Week 91: A320 Type Rating Week 30

This week marks the start of Phase 3 training. From now onwards, I will only fly in the full motion simulator. I was a little worried about motion sickness the night before my training. I'm not exactly a fan of roller coaster either.

As a familiarization training, it was only a short 2-hour session with each cadet flying for one hour. Lesson objective was to fly two visual circuit pattern, two touch&go and two straight-in 6miles final approach.

It was my first try at circuit flying on the A320, and it's quite differently flown as compared to the C172 type of circuit.

Thrust reduction: 800ft 

Acceleration altitude: 1200ft 

Circuit height: 1600ft 

Heights are based on Changi Runway 02C with elevation of 22ft.

Circuit was flown fully with raw data, without FD, A/THR, AP and ILS. Everything happens very quickly in the circuit. Flex/MCT for take-off, gear up with positive climb, flying attitude at 15degrees nose up, pull back to CLIMB thrust at 800ft which is very easily attained, thus the probability of missing it is quite high. Hitting 1200ft lower nose to 10degrees for acceleration and cleaning up of flaps. Circuit speed shall be flown at Green Dot, which is roughly 200kts.

Upon leveling off at 1600ft, make a 25degrees right bank towards downwind track. Call for After Take-off/Climb Checklist once all flaps/gear/spoilers are retracted. Once done, activate APPROACH PHASE in the FMGC and call for Approach Checklist. Go-around altitude will be set on the FCU at downwind leg, along with Flaps 1 and setting S-speed.

Once abeam runway threshold, start chrono. For every 100ft AGL, the downwind leg will have to be flown for an added 3seconds after passing the abeam point, depending on wind conditions. In this case, we set it at 45seconds. At about 30seconds, Flaps 2 will be called and a 15degrees base turn towards final will be initiated at 45seconds. It will be a slight descend turn with rate at around -200fpm. In the base turn, gears will be lowered, followed by Flaps 3 and eventually Flap Full when nearing final leg. Runway track will be set and then Landing Checklist will be called once in full landing configuration.

Approach has to be stabilised by 500ft AGL, or a go-around will have to be called.

Not that easy eh? Haha.. The start was tough, but subsequent rounds of circuit flying became much better with practice. As for touch&go, the flying is the same, except that no spoilers, reverse thrust and autobrakes will be used. Upon touch down, PF will call for Flaps 2 and engage thrust lever in upright position for 2-3seconds before going TOGA with PM calling for rotate at Approach Speed since there is no Rotate Speed.

As for the feel of full motion as compared to the fixed base simulator I've been flying for the past seven months; it was an eye opener and kind of screwed up what I'm used to. The taxi feel is different as it's much more sensitive. The control stick is also less stiff and the input has no lag, making the flying somehow easier. The graphics is also more realistic, assisting in the lining up of runway centreline on approach. I had so much trouble flying visual circuit in the fixed base during circle-to-land, but this full motion totally changed my game and I'm flying way better now. It's quite a confidence booster when I'm able to land properly and be assured that all my previous landings in the fixed base were of correct technique.

Finally touching the full motion simulator and feeling like a real pilot