Setting up the MCDU.

[LikeABoss]

So as I am briefly familiarizing myself with setting up the MCDU, I would appreciate if somebody can tell me whether I am on the right track.
I am only concerned with the flight plan.

Flight plan on ground includes departure runway, SID, and I see an option for transition though I am not sure what goes there?
I am familiar with the "Airways" where you just put the airways and the intersection automatically come in.
Then you come to the 6L and pick your arrival airport, and correct me if I am wrong, you either pick a STAR, or pick No VIAS if you assume you will be radar vectored (which happens most of the times anyway).
Is what goes next (in blue) the missed approach?

In the secondary flight plan we basically copy active, put the departure r/w to be the arrival as well?
Where does the EO-SID go?

[PT6A]

Are you talking with regard to a PC based flight simulator? Or the real aircraft? In either case can you specify which type? At a guess from your post I guess your talking about an Airbus family member.

PT6A

[LikeABoss]

Don't see what the difference would be.
I am talking about the actual aircraft, start training soon and would like to familiarize myself with it.
Also, I am talking about the a320.

[PT6A]

A HUGE difference, as to date nobody has made a "Microsoft" Flight Simulator add on that is able to replicate the Airbus systems faithfully.

If you have the FCOMS then that will walk you through the flows on how to set up the MCDU, are you going to be using FMS I or II standard?

The EOSID depends on what your company has paid for in the navigation database, it might be in it... It might not.

Transitions, I would of thought you covered this in your basic flight training... It is not specific to the Airbus... Just think of it as a branch point.. The sid goes to a common point then the various routes from that common point go to a "Transition"

Sec flight plan, depends on the circumstances really, can be used incase you expect a runway change etc etc

[grounded27]

Don't see what the difference would be.
I am talking about the actual aircraft, start training soon and would like to familiarize myself with it.
Also, I am talking about the a320.

What was questionable was your reference to setting up the MCDU, you do not set up an MCDU you set up the FMS. The "Multi" function Control Display Unit, can have many other functions..

[Novus]

Hi LikeABoss,

Usually when you're on the line you'll work with repetative flight plans(RPL's). For example the 'title' of your RPL could be LGWMXP1. You can enter this in Init A and when you go to 1R on the Init A page you can see the planned routing on the airways. You should always cross check the routing in the box with the routing on the flight plan.

After finishing the other bits in Init A & B you go to the Flight plan page and select the departure rwy and the SID. When there's a transition available you'll find it on the flight plan page as well.

If there is a transition required it will be on your flight plan and a transition is a procedure that will bring you from the end of the SID onto the airway.

As said before the EOSID can or cannot be in the navigation database depending on the company. At my company we have the (company specific) EOSID's in the database and use the secondary flight plan for the EOSID. To select an EOSID when it's in the database you go to the secondary flight plan page and make a copy of the active flight plan. After this you go to 1L, go for departure and then press 'next page' (or the arrow) and the available EOSID for that particular runway should be there. EO08R for example.

Usually the EOSID takes you out to a hold over a beacon or a DME distance on a radial. When you press the secondary flight plan page you'll see this point clearly as it will have an interruption in the flight plan. When you line select the end point of the EOSID you'll be able to insert the departure airfield (as you usually intend to return to the same field). Then you select an ILS for example.

Flying around Europe you'll usually find that there's a STAR available which will lead you onto the approach. You are right on how to select these.

And one last 'top tip': never assume anything! You definitely need the arrival procedures in the box as you never know when you get a comms failure, radar u/s, etc.

Novus

[LikeABoss]

Thanks a lot Novus.
I have another question.
On the PERF section of the secondary flight plan (take off), for the THR REDUC/ ACC and eng out.
Are the figures entered here the same as the ones entered in the take off section of the PERF page itself?

Thanks again.

[Novus]

The only perf page I use from the secondary flight plan is the 'landing page'. This probably is company specific as well because we use the secondary for the EOSID and others may use it for a different rwy.

I normally take the ATIS weather and put the QNH, temp and wind on that page together with the decision altitude for the ILS selected in the secondary flight plan.

In this case you don't need the 'take off page' from the secondary because when you're in an engine out situation you'll normally continue your climb to at least your single engine acceleration altitude. This normally is 1000' AAL and it's already on the PERF page. When the engine is secure and you reach the SE accel alt you push V/S to level off and accelerate to green dot, activate the secondary flight plan to follow the EOSID and retract the flaps.

Be aware that this is just a general engine out profile as there can be all kinds of variables on the EOSID.

[nitpicker330]

To setup the whole Airbus FM I was taught: DIFSRIPP
DATA
INIT
FLT PLAN
SEC FLT PLAN
RAD NAV
INIT B
PERF
PROG.

Easy peezy, well!! It's not as user friendly as a Boeing FMC perhaps but ok after you learn where things are!!

[grounded27]

To setup the whole Airbus FM I was taught: DIFSRIPP

I have heard of similar and is very helpful. I had an FMS/flight trainer program that was very helpfull. Load your data in your FMS, you could, start engines, take off view a basic ND/ with a/s and alt, progress and adjust as you wanted all the way down to autoland with rollout. I suppose it was a good memory tool for FMS/AFS functions.

[sorvad]

likeAboss...eeermmm ..silly question I know, but shouldn't your Company's or Training facility's technical training department and the relevant FCOMS be providing you with these answers, and not PPRUNE?

[kuobin]

I think you can find a lot of demo from youtube.;)

[punkalouver]

Is there a function for the EOSID to automatically activate on the Airbus(or at least automatically display the way it does on newer Boeing's)?

[AerocatS2A]

Yes. If an engine failure is detected and there is an EO SID associated with the SID you get a prompt to insert it into the FPL.

[Fursty Ferret]

DATA.
INIT A.
INIT B.
Le Chapeau

Some airlines aren't happy with INIT B being completed directly after INIT A. This is a bit of a hangover from days when the legacy FMS would have a meltdown trying to recalculate the performance characteristics following a flight plan modification. FMS2 has no such headaches.

[Uplinker]

@Fursty, yep, it also made entering cruise winds, (manually, as we had to do), very tedious, owing to the system recalculating after every wind entry if INIT B had been filled in.

Many pilots did not appreciate this, and would complete INIT B without consideration for their fellow pilot.

[PapaEchoIndia]

DIFSRIPP and save the routes finally

Also as other people wrote already, ask your company to provide FCOM and FCTM. Some provide FMS Manual as well which is quite helpful. Lastly if you have chance to fly jump seat, ask the pilots if you could prepare the FMS.