Startup and
Taxi |
Check-list |
The first thing we need to do is to switch batteries ON and avionics
ON. |
Batteries: ON
Avionics: ON |
As engines are OFF, all Generators should be OFF. |
Generators: OFF |
All the passengers are on board, we can close the
doors. |
Doors: CLOSED |
At this time, we can turn NAV lights ON. |
Nav Lights: ON |
The ADIRS must be checked to make sure they are correctly aligned
(check with your position on the airport). |
ADIRS: Checked |
Fuel: The quantity of fuel should be enough for our flight.
Here we have a little more than 19 tons (almost maximum load), which is
more than enough for this flight which should last around one hour and a
half, including reserves. |
Fuel Quantity: Checked |
The ATIS should be listened to have the latest weather
information. I write down the current runway in use and the altimeter
setting. We can set COM2 frequency to 126.700, and switch COM2 ON on the
audio selector. ATIS indicates runway 31 is in use, and altimeter should
be adjusted to 30.09 inHg. Now we can switch COM2 OFF. |
ATIS: OK |
Then we need to load the flight plan, using the Flight Planner of
FS2002. The flight level will be FL330 (33000 feet), I have
to set this cruise altitude on the FMGC. |
Flight Plan: Loaded
FMGC Cruise Alt: Set |
Now it is time to contact the ground frequency to copy the IFR
clearance to Sky Harbor. I write down the departure frequency and enter
the squawk code that was requested on the transponder. We will
now pushback and start the engines at the same time... |
IFR Clearance: OK
Transponder Code: OK |
The throttle lever should be on the IDLE position |
Throttle: IDLE |
Then the SD screen is set to display DOOR page, to make sure all
doors are closed. |
DOOR Page: Checked |
Now the Beacon light is turned ON, and the seat bealts and no
smoking signs are switched ON, the parking brakes are still set. |
Beacon: ON
Seat Belts: ON
No smoking: ON
Parking brakes: Set |
Taxi clearance is requested. MMCN is a small airport, so we do not
need to change the COM1 frequency to request IFR taxi clearance. |
Taxi Clearance: OK |
Once cleared for taxi to runway 31, we can switch taxi lights
(Nose) ON, release parking brakes and begin pushback. |
Taxi light: ON
Parking brakes: Released |
During pushback, the engines are started by turning the engine starter
switch to the IGN/START position. |
Engine Starter: IGN/START |
N2 values must be watched for each engine. As soon as it has reached
20%, the fuel valves must be opened (you can use
Shift-Ctrl-1 and Shift-Ctrl-2 keys for
this) |
Fuel Valve: OPEN |
When engines are started, the engine starter
switch should turn back to the NORM position. |
Engine Starter: Checked |
The SD screen should now display the WHEEL page. Otherwise, it means
something is wrong... |
SD Page: Checked |
Immediately after startup, both Generators must be turned ON.
Otherwise, a BATTERY warning is triggered and the ELEC page is displayed
on the SD to indicate an electrical problem. |
Generators: ON
|
The navigation chrono can be turned ON at this time to count the
running time of the engines. You can decide to turn it on at another
moment if you wish. |
Nav Chrono: START |
Before taxiing, the elevator trim should be adjusted for
take-off (centered), and the flaps must be positioned for
take-off: you can use the 1+F or 2 position. |
Elev Trim: Centered
Flaps: 2
|
The rudder trim is centered, the spoilers are armed and the Flight
Director is turned ON. The aircraft is now ready for
taxi. |
Rudder Trim: Centered
Flight Director: ON |
With the Project Airbus A320, a little thrust is enough to begin taxi,
and IDLE power is enough to maintain taxi speed (20 to 30 knots). |
Taxi speed: 20-30 kts
|
During taxi, the brakes should be tested to make sure they work
properly. |
Brakes: Tested |
Depending on the weather, you can turn ON the probe and engine
anti-ice if you wish. Here it is not necessary. |
Probe Heat: As needed
Anti-ice: As needed |
The standby altimeter must be set to the ground altitude so that it
displays 0 (it will give you the ground altitude). |
Stdby Alti: 0 |
Take-Off and Initial
Climb |
|
Before asking for the take-off clearance, all the systems must be
checked to make sure there is no alert. |
Systems: OK |
As soon as we have take-off clearance, the departure frequency is
entered as the COM1 standby frequency. |
Take-off clearance: OK
Departure freq: Entered |
I switch OFF taxi lights (Nose) and switch ON landing lights and
strobe lights.
|
Taxi light: OFF
Landing lights: ON |
Auto-brake is set to RTO (Rejected Take-Off) and spoilers are
armed, in case of an aborted take-off. |
Strobe Lights: ON
Auto-Brake: RTO
Spoilers: Armed |
By pressing the TO-CONFIG key, the take-off checklist appears on the
E/WD. Everything is green, showing the aircraft is ready for
take-off. |
TO-CONFIG: Checked |
The aircraft is now aligned on the runway, ready for take-off. As
the runway is not that long and the aircraft is heavy, we decide to
take-off with a flap configuration of 2 and FLEX power. You can choose the
TOGA power if you wish, but FLEX is better to reduce the engine
temperature. |
Flaps: 2 |
For take-off, the stick is pushed half-way forward, and throttle
lever is slowly pushed to the FLEX position. |
Throttle: FLEX |
The aircraft accelerates on the runway. When it reaches 80 knots, the
stick is pulled back to the neutral position. When Vr is reached (around
140 knots), the stick is pulled to leave the ground. |
Vr, Rotate |
As soon as positive vertical speed is confirmed, the landing
gear must be retracted, spoilers must be disarmed and
auto-brakes must be switched OFF. |
Landing Gear: Up
Auto-Brake: OFF |
Initial climb should be conducted with a climb angle around
15° (depending on the aircraft weight), corresponding to an airspeed close
to the ideal speed indicated on the PFD. |
Climb angle: 15-20°
|
We are now requested to contact the departure center. As the frequency
is ready to be used, COM1 frequencies just have to be swaped to have
it set (key Shift-Ctrl-F). |
Departure freq: Set |
When the ground altitude (shown on the standby altimeter or the radio
altimeter) reaches 1500 feet, throttle lever is pulled back to the CL
position. It shouldn't move from here during the whole flight. I can also
turn landing lights OFF. |
Throttle: CL
Landing lights: OFF |
At this time, the automatic systems of the A320 can be used:
speed is set to managed mode by pulling the speed button on the FCU. Doing
this, the FMGC will automatically determine the best airspeed
depending on the aircraft configuration. The throttle lever does not need
to be touched any more. |
Speed: Managed |
Suggestion: ND can be switched to ARC mode for more
convenience. |
ND Mode: ARC |
End of Climb -
Cruise |
|
As the aircraft keeps climbing, the flaps are progressively
retracted, and the aircraft accelerates to 240 knots below 10000 feet
as ATC instructions are followed. The flight management system can be
used also for altitude and route following: heading and altitude buttons
are pulled on the FCU to set managed mode. |
Flaps: retracted
Altitude: Managed
Heading: Managed |
Then the transition altitude of 18000 feet is reached. It is
time to switch Seat Belts sign OFF and make sure the flaps are completely
retracted. |
Seat Belts: OFF
Flaps: 0, Checked |
The altimeter setting flashes to indicate that it should be
switched to standard mode. Pressing the button, STD appears instead of the
altitude setting. The aircraft keeps on climbing, following the route
programmed in the FMGC. |
Altimeter: STD |
At 32500 feet (500 feet below the cruise altitude), a beep is heard
that indicates the cruise altitude is about to be reached. The aircraft
slowly climbs to the cruise altitude of 33000 feet, accelearting to the
cruise speed of Mach 0.80. |
|
The cruise altitude is reached about 20 minutes after take-off. During
the cruise, the crew is supposed to monitor the SD and E/WD to make sure
all systems and fuel quantities are OK, and make sure the route is
correctly followed by the aircraft, even if cross wind is strong. Today,
we have about 60 kts of cross wind, and the heading is corrected by
the FMGC to take this into account. |
Systems: Checked
Fuel qty: Checked
Route: Checked |
Descent |
|
ATC asks for an altitude change to flight level 280, it is
time for descent. The target altitude is changed on
the FCU, and this triggers the descent on the FMGC (a beep can be heard).
Heading and speed keep on being managed. |
AP Altitude: Entered
FMGC: Descent |
As we go down, we arrive to the transition altitude again, in descent.
The correct pressure must now be set on the altimeter. You can get this
value by interrogating an ATIS nearby or by waiting for the next radio
contact with the ground. The Seat Belt sign can also be switched ON.
|
Altimeter: Set
Seat Belts: ON |
Later on the descent, the ATC asks us to turn to a heading of 320°.
The aircraft stops following the planned route (the route now appears in
yellow on the ND). At this time, the DIRECT key of the
FMGC is pressed to indicate that we will now fly direct to the destination
airport. |
AP Heading: Set
FMGC: Direct mode |
The ATC also gives the runway in use at the destination airport. This
runway is selected on the FMGC destination airport page, and as auto-tune
is activated, the correct ILS frequency and course will be automatically
set. |
FMGC: Runway selected |
When the aircraft is close to the airport (around 40 miles), COM2
frequency is set to the ATIS frequency of the destination airport,
that can be read on the FMGC or the ND. For Sky Harbor, it is
121.200. COM2 is selected on the audio selector to hear the ATIS. The LS
switch can be pressed to activate ILS information on the PFD. |
ATIS: OK
LS: ON
|
At this distance, the ILS frequency and course are automatically set
for approach (auto-tune). The dashed line appears on the ND to indicate
the runway heading. |
ILS course: Checked |
Landing |
|
Following the ATC instructions, we arrive near our destination
airport. Flaps are progressively extended, and the FMGC
maintains a correct speed depending on the aircraft configuration. |
Flaps: As needed |
ATC finally guides the aircraft to the localizer of our
destination runway. It is time to extend the landing gear and make sure it
is down and locked. |
Landing Gear: Down and locked
|
Suggestion: The ND can be switched to LS mode, and Navid 1 and 2 can
be switched OFF to increase ND readability during final approach. |
ND mode: LS
Navaid 1 & 2: OFF |
Then Landing Lights are turned ON, the spoilers are amed for automatic
extension on the ground, and the auto-brake should be set
as necessary. |
Landing lights: ON
Spoilers: Armed |
Even if the visibility is perfect, I decide to make an automatic
landing. When aligned on the localizer and glideslope, the aproach
mode is selected on the FCU by pushing the APPR button. The auto-pilot now
keeps the aircraft aligned on the approach path. |
APPR mode: Armed
|
For the Autoland to work, the auto-throttle is engaged, the
auto-brake must be set on the MED or MAX position and the
second autopilot AP2 must be turned ON. |
Auto-throttle: Checked
Auto-Brake: MED
AP2: ON |
The aircraft keeps descending. As it reaches the decision height, a
beep is heard and the message AUTOLAND appears on the
E/WD. |
AUTOLAND: Checked |
I keep my hands on the throttle and stick, just in case something is
wrong. Fortunately, everything works great this time again... |
|
The aircraft lands on the runways. As soon as it touches the ground,
spoilers are deployed, engine reverse is engaged, and automatic braking
begins. |
Spoilers: Extend, Checked
Braking: Checked |
The aircraft goes slower and slower until it comes to a complete stop.
I had my hands ready, but they did nothing... As the aircraft stops, the
auto-brake should turn OFF automatically. |
Auto-Brake: OFF, Checked |
Taxi -
Parking |
|
Now I take the control of the aircraft again. Auto-brake is OFF, the
spoilers can be retracted, landing light can be switched OFF and the taxi
light ON. As I begin taxiing, the flaps and slats can be
retracted. |
Spoilers: Retracted
Landing lights: OFF
Taxi lights: ON
Flaps: Retracted |
As soon as the aircrafts leaves the runway, I am requested
to switch to the ground frequency to taxi to the parking
point. |
Ground frequency: Set |
To the parking place, the aircraft cn be switched OFF. First, parking
brakes must be set, then Generators must be switched OFF just before
engines are shut down by closing fuel valves. Lights can be switched OFF
(taxi and strobe lights). The passengers can be released and allowed to
smoke... and doors can finally be opened (check the DOOR page on the
SD). |
Parking Brakes: Set
Generators: OFF
Engines: OFF
Taxi light: OFF
Strobe light: OFF
Seat Belts: OFF
No smoking: OFF
Main exit: Opened |
As I want to leave the aircraft, Avionics can be turned OFF, just
before Batteries. The aircraft is now dark and cold, ready to start
again... |
Avionics: OFF
Batteries: OFF |