Week 80: A320 Type Rating Week 19

Session #1 & #2
After the first two sessions with experience of one engine failure, these further two sessions were more like revision to further polish our control and flying technique with less thrust power in our hands.

One added training in the lessons were Go-Around with one engine. Haha, the climb performance was so so so bad it felt like the climb rate of a C172. TOGA power was applied and the immense yaw followed, catching it with the rudder is key to getting the plane under control.

After four whole lessons of flying with one engine failure, I can say that I feel very confident in the capability of the A320. Even with half its power taken away, it is still able to achieve flight relatively well even in go-around. I am truly quite impressed with its performance!

Went into the Full Motion Sim to have a look. It feels way different with exceptional graphics

After the first two training sessions of the week, it marked the completion of Phase 2B and Phase 2C commenced on the final day of the week. The commencement of Phase 2C meant that the simulator will be in Config C, with all buttons and screens alive now. Suddenly the overhead panel looks so complexed with the various controls and buttons I haven't seen since the very first training session.

Other than the config, we will also be introduced to the Autopilot, Auto-Thrust, ECAM, FMA and full usage of the FCU. Other than engine failure, we will be further introduced to other forms of malfunction and various ways to handle Threat & Error Management (TEM). This new phase will probably test us more on plane management rather than the raw data flying and manual control of the A320 which we have been doing all along.

Studying the FMA modes

New aerodrome to fly for Phase 2C

Session #3
The first session of Phase 2C, with two other different partners again, got to get used to their style and work harmoniously. The programming of the FMGS wasn't much of a difference other than the noise abatement rule that we have to abide to in this airport. Usually the Thrust Reduction and Acceleration Altitude are both at 1100'/1100', but with the need to continue climbing till 3000ft, the difference will be Flex/MCT till 1100ft at 15 degrees pitch, then thrust pulled back to CLIMB and continue 15 degrees pitch till 3000ft then lower pitch to 10 degrees to accelerate and clean up. If 1100'/3000' is input into the FMGC correctly, the FD will be able to guide the PF or the AP to fly it correctly.

Upon leveling off to a certain flight level, we started playing with the FCU settings to let us understand the different modes displayed on the FMA in the PFD. This is done with AP on, and we monitor the AP via the FD. The flight was finished off with a decelerated ILS approach and Go-Around.

With a decelerated approach, we prepare the aircraft to be flying at green dot speed before intercepting the Localiser, the interception que is usually given by the ATC's call of "Clear for Approach Runway 25L". With clearance for approach, we will arm the APPR button on the FCU and the AP will automatically catch the ILS' localiser and glideslope. How beautiful is that! However, ATC might only give permission on interception of Localiser only, in which you only arm the LOC button on the FCU.

Flaps 1 at green dot speed is being called upon interception of the localiser, with Flaps 2 at 2000ft AGL, gear down once flaps extended, gears all green then extend Flaps 3 and 4 almost with only seconds apart depending on V-fe limits. By then, we will be close to 1500ft AGL or less, which gives us enough time for a quick Landing Checklist that takes about 15seconds to complete. Fully stabilised by 1000ft AGL is strictly required and AP will be disengaged at 500ft AGL and start flying visual after the runway minimum to land the aircraft.

With the Go-Around, it was of no difference other than that with AP, it's much easier to handle and less workload on the PF by following the missed approach procedure. The missed approach altitude will have to be set by the PM on the FCU when FMA shows G/S*. This is done to ensure that the AP flies the APPR and captures the glideslope before a new altitude is set. The Approach function will overwrite any height that has been set.

It was fun to finally have the AP help in the flying but how it works will 100% depend on how we set the FCU, therefore it is crucial that we know how the FCU works and understand everything stated on the FMA. It is more of a case of the computer flying the plane and we're controlling the computer. This extra layer gives the pax a smoother ride as humans will find it challenging to fly so accurately.