

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Guest vrandar

On finals when you are at 4 miles you should press the speed knob to go to managed speed, This will sllow the aircraft to landing speed. And Aautothrust should be on throughout the flight of course.Rob Elliott, EGPE InvernessPSS Airbus Support andAirbus Fleet Training Captain, British Airways Virtual airbus@speedbirdonline.co.ukhttp://www.speedbirdonline.co.uk/airbus.htmlhttp://www.bavirtual.co.uk

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