I need some help with the MCDU in the A320 (FBW mod). I’m coming from the 208B so I’ve watched a lot of YouTube videos from 320 Sim Pilot and others, but still have some challenges.

I like to fly realistically so when planning my flight, I leave the runway and approach unassigned, and wait for it to be assigned by ATC.  When I get the assignment, from ATC, like “ILS Runway 14R via AGM” how do I add that?  I tried it tonight and buggered something up. 

How do you activate the approach? I’ve seen a video where it says to do it on the PERF page, but I had no such option. Just next phase and previous phase to cycle through the phases. Nothing to activate. Does hitting the APR button on the AP do this? I tried APR on the AP when turning onto the final approach, but it never started to descend... it flew over the runway at 3000’.

If you botch the landing and need to go around, how do you get the plane setup to repeat the approach. I couldn’t find a way so hand flew it... it wasn’t pretty.

Oh, one other thing, starting up from cold, I had the message that the GPS Primary Lost on the NFD and MCDU, despite setting the ADRS knobs on the overhead to Nav during startup. So I quit out and the same thing happened following the checklist. Strangely the GPScame online after the engines were started which makes no sense. I’m guessing I found a bug? Thoughts?

 

Edited November 15, 20205 yr by Virtual-Chris

4 hours ago, Virtual-Chris said:

When I get the assignment, from ATC, like “ILS Runway 14R via AGM” how do I add that? 

Click the soft key next to your airport on the flight plan page and select departures. There you can select the runway and then the SID. 

4 hours ago, Virtual-Chris said:

How do you activate the approach?

It does it automatically when passing the DECEL point. If it doesn‘t or you want to activate it earlier, go to the PERF page. There you should see „activate APPR PHASE“ in blue letters at the bottom on the left. Click the soft key next it twice to activate it. If it’s not there, switch to another phase by using the left/right arrows until you can see it. 

Edited November 15, 20205 yr by Shack95

3 hours ago, Virtual-Chris said:

Oh, one other thing, starting up from cold, I had the message that the GPS Primary Lost on the NFD and MCDU, despite setting the ADRS knobs on the overhead to Nav during startup.

I don‘t know if it‘s the correct procedure but I just click it away in the MCDU (clear) and ignore it. After 7 minutes, when the alignment sequence is complete, the message disappears. 

That’s correct - it takes about 7 min to align the ADIRS (though I’m the latest Dev build, there’s a way to donut instantly in the MCDU).

Also, to change the arrival runway, you can click the soft key next to the arrival airport and you’ll be able to select Arrival.

This 700 page PDF is a comprehensive guide to the A320 MCDU. From the way it's laid out it also doubles as a step by step guide to flying an A320. https://737ng.co.uk/airbusfms.pdf

Page 119 explains how to insert the approach and runway.

edit - once you've inserted the approach etc into the flightplan you need to activate approach mode in the MCDU at the appropriate point. I normally hit it about 20 miles out if it's not automatically activated. Page 249 of the PDF explains that. Press PERF, you'll see 'ACTIVATE APPR' in yellow at bottom left. Click once to turn it orange (it's a kind of 'are you sure?' option) and once again to activate. You'll also want to press the APPR pushbutton on the FCU to ensure the flight directors and autopilot capture the ILS localiser and glideslope, or computed RNAV versions.

The landing is like any other aircraft. If you're flying an ILS or RNAV approach on autopilot you'll need to intercept the glideslope from below with APPR mode and pushbutton both activated or you'll never descend.

Edited November 15, 20205 yr by lambourne

1 hour ago, lambourne said:

This 700 page PDF is a comprehensive guide to the A320 MCDU. From the way it's laid out it also doubles as a step by step guide to flying an A320. https://737ng.co.uk/airbusfms.pdf

Page 119 explains how to insert the approach and runway.

edit - once you've inserted the approach etc into the flightplan you need to activate approach mode in the MCDU at the appropriate point. I normally hit it about 20 miles out if it's not automatically activated. Page 249 of the PDF explains that. Press PERF, you'll see 'ACTIVATE APPR' in yellow at bottom left. Click once to turn it orange (it's a kind of 'are you sure?' option) and once again to activate. You'll also want to press the APPR pushbutton on the FCU to ensure the flight directors and autopilot capture the ILS localiser and glideslope, or computed RNAV versions.

The landing is like any other aircraft. If you're flying an ILS or RNAV approach on autopilot you'll need to intercept the glideslope from below with APPR mode and pushbutton both activated or you'll never descend.

Thanks. Will check this out. Can you elaborate on the statement in your last sentence... “with APPR mode and pushbutton both activated” ... what do you mean by “pushbutton”?

Edit: interestingly, I somehow got my MCDU in a state where the option to activate the Approach Phase was no longer there. I saw it at some point early in the flight. But then while trying to add an approach, I completely screwed things up. 😞

Edited November 15, 20205 yr by Virtual-Chris

5 hours ago, Shack95 said:

I don‘t know if it‘s the correct procedure but I just click it away in the MCDU (clear) and ignore it. After 7 minutes, when the alignment sequence is complete, the message disappears. 

I waited a long time... (I’m guessing 15-20min) then googled a solution, spending more time... finding people with similar issues in previous sims, but nothing relevant to MSFS and FBW. It was definitely bugged. I couldn’t check the flight plan or do much with the MCDU in this state, so I proceeded with engine start, and the GPS suddenly came online and everything was normal. 

Edited November 15, 20205 yr by Virtual-Chris

4 hours ago, Virtual-Chris said:

Thanks. Will check this out. Can you elaborate on the statement in your last sentence... “with APPR mode and pushbutton both activated” ... what do you mean by “pushbutton”?

Edit: interestingly, I somehow got my MCDU in a state where the option to activate the Approach Phase was no longer there. I saw it at some point early in the flight. But then while trying to add an approach, I completely screwed things up. 😞

By push button I mean the APPR button on the right of the FCU. The FCU is the unit that makes up the top of the dashboard.

18 hours ago, Shack95 said:

I don‘t know if it‘s the correct procedure but I just click it away in the MCDU (clear) and ignore it. After 7 minutes, when the alignment sequence is complete, the message disappears. 

I guess I just wasn’t patient enough. Tonight it disappeared after 7 min. 

But it has a notification on the middle panel that tells you how many minutes to go.

On 11/15/2020 at 1:05 PM, lambourne said:

This 700 page PDF is a comprehensive guide to the A320 MCDU. From the way it's laid out it also doubles as a step by step guide to flying an A320. https://737ng.co.uk/airbusfms.pdf

Page 119 explains how to insert the approach and runway.

edit - once you've inserted the approach etc into the flightplan you need to activate approach mode in the MCDU at the appropriate point. I normally hit it about 20 miles out if it's not automatically activated. Page 249 of the PDF explains that. Press PERF, you'll see 'ACTIVATE APPR' in yellow at bottom left. Click once to turn it orange (it's a kind of 'are you sure?' option) and once again to activate. You'll also want to press the APPR pushbutton on the FCU to ensure the flight directors and autopilot capture the ILS localiser and glideslope, or computed RNAV versions.

The landing is like any other aircraft. If you're flying an ILS or RNAV approach on autopilot you'll need to intercept the glideslope from below with APPR mode and pushbutton both activated or you'll never descend.

Thanks for picking up on the salient points. Without this bit of info clearly described like this, I've been confused about it while reading many other posts and videos. Thanks.