I have and love the Fenix A320 and its often my favorite airplane.  It takes a while to master the complex systems but its actually a really nice plane to fly when you master its wizardry.  The problems I have with the Fenix A320 may not really be a problem with the plane but more so a bug/issue with MSFS and somehow it breaks the A320.  Twice now flying over the central US I hit some very violent wind shifts MSFS is sometimes unfortunately known for.  These wind shifts are so violent its like hitting a wall in the sky and the plane will violently pitch upward.  When this happens the AP automatically switches off and you get the Master Warning and Master Caution going off.  Then the plane will enter a controlled descent in a banked turn.  You can take control but as soon as you let go of the stick it will enter into a controlled descent and a banked turn again.  Also interestingly speed is pegged at Mach 0.62 even when you go max thrust.  Its as if the plane is really aerodynamically broken at this point.  

Attempting to stabilize the aircraft and trying to get the AP back ends without resolution.  The AP will not reengage no matter what you try and do.  Seems broken until you reboot it again.  Usually your only choice is to either attempt an emergency landing or just close MSFS in frustration and try again.

I have had violent wind shifts cause the AP to click off on other planes but usually you can stabilize the aircraft by hand and then reengage the AP and everything is fine until it happens again.  Most of these violent wind shifts are pretty rare but they have been happening a lot more lately especially over the central US.  Anyone else have this problem with the Fenix A320?  Probably just being realistic and if such a violent wind shifts hit the real thing you would probably have just as big if not bigger problems but its kind of annoying in the sim.   

   

Yes it disconnects because of turbulence so just turn the AP back on or slow to the proper turbulence penetration speed.

Wind shifts are a problem for any airplane not just the Fenix.  I had one on short final going into EYVI in the A310 and had to go-around, and turn off Live Weather as the wind was violently shifting from 51 knots to 7 knots back and forth.  Something is misbehaving sometimes in the Live Weather currently, possibly related to the METAR/MeteoBlue transition, but I can't tell for sure.

2 hours ago, longhaul747 said:

The AP will not reengage no matter what you try and do.

Set the FMC to go direct to the next waypoint and reengage the AP - that usually works

I really hoped unrealistic windshifts were a thing of the past. They used to happen in the previous sims until 3rd Party found a workaround to dampen them.

I experienced this while nearing touchdown at Boston, the auto pilot was disengaged but the plane suddenly dived and pitched violently left only a few hundred meters from the runway. It was like hitting a brick wall just like the OP mentioned.  I managed to get her back under control only moments before hitting the runway.  

37 minutes ago, rocketlaunch said:

I experienced this while nearing touchdown at Boston, the auto pilot was disengaged but the plane suddenly dived and pitched violently left only a few hundred meters from the runway. It was like hitting a brick wall just like the OP mentioned.  I managed to get her back under control only moments before hitting the runway.  

I was literally going to write this myself except that it happened to me on short finals into Vancouver. 

However, unlike your experience, I could not regain control (a/c was totally unresponsive) and ended up crashing into the ground - horribe sense of déjà vu apropos the old Aerosoft Airbus...

It also happens on most of my flights this unusual summer here in South America. I think it's great for two reasons, the fidelity of the Fenix simulation works, requiring a more attentive command, even when I know the route. This bird has a lot of resource technology, I always discover something new.

Hopefully Asobo reads all the fora and recognizes the current absurd weather implementation. In the RW we would all be hospitalized on a regular basis.

This plagues every aircraft/developer and is the current single most problematic aspect of     MSFS. I realize the Sim is in development, but there ought to be a sense of urgency about this issue.

They really, really need to solve the Weather Dilemma… after all, it can’t be credited as a flight simulator without accurate Weather and Flight dynamics.

C

10 hours ago, longhaul747 said:

It takes a while to master the complex systems but its actually a really nice plane to fly when you master its wizardry

Coming from all Boeing experience I'm needing a little encouragement to try Airbus.  I won't have a stick which I understand isn't a showstopper, but can you give me an idea where a good place to learn the basics for Airbus 320?  Is the 320 that is a default plane in MSFS worth the effort to learn on, or is it so basic it really isn't going to be a suitable learning platform?  Right now I only fly PMDG 738, AS CRJ700 and B78X HD, and since I fly for Air France it would help if I could fly an Airbus as there is no good AF livery for the PMDG 738 that I have found!

6 minutes ago, Noel said:

but can you give me an idea where a good place to learn the basics for Airbus 320?

Download the FBW A320NX

Watch either:
https://youtu.be/XiKosG5OQp4

or:
https://youtu.be/o8ehdlvDnEQ

or (my preferred source of A320 knowledge):
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4XNcpjBFH8ENxr_OnrSraok-fF69KWNi
and
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4XNcpjBFH8GjSCnnPzUipF7GBVwdc2Ez

 

dont forget blackbox 711

This happens on most planes when you get this violent wind shifts occur.  The big difference is just about every other plane you can re stabilize the aircraft and continue your flight.  If memory serves my BAe146 occasionally develops a list if the auto pilot is engaged after a violent wind shift occurs but the auto pilot still works.  Its as if something got bent during the violent wind shift.  All works normally except the BAe146 is listing to one side like a ship taking on water.  I think the default Cessna Citation did it once as well way back in the day but pretty rare.  Its kind of comical when it happens!

The worst is the Fenix A320 and its not really the fault of the plane itself but the how the accurate systems react.  Plane won't go over Mach .62 even in a dive and TOGA thrust applied.  Auto Pilot won't turn back on.  Even when I manage to get it partially stabilized it won't turn back on.  I found on a different forum that the auto pilot won't turn back on until you turn off the auto throttle which I found true in normal situations but during these violent wind shifts that does not work.  Its good as broken as far as I can tell.  

Next time I fly the Fenix A320 I will try to select the next way point as mentioned above and see if that will trick the system. 

 

It happens to me at least once if not 2 or 3 times per flight. I have seen 80kt tailwinds up at altitude shift to a 40kt headwind immediately.  As good as the WX system is, there are still many quirks that will hopefully be sorted out.  I am also still seeing areas of haze/fog pop up out of nowhere.....

A stick is really an asset when flying the Airbus - it's very much point it where you want to go and leave alone. With a yoke you will always fly the Boeing way. I appreciate that wasn't your question but it's really worth considering. Sidestick on your left, thrust levers on your right. Wonderful 🙂