Week 65: A320 Type Rating Week 4

This was a really short week with only two days in school, one of which only lasted about two hours. Monday was the interesting one as we were split into groups of three to fly the fixed base simulator. Well, not exactly fly since most of it was on auto-pilot.

For the first time, I got to really deal with the FMGC on thr MCDU. The whole process of inputting all data and flight parameters. We were given a flight plan between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur and were supposed to key in what's necessary into the FMGC so that we can commence with the flight. The keying in of data is done in the sequence below:-

DATA: This is the page where we select the data stored in the system; all the airport and waypoints data
INIT: Input current location and destination, company route, flight number, cost index, cruise fight/temp and tropopause level
F-PLN: Selecting which runway to take and the subsequent waypoints the AP will fly to, ending with arrival waypoint and runway to land
SEC F-PLN: Usually make a copy of the original flight plan, and in case there's any last minute changes, it can be amended here and make active.
RAD NAV: Selecting the VOR, ADF/NDB
INIT: Input ZFWCZG/ZFW as well as block fuel's weight
PERF: Input values of V1, VR, V2, transition altitude, T/O Shift, Flaps/THS, Flex T/O Temp etc etc.
PROG:  Progress page showing different phases of the flight.

Once these are done, the computer is pretty much set up. I did a take-off for the first time and the feeling was way too different as compared to the C172. Getting the correct pitch attitude of 15degrees wasn't easy, I had to get used to the sensitivity of the side stick in time to come. Next, we truncate the flight and went straight to the approach at KLIA. We weren't allowed to land manually, giving the task to both APs to land with ILS. The APs are so accurate that the glideslope didn't go out of alignment at all. Upon landing, I pulled back the power and went into reverse thrust to have a feel of how it's like. When it hit 70kts, reverse thrust will be cut and normal taxi will resume with some brakes applied. Overall, a very good experience and I learnt a lot in the short two hours.

The next day we were dealing with MCC and MEL/CDL. It was a pretty dry topic teaching us on how to operate in a multi-crew environment. MEL refers to Minimum Equipment List, a list of things with the aircraft needs to have on different situation. If it doesn't meet the minimum requirement, a replacement aircraft will have to be requested.

Spent $130 to get this tablet during the weekend to assist in my document reading during flight. The FCOM is over 4000pages thick, and without the electronic version it's gonna be unthinkable to carry around