'Derate' for takeoff?

[martinlest2 58]

At takeoff, I set FLEX and lift off at VR, but since A/Thr + A/P cannot be applied until Climb Thrust is selected (and this cannot be done before the indication to do so is shown on the PFD) I have to allow the aircraft to climb at some crazy rate in order to maintain V2+10. If I climb at a sane rate, like 3000fps, I tend to reach 250kts by the time I can set Climb Thrust  and engage A/Thr+A/P (or faster on many occasions).

 

How do I reduce engine power sooner, before Climb Thrust is set? Obviously taking off with FLEX settings I cannot use the throttles. Before each flight I go into the FMC, right-click INIT and go to Roll Control (three times NEXT PAGE): I set Max Acceleration to 5 instead of 8 - but it doesn't seem to help. Am I setting the right parameter?

 

Thanks,

 

Martin

[FLEX1978 373]

Hi Martin,

 

Thrust reduction and acceleration altitude can be changed on the take off perfomance page. On the real bus and I assume the PSS version this can be changed to 800/800 which is the minimum for NADP2

 

I flew the PSS bus many years ago and don't recall any issue you like describe. If SRS is simulated then follow the flight directors.

 

From your post it seems silke you are misunderstand a few things regarding procedures, it wouldn't hurt to spend a little time studying the FCOM.

[martinlest2 58]

Ah yes, I missed the setting in the PERF page - I have been abroad for a year and didn't have my FS PC with me, so am a bit out of practice!

 

I am flying the a320 as I type this (on another PC) - I set the THR RED/ACC to 1000/1000 and takeoff was much more controlled. I thought it was odd to have Acceleration control in the Roll settings page (I wasn't really thinking logically) - but I was hunting for the derate settings on the pages that appear after you right-click the PERF page.

 

Anyway, all seems OK now.  Not sure if there are any other things I have 'misunderstood' re. procedures. Did you have anything specific in mind? Apart from this issue, I think my TO procedures are OK..

 

The only other issue I have with this a/c is that I have to keep pulling the knobs to get selected mode, they keep switching to managed mode of their own volition. Is this a bug, or something I am doing wrong?

 

Many thanks,

 

Martin

[FLEX1978 373]

From memory the only thing that should cause the aircraft to revert to managed mode is a DIRECT-TO. I don't have the PSS version installed anymore but can't remember any issue with the aircraft reverting to managed NAV or Alt.

 

A good resource is airbusdriver.net or smart cockpit. Also TOPCAT is great for calculating your Flex temps, remember a flex take off is not the same as using a derate, they are two different things.

[martinlest2 58]

No, I know FLEX and de-rated TO are not the same. I've never worked out why the a/c keeps going back to managed mode: it happens every 5-10 seconds immediately after TO until I set CLB THR, then it's OK. It doesn't happen thereafter ... I always assumed it was a glitch rather thn anything I was doing.

 

M.