After some internal debates I decided to buy the Fenix A320.  Visually it's a delight...  I had spent some time watching videos from Jonathan Beckett so far.  Let me know if there are better ones.  (Because I really need them lol).  I was quite proud of myself for starting the APU, and adding the MCDU entries, importing the weight and balance via Simbrief (hindsight isn't 20/20 LMAO).  Obviously I fly like 99% GA so I know how to do SIDS/STARs/IAPs etc etc.  But the Airbus is still so new to me.  I had used the FBW a little in the past but it's a little quirky and everyone said "just get the Fenix!"  Well I'm blown away so far.  The sounds are incredible, the flight model, yes I was able to do a little flying (hehe), it felt amazing.  The EFB is also beautifully made, with navigraph charts integrated so cleanly.  Wow I'm just so impressed so far.

So I hope you enjoy my first "flight" from Denver, CO to Minneapolis, MN.  We file CHUWY1 CHUWY KD75A SSWAN TORGY3.  At FL370 we should have quartering tailwind so it gives about 1.5 hours of flight time and around 2 hours block.

We started up the external power, and APU - entered our flight plan and performance calcs.  I loaded fuel/pax via Simbrief.

We push back and will use RY 16L for departure

Someone needs taxi practice

I did get a takeoff config issue - can't remember what it was lol - I think it was important - but I had followed the JB video to the T

Up and away...everything seems normal

Master Caution Ding!  Oook....  good stuff for a first flight....

So I turned on fuel crossfeed... and everything seemed normal.

But then I missed the amber LAND ASAP message hehe....  and I started getting more fuel tank level messages....  so I declared an emergency (total PEBKAC issue haha!) and we will return to Denver

Here are some nice views from the lower 20's as I start my descent.  Little did I know things would get a lot worse!

I had a Master Warning as I apparently was losing cabin pressurization.... so we did a fast descent to 9000 at about 3000 fpm - at this point I had no clue how to program the ILS 16R but I figured I could just add the IAF (SHRED) and then the airport and it would be close enough.

We haven't lost the engines yet!  So that's great - and still have hydraulics so we got the gear and flaps down.  The "equipment" irl would be meeting us at the airport...  and Delta would think why on earth they hired me to fly! HAHA!

Thankfully we're totally VMC everything is easy minus this stiff crosswind.  I decide to hand fly and that's when I found the flight model to be simply enjoyable!

IRL the connecting taxiways would be lit with emergency vehicles and airport ops.  They'd be ready for a FOD inspection after I land and the trucks would roll out on the runway immediately after I pass each intersection

Had a little gust on short final but overall the landing was safe

Full flaps, spoilers and reversers... we'll take the nearest high-speed and stop

At this point we'd just stop the aircraft, and probably get it towed back to the gate or somewhere to deplane the pax (if they weren't promptly removed from the aircraft).

Heck of a first flight!!  I hope to learn some more and figure out what I did wrong!

 

 

Awesome pictures and personal account of the Fenix A320, Ryan. As far as I know, you cannot go wrong with a choice of the Fenix A320 family of a/c.

I know you’re no stranger to airliner flying…dabbling in the MAX and BBJs in the past…🙂…

Have fun now but don’t forget the Duke and such…🙂…

Enjoy your new Fenix…!

17 minutes ago, ryanbatc said:

Let me know if there are better ones.  (Because I really need them lol

Try this playlist. 320SimPilot. Real world airbus (and now 787/777) pilot. Great way of teaching. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EB7gz1ARjs4&list=PL4XNcpjBFH8EJ7U4XrTHbfkUgYh97VACi

Start with this - 

 

Edited December 22, 2025Dec 22 by JonathanC

320 Sim  Pilot and Blackbox711 on Youtube are my go-to real life pilots, both Airbus and Dreamliner too. Learnt everything from them over many years.

 

Beaten to it!

 

Edited December 22, 2025Dec 22 by Chobble

27 minutes ago, ryanbatc said:

Visually it's a delight...

Right?? I still can't believe how good it looks in 2024 inside and out, while performance is excellent. They are remarkable devs and I can't wait for the NEOs and beyond.

Great read.

You got the take off config warning for not completing the checklist on the ECAM (blue items): Set Autobrake to Max, arm spoilers, press T.O. Config on the ECP (the little button unit below the ECAM) when all other items are green.

You can also calibrate your ISIS (backup artificial horizon etc.) by pulling on the big white button in the lower right (keep it pulled until the instrument settles and stops moving).

No idea what happened there with your fuel system, I never have to configure anything or touch cross feed in normal ops. Did you turn the fuel pumps on or were they left on Off?

Edited December 22, 2025Dec 22 by Speedbird 217

Now you on the right plane - keep goeing !! 🙃

cheers 😉

You said you imported the W/B via SimBrief, but how exactly did you load the payload and fuel? On the runway your fuel shows 6,120 lbs, but the planned block fuel was 14,080 lbs. Your flight plan also shows 6,200 lbs as baggage weight, did you possibly mix those values up?

That's the nice thing about simming: problems are no big deal 🙂

Edited December 22, 2025Dec 22 by UrgentSiesta

From what I read and see from your screenshots, the most important thing is that you enjoyed it and thats the name of the game! The technical details and procedures will fall into place with more learning and practice.

Edited December 22, 2025Dec 22 by Vel
Spelling!

Haha, that's the spirit!

1 hour ago, JonathanC said:

Try this playlist. 320SimPilot. Real world airbus (and now 787/777) pilot. Great way of teaching. 

 

Start with this - 

 

Thanks I did look at that...  I also had found Airbus Cockpit Coach (also a real pilot) - both are really well done.  Looks like this will be a big learning experience.  Most people tend to fly airliners first in the sim and smaller airplanes later hehe.  I've always done it the other way but just never really delved into airliner ops.  I'd rather fly a C700 from FBO to FBO.  Or the Duke, or Aerostar, Bonanza etc etc.  I will be looking the videos more in depth.

1 hour ago, Speedbird 217 said:

Great read.

You got the take off config warning for not completing the checklist on the ECAM (blue items): Set Autobrake to Max, arm spoilers, press T.O. Config on the ECP (the little button unit below the ECAM) when all other items are green.

You can also calibrate your ISIS (backup artificial horizon etc.) by pulling on the big white button in the lower right (keep it pulled until the instrument settles and stops moving).

No idea what happened there with your fuel system, I never have to configure anything or touch cross feed in normal ops. Did you turn the fuel pumps on or were they left on Off?

Thanks I did do that just now on a recreation flight.  Everything worked out so far!  No weird fuel issues this time.  The only thing I did different was to load the Fenix A320 CFM profile in Simbrief, before it was maybe set to nothing or auto.  But I absolutely had fuel loaded in the tanks, very similar to the numbers I had on this new flight.  I wish there was some sort of log... obviously it was a user error just don't know what I did wrong.

1 hour ago, pmplayer said:

Now you on the right plane - keep goeing !! 🙃

cheers 😉

Haha yes I've got a lot to learn, should be interesting!

Also thanks for everyone's comments!  Much appreciated!  2nd Flight is working just normally!

 

2 hours ago, ryanbatc said:

Master Caution Ding!  Oook....  good stuff for a first flight....

This picture caught my eye a bit - I'm not entire sure when your ECAM alert for LO LVL triggered, but the sensors and fuel are simulated in a more physical sense that you may expect i.e you're banking and pitching, 30 degrees of bank and 10 degrees of pitch - the fuel is sloshing around in the tank as a result and the sensor feeding this information to the flight warning computer (and therefore triggering it) can flag as dry with sustained bank/pitch earlier than it should, although it does look a tad on the low side anyway 😄

Welcome to the Dark Side 😉

1 hour ago, Aamir said:

This picture caught my eye a bit - I'm not entire sure when your ECAM alert for LO LVL triggered, but the sensors and fuel are simulated in a more physical sense that you may expect i.e you're banking and pitching, 30 degrees of bank and 10 degrees of pitch - the fuel is sloshing around in the tank as a result and the sensor feeding this information to the flight warning computer (and therefore triggering it) can flag as dry with sustained bank/pitch earlier than it should, although it does look a tad on the low side anyway 😄

Wow that's quite in depth!  I'm thinking I didn't load the plane via simbrief correctly.  But there was certainly fuel added and shown on the middle screens.  Sorry don't know all that Airbus terms maybe it's a DU?