Before start clearance, setting flaps, autobrake, packs off

[gerardbeekmans 0]

Hi,

I'm working through the tutorial as well as through the release notes of the last few versions that aren't documented in the tutorial yet. I'm trying to clarify a few things that I can't seem to get working. Maybe the order in which things are happening are different than what's in the manual or I'm simply doing something wrong. It's probably the latter.

The tutorial mentions a before start clearance flow that's triggered when the loadsheet is received. The loadsheet was received at around time +16 so I waited until +10 and the flow never happened so I just moved on.

The tutorial suggests the PM should be calling to have ext power removed before the start checklist. When I gave up on that flow, I called for the before start checklist, went through it as indicated and at some point the PM did call for the ext power to be removed. 

The tutorial says when the after start flow is triggered, the PM is supposed to set the flaps. This didn't happen.

During the taxi flow autobrake was not set to Max either. The "T/O Config Press" did happen and due to flaps not being set yet, resulted in the expected alarm.

I made sure that the departure brief included the 1+F flap setting.

I noticed an option having to do with flaps up and taxing to de-icing. I had this initially set to "on" but at some point during the pre-flight I set this to off. Maybe this was set to off to late and the setting had already been read and incorporated into the logic?

The departure brief also had pack off set but both packs were on before takeoff. When nose wheel light was set to takeoff, the PM did start the flow but did not set packs to off.

I ended my first attempt at using FS2Crew FSlabs here. When I get these pre-takeoff portions figured out I'll continue with an actual flight and work on the approach and landing parts.

Any suggestions on what I've done wrong to get the above mentioned behaviours that contradict the tutorial?

Edited April 16, 2020 by gerardbeekmans

[byork 2,259]

Hi Gerald,

1. The Before Start Flow should happen at plus 6 minutes... as per the tutorial, this is *after* the loadsheet has arrived.

All he essentially does is remove the GPU is it's already connected, but only if the APU is running and the FS2Crew user controls GPU option is set to 'no'.

 

2. Flaps: Do you have any hardware assigned to flaps?  It's semi common issue...  User has hardware assigned to flaps, and it overrides FS2Crew's attempts to set the flaps.

 

3. Packs off:  There are two config options that can control that.  You can have the packs come off during the runway entry flow or defer them to help keep the cockpit cool on hot days when you want to keep the packs on for the longest time possible.

Please check the Config Options for this.

 

Cheers,

[gerardbeekmans 0]

Hi Bryan,

1. Maybe I'm following an outdated tutorial? I'm talking about the one here: http://www.support.fs2crew.com/help/manuals/default.aspx?pageid=fslabs_airbus

It says:

BEFORE START CLEARANCE (AFTER LOADSHEET RECEIVED AT TIME REMAINING +10 MINUTES)
THE TRIGGER FOR THIS FLOW IS RECEIVING THE LOADSHEET.

If it's changed to +6, where is that documented so I can switch to using the proper manual? Sounds like I simply didn't wait long enough. I do realize this manual says v1.1 and we're on v1.4 now? I also checked the installed PDF file on my computer, it appears to be the same version. Did I maybe miss a release note that documented this from 1.1 to 1.4.

2. No hardware assigned to flaps other than a button on my throttle quadrant but I don't think that's what you meant? Or do the flaps need to be set by pressing a certain key combination that I may have unassigned.

3. I will check the packs config options again. Maybe after I switch to a newer manual.

[byork 2,259]

Hi Gerald,

1. The flow also includes looking at the loadsheet, fuel on board.  Stuff we can't really simulate.

So we add a few extra simulated minutes for that.  That's why the flow where the FO does something physical in the plane starts a few minutes later because we tried to account for that extra stuff.

2. It's probably the button on your throttle quadrant.  De-assign it.  The problem is hardware can send a continuous flaps command, and it'll override any attempt FS2Crew makes to set the flaps.

3. The manual is fine, but always check the Change Logs.  But that packs option was there right from the first release.

If you search the forum, you'll see others have asked the same thing.

Cheers

 

Edited April 16, 2020 by byork

[gerardbeekmans 0]

I'll try all that. At what point can I be sure the flaps are not going to be set, ever, if I've reached a certain point to avoid waiting forever for nothing?

 

[byork 2,259]

The simulated pilots don't doddle.

As long as you hit the trigger, the FO will attempt to set the Takeoff Flaps during his After Start flow.  He completes the flow within maybe 10 seconds.

Look at page 17 in the manual, right hand column for details.

If the flaps work during the other stages of flight, then you know the problem is you're not just hitting the trigger for the After Start Flow or you left that Taxi with flaps up config option set to Yes.

 

 

[gerardbeekmans 0]

The trigger is for sure hit because I visually saw it arm spoilers and set pitch trim.

Right, I did originally have that flaps up when taxiing to de-icing enabled by mistake. I had turned it off but wondered if maybe it was set to off too late as I was already in the cockpit prep flows at the time. Maybe the value was read by then and changing the config option at that stage was too late?

[byork 2,259]

Quite possibly.  Try again without that option set prior to triggering the after start flow.

If the flaps don't move, then it's definitely your hardware overriding the flaps.