Anyone Flying PSS and SSW Airbus - Questions

[rjsagel 0]

Hello,I am flying both the PSS Airbus and the SSW Airbus. I am only a Sim Pilot so it is not easy for me to compare flight characteristics.My situation is as follows:I have flown the PSS bus for a while 319->340. I have flown the SSW bus for about 10 days. I have learned a lot from the SSW bus procedures. However, when I plan a flight with FSNAV2 (kphl->kiad)and fly it with both aircrafts, the results are quite different. The PSS bus (the 330 this time) flies the route 100% from TO to Landing. The decent is right on target and the ILS approach and landing are great. In the case of the SSW bus, the decent is not correct (way high at approach) and the ILS is missed. I believe that I am doing the same functional things with both aircraft systems.This is not a critisism of the SSW product. I have posted over there and been helped by their support (language shortcomings being noted)Is anyone out there also flying both and, if you are, what are the pitfalls in the SSW bus that I could look out for or study up on more to get to the same level of flight capability. I know that the SSW system is really complex but I believe that I am following the correct procedures.Thanks,Ron Sagelrjsagel@comcast.net near KCHS

[Guest mikealpha]

Hi Ron,this is not easy to answer, since no one really sees what you are doing. I don't have the problems you mention with the SSW A310, so I can only shoot in the blue. Do you use the Profile mode ? As for the "way high on approach", do you correctly initiate the descend at the Top of Descent (TOD) ? What is your cruising altitude and your altitude at the FAF (or the "Approach" altitude) ? You can check whether the TOD in the A310 FMC is calculated correctly with the following rough calculation : Take 3 NM for every 1000 ft descent and add 1 NM for every 5 kt speed change.Example : from 33000 ft to 4000 ft and from 290 kt to 250 kt: 29 * 3 NM + 8 * 1 NM = should take 95 NM. Do you have the ILS on autotune or do you set the ILS frequency manually ?Regarding the complexity of the two products you compare : They are not in the same league, the SSW A310 is far more complex, represents a different Airbus generation and has a bit steep learning curve.However, to track this down, can you give a little summary what you are doing from the Top of Descent and maybe add some observations, what the plane is doing ?Mike

[rjsagel 0]

Thanks for the response.I'll give you one for starters. I am set up in the PROFILE mode and the NAV mode on the SSW. The ILS freq and course are entered at the initiation of the flight (auto). On the SSW I initiate the TOD decent about 30 seconds before the TOD point. On the PSS I believe that you have to "Press" the button at the actual TOD point. On both flights of the same FSNAV2 flight plan (kphl->kiad) the decent begins at the same time. Also, from my observations, the TOD point(s) in both flights are at the same point. The problem seems to be that the PSS flys the decent to the correct point and the correct altitude. The SSW does not get down to the correct altitude (say 1900') before the glide slope capture is required. I can see the ILS signal on the ILS display. If I fly the same plan, without initiating the TOD decent phase automatically (meaning I go to a manual decent at my entered decent rate, I can get to the Glide Slope point correctly.By-the-by, I have had similar problems with the SSW holding the Glide Slope even when captured (I always try to capture from below). That is why the SSW decent from the TOD seems to fail-too high. I could be doing something wrong with deployment of flaps:What is the proper flap procedure for the SSW bus?Thanks again,Ron Sagel

[rjsagel 0]

Folow-upI just posted to the SSW forum for support. I am beginning to believe that I have an install problem when I use the FS2004 version zip file. The post on the SSW site will explain but in short, if I use the FS2002 install only - all seems OK. If I install the FS2004 version from the zip file (fs2004) version - I seem to have ILS and PROFILE problems.What I don't know now is if the FS2004 zip file (Complete) install still needs the FS9 update files!!!!!!!

[pbenoit 0]

Ron,If you fly with Radar Contact 3.1, you will never do a profile descent, rather when instructed you will begin your descent using LVL/CHG ... RC3 starts your descent ALWAYS before the TOD.Having said that I have done a number of flights with the A310, no ATC and used the profile descent .. and find that I have to set the new altitude, press the alt button, and then the descent works correctly, usually +/500-1000ft of the constraint in the fltplan. My test is always on a KLAX to KSFO (no weather) up the coast VTU, MQO BSR2 STAR which should put you at about 2500 feet 10 miles out in an intercept with the 28L localizer.I also experience many "little" issues ... last night on a flight from Amman Jordan to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia ... I actually had a "good" takeoff and climb out ... using profile, and a good flight .. massive 100kt tailwind the whole way ... (FSMeteo for weather), nice downwind vectored approach to OERK 33L, 20 deg intercept at 15 miles, damned thing flew past the GSIA and I manually recovered .. strange behavior ... BUT honestly I think that the A310 is a very difficult aircraft to fly, tempermental ... my opinion ... I am SURE THAT MOST OF THE ISSUES ARE MINE ... but I would love to have ONE flight where NOTHING is SCREWED UP ... just one ... hahahaha ... I share your frustration ... but I know that with time and practice we'll look back on this learning experience and have a good chuckle ... hahaha