A320 steeper approaches 3.4deg glidepath

[IFLY_INDIGO]

Friends, I would like to discuss the best way out to fly steeper approaches on A320. Recently Bangalore new airport is opened and the runway has glideslope of 3.4deg.. I had a bounce on my first-ever landing on it using standard technique.. On approach pitch was 0deg and ROD was 1000fpm.. later I discovered the steeper approach angle.. next time onward, I started flaring at 50ft , cutting thrust at 30ft and landing were o.k.. But I was not happy with the fact that I touchdown at the last 500ft of the TDZ. Has any one got a better idea ?

cheers

[Bula]

depends on your flare technique. Some people cut the throttles at 30', some people being a gradual reduction from 50' (which kicks in at around 30-40' becuas the donut doesnt reach the targeted thrust until around then).

Steeper approach and higher RoD.

Flap Full for sure and delay cutting the power to early. Let it call you a retard twice and you should be ok. Maybe a gradual reduction form 30 - 40'. Interesting that you touched down in the last 500'. I thought you would have ensured it us on the runway on the first 500', were you carrying some tailwind or a higher then target Vapp, or G/S mini knocking you up 20kts?


I guess its the usual. Every approach is different.

My 2 cents

[IFLY_INDIGO]

I admit I landed in the last 500ft of TDZ unlike the other airports where I usually touchdown at 1500ft marker.. This runway is 12500ft longer and I fear bouncing again.. I had a pretty high bounce once, which luckily I survived... :O
Probably I just need few more landings into this new airport to get the hang of it..

cheers

[PPRuNeUser0183]

I would say that 50' is probably a touch high, but think about a 2 stage flare... works for me anyway.

A first attitude check maybe at 30-40' to reduce the RoD, then smoothly followed by a second flare which feels much like a Flap 3 landing.

Good luck :}

[westinghouse]

crikey,

my next flight is to bangalore on a 330. wonder what height i should flare this baby. :eek:
as for the 318 airbus came up with a procedure where the spoilers extend a bit for the approach providing the required rod.

[electricdeathjet]

How about flaring at your normal point, but then retarding the throttles a fraction later, like after 2 'retard' calls, or going manual thrust. It seems to give the plane a little bit more energry for the flare without chewing up much runway.
Works for me into several 3.4 degree approaches we do.

[FlightDirector7]

Flap Full for sure and delay cutting the power to early. Let it call you a retard twice and you should be ok. Maybe a gradual reduction form 30 - 40'.

I agree. My experience at Bangalore RWY 27, well it was a FLAP 3 landing with about 6-7 kts tail wind at threshold, chopped the levers between 30 and 20, VAPP TARGET was in the early 140's, ended up with a slight float and balloon and had to keep the same pitch so as not to hit the rear. Ended up being a slightly positive touch down, maybe around a 1.35 on the gload. I did realize instantly that flap 3 wasnt the best option.

I would say a gradual flare from 40 to 30, and from 30 onwards bring the levers back and let her sit. I did notice that a flare at 20 was a bit too late as you really had to bleed off your speed and consume a lot more real estate. Story changes if you've got 15-20 kts wind on the nose. Will try it next time.

[westinghouse]

ok. tried it on the 330.
winds were straight down the runway around 25 kts reducing to 10 kts over the threshold. ROD was intially 800fpm cause of the low ground speed and acft was light. later on ROD was 1000fpm.
i believe a slightly earlier flare with a late reduction on thrust would help a lot. ROD less than 200fp at touchdown
cutting the power early causes it to sink further cause of the momentum.

[themanwhoridesthebus]

Hi all!

I made some experience with steep approaches in SAW - Istanbul Sabiha Gocen. I think they have about 3.5 degrees there on their ILS.
I actually don't have a special flaring technique regarding steeper angles. The only thing i do is that i break the rate a little faster than normally, means that i pull the stick a bit faster back than normally...and...it works... ;)

Kinda funny when you try to keep the spd with the IAE engines and engine anti ice on by the way :}

[IFLY_INDIGO]

Thanks ppl, for all your kind suggestions.. I have a flight to Bangalore again tonight... would get back with my landing report later... :)

cya

[IFLY_INDIGO]

guys, I shoot an approach in bangalore again last night.. It was pretty much comfortable this time... This time I reduced the ROD at 50ft call a bit and used a bit of de-rotation also to make it sit down within TDZ.. I ended up chopping power late.. right before the touchdown, I am sure some thrust was left.. but it was not all that bad, like my first landing in vobl...

cheers