a320 flight tutorial

[dave4848]

I have been trying to use the below flight tutorial to fly a full a320 flight, but have had a few issues with it. I have just tried again with the new update and am still having some issues.

https://www.aerofly.com/aerofly_fs_2/dokuwiki/doku.php/manual:airbus_a320_flight

First issue is with the A/THR, the guide suggests engaging shortly after takeoff, but it seems to be engaging itself mid way down the runway. Any ideas?

Second issue, the tutorial suggests setting the v/s to 2500, without pushing or pulling the knob, it says that went ap1 is engaged after takeoff, the plan should follow this, I am finding that once ap1 is set that number disappears and the plance takes a steep and variable v/s of its choice, normally between 4000/5500 feet per minute. Any ideas on this one?

Third issue, the message LVR CLB flashes in the FMA Thrust Column, what does it mean and is it important?

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated, I have always flown Boeing but would like to perfect an airbus flight!

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[vonduck]

I can answer one of the questions... the LVR CLB inidicator means you need to be sure the throttles are in the CLB detent so the AT will work and you wont get overspeeds... so yes..it is very important for the Airbus series :)

[dave4848]

Thanks for your reply, would you be able to explain what clb detent means and how I put the throttles in it?

[coffecup1978]

I've been pondering about the V/S climb rate too, but anticipated it perhaps fixed in this mornings new core update for the AP.

[Jan (IPACS)]

The wiki is outdate and needs to be brought up todate with the recent changes.
This wiki page you found describes the old AP. We will do new tutorials shortly

[Simâozinho]

Airbus' auto throttle has some idiosyncrasies at first glance.
Imagine it being armed for the entirety of most normal flights (as you noticed it engages itself during take off roll ), with the detents being positions at and under which you hand all engine control to the aircraft and everything over increases power should you need it.
The philosophy is that you don't actually have to fumble with the autopilot in sticky situations - you firewall the thottle and get exactly what you think you get.

I haven't had a chance to try the new ingame version yet, but here is how it works in reality (minus things that I think aren't in aerofly yet):
Everything below CL detent (should actually be marked on the side of the lever box) is the auto-thrust band. Move the throttles above that detent and you have "manual" control.
Normally you'll want to have full thrust ( don't think derated take-offs are in the sim yet) on take off and ♥♥♥♥♥♥ the throttles to CL detent once the PFD tells you to by blinking.
Once you reach cruise altitude the system will tell you that it switched from climb to cruise speed mode ( no action required by the pilots, the system is just telling you wich autopilot logic its using ). The same is true for descending - the aircraft will tell you that its in descent mode but the thrust levers stay in the CL detent.

I guess this simplicity and automation is one of the reasons Airbus felt that the infamous ♥♥♥♥♥♥ callout is necessary - mostly you won't touch the throttle from climbout to flare.

PS
One less than obvious thing about the entire autopilot control philosophy:
if you push the knobs ( left click) you "hand" control of the autopilot to the flight management system which will simply follow its pregrogrammed route (speed and heading will appear dashed with a little dot ). If you pull the knobs (right click) you "take" control of the autopilot from the FMS and can adjust parameters manually (for ATC, Weather etc.)

EDIT
Oh wow I didn't expect this but they included alot of additional functionality in this update.
Here is a little tutorial for the average flight:

1.Make your flight plan, this will be autoloaded into the a320 in AeroflyFS2, maybe we will get ingame access to the FMS in the future.

2. Decide what cruise altitude you want to go for (obviously depends on location, distance of flight etc).

3. Once you are in the sim, dial in either your desired cruise altitude or initially cleared altitude ( once we have ATC ). Make sure the other two windows are dashed and dotted.

4. During take-off you can either select TOGA power (maximum thrust) or do a derated take off (FLX or flex temperature detent). The later derates engine power where runway length etc. allow for it. I don't know if its a fixed setting (FLX +56) at the moment, in any case we don't have the FMS control to actually do the weight / power / runway calculations required for this setting. I would stick with TOGA until we do.

5. Once LVR CLB appears in the PFD, ♥♥♥♥♥♥ the throttles to the CL detent. Note the white markers labelled (from forward to aft): FLX MCT CL A/THR 0 next to the levers. This corresponds to the autothrottle band mentioned earlier.

6. Enable AP1 at your convenience and watch the aircraft fly its trajectory. Without ATC or dynamic weather there won't be many reasons to make altitude changes or any other autopilot inputs for that matter.
Note the blue and white arrows on your navigation display (you might have to zoom out to see them). Those indicate your predicted top of climb and top of descent points.
The later indicates where we should start our descent (duh).
Again no idea how accurate these are in FS2 at the moment.

7. Once you close on your top of descent point, dial in whatever altitude gets you to intercept the glideslope (airport elevation +3000 should work almost everywhere).
Once you reach the point, push the altitude knob in (left mouseclick) to initiate descent.

8. Monitor the descent - the aircraft might ask you for more drag. Give it some speedbreak if it does.

9. Push the LS button once you are close to your destination to display glideslope and localizer on your PFD.
Once the glideslope diamond on your altitude band gets close to your actual altitude you can activate APPR mode. For a CAT3 autolanding you should turn on AP2 in addition to AP1.

10. Land (you know the drill, deploy flaps and gear as speed decreases, arm the spoilers by moving the lever all the way forward and clicking it and select an autobreak setting).

[Jan (IPACS)]

Yeah, I've simulated almost anything in the A320 autothrottle. When the flight director is on on the ground and you advance the thrust levers to FLX/MCT or TOGA the autothrust system will be armed automatically. In flight you pull the levers to the climb detent which will activate the autothrust system. When you push the levers forward of the climb detent autothrust will arm again and the engines get your manual thrust command.
To disengage the autothrust either pull the levers to idle, use the new assignable commands for autothrust disconnect or push the A/THR button on the panel.

here is how it's designed right now:
1) Plan your route (avoid mountains if possible)
2) set the aircraft onto the runway, this will set the cruise altitude and prepare everything for takeoff
3) Advance thrust to TOGA or FLX and lift off
4) couple seconds after lift off engage autopilot
5) when LVR CLB flashes on the PFD move the thrust levers down to CLB detent
6) as speed increases above -S speed retract the flaps
7) when the PFD shows "DECELERATE" or you see the top of descent on the Map and are close to it: scroll down the selected altitude so the arrival airport elevation + 2000ft or so. Push the altitude button in to begin descending
8) when ILS is received and you're flight plan is about to make the last turn: press the APPR button to arm the ILS localizer and glide slope. Engage second autopilot
9) set flaps 1 and monitor speed. increase flaps when you are below the amber = on the speed scale
10) gear down at about 2000ft radar altitude
11) flaps full prior to reaching 1000ft, set autobrake to MIN, move the spoiler lever all the way forward to arm them (white marking visible)
12) after the fully automatic landing disconnect the autopilot, touch the brakes to disengage them, taxi to gate, raise flaps, disarm spoilers, etc.

[The Oldar]

Thanks Jan, that is an extremely useful tutorial.

[Sailer]

I am impressed about your detailed posts. Thanks. Could you add a description about the procedures how to use the lights? When switch on/off taxi, landing, position, strobe, beacon lights ? I am not sure.

[Simâozinho]

You know what they say about pictures and words ^_^:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1eqrunJuc0

[dave4848]

Thank you for your detailed replies, I look forward to having another go with the a320!

[The Oldar]

I just flew from KLAX to KSFO and everything worked exactly how you described it, except that it didn't seem to select the cruise altitude. The altitude was set to 3000 by the sim and it didn't change once we got to that altitude. I waited a while and then set it manually. Maybe I didn't wait long enough?

In any case it was a fabulous experience. Congratulations again on another triumph!

[Jan (IPACS)]

You know... You can use any Airbus tutorial by now. Doesn't have to be a specific Aerofly tutorial anymore.. :D

[Jan (IPACS)]

Originally posted by The Oldar:

I just flew from KLAX to KSFO and everything worked exactly how you described it, except that it didn't seem to select the cruise altitude. The altitude was set to 3000 by the sim and it didn't change once we got to that altitude. I waited a while and then set it manually. Maybe I didn't wait long enough?

In any case it was a fabulous experience. Congratulations again on another triumph!

Should have happened as soon as you place the aircraft onto the departure runway. maybe repeat the process twice...

[The Oldar]

I love how the appropriate warning now blink onto the MFD, and the TOD pip on the map is very useful.

I will try again. Dialing in the altitude isn't much work even if it is supposed to be automatic. I am very happy with the new system.

[J van E]

The updated Airbus is a work of art and it is incredible it is a default plane! I was a big fan of the Aerosoft Airbus in FSX and P3D and this one is just as good when it comes to normal flight operations. In fact, I'd say it is even better! It performs really flawlessly, up to the autoland, and I never could say that for the Aerosoft version which often gave me problems (specially during descent and approach). I always used the turn around mode for the Airbus in P3D and this Aerofly FS 2 version gives me almost everything I need to work with this plane in the very same way. (The MCDU being the most obvious missing part though I have to say I am not really missing it.) It is awesome to see the correct annunciation and marking on the displays (including the TOD which is great!)! Loving it! This plane alone (using it in VR mode) is worth getting this sim for. And I haven't even tried the other updated planes yet or the Dash (which looks just as awesome as the Airbus after checking out the cockpit).