Airbus Thrust

[ronnie123]

Can some of the airbus guys please explain . non moving thrust levers. :confused:
Any info will be great. thks

[A340Driver]

What's to explain, instead of an "autothrottle" system we have an "autothrust" system. Only difference is that they don't move, you see the thrust changes on the N1's and the thrust levers stay where they are. Pretty luvly jubly really

[SLT]

Hi Ronnie

As A340Driver says - they are pretty cool once you get used to them - which takes about 30 seconds! For the avoidance of confusion however - The only time they "don't move" is when :

1. They are at idle - conventional

2. During take off when they are at TOGA or FLX/MCT - conventional.

3. When they are in the CLB detent with the Auto thrust active - non-conventional.

When the autothrust is not engaged, they are entirely conventional - the pilot moves them back and forth according to the thrust level he/she requires.

So as you see - the much trumpeted "non-moving" thrust levers are not in fact all that different to conventional aeroplanes.

Hope this helps :p

[MAJIC9]

You can take a look at http://www.airbusdriver.net there's some info on that site that goes in more detail.

[ronnie123]

thks all,
the web site is great help.

[fantom]

ronnie, what is the point of moving thrust levers?:p

[SuperRanger]

better tactile feedback?

[atomic]

"If it's different and new, it can't be good". I'm surprised to find quite a few pilots who, instead of embracing progress, try to hold on to the old ways of doing things. Aren't we usually proud of how 'cutting edge' we all are ??
I wonder if the starships we'll have in 300 years will still have moving throttles and a wheel??
Yes, I 'grew up' with lots of dials and no automation, but I still think it was fairly stupid to install a conventional control column into the 777. Yes, it makes you feel you can still 'man-handle' the plane, if for a moment, you forget about the fact that you still just provide input into the computer, no different than the Airbus, except that you also have some fairly artificial trim system, to make you feel better :)
The same with auto-throttles and all other new systems:
Just because, when they developed them in the 'olden days', the throttles moved, doesn't mean that this must be the status quo for generations to come. Those designs basically just attached cables and pulleys and electric motors to the existing throttle systems. Throttles move, either manually or by the system.
People got used to this (I can only imagine how much pilots hated those new auto throttle systems back then, complaining they would pull them out of the loop completley !! :D )
Airbus and most newer airplanes have FADEC controlled engines, and why install heavy and more complicated systems to just have the levers move, when you can quickly readjust and interpret engine parameters directly from the gages ?? I wonder how much extra weight the 777 control column-shaped 'joy-stick' adds.
As the other folks pointed out: it makes no difference, it takes you all but a few minutes to learn what the engines are doing by looking at the gages on the Airbus and that's it.
That's about the same amount of time it takes you to get comfortable with the side stick!
As soon as you have flown a few hours on the Bus, all those things become a total non-issue, so that you can now devote all your time trying to figure out how to reset that darn toilet flush control computer :)
It's just the fear of the new and different :)

[RadarContact]

... or getting the red light off at the CIDS... within 5 minutes!

[Captain104]

atomic
Nice statement. Should be posted in all those endless and useless Airbus-Boing threads. ;)

[gas_man]

i am not a pliot ...but i suppose an advantage of a moving throttle would be that it would be fun to watch !

i just bought a wrist watch with three sub dials for the stop watch functions. i suspect that , like myself ...the vast majority of people who buy these dialled watches just buy them for the fun of it ..to see those tiny hands move at a frenzy !
no real use ..just fun to watch.

prasanna

[Pegasus77]

To have even more fun, Airbus decided to not only install myfirstairbus-throttles, but also myfirstairbus-joysticks to complete the inflight entertainment-experience! :D

[brit bus driver]

Hey!! Spare a thought for us "steam-driven" bus drivers - our throttles still move!! And there's that awfully nice chap who talks to you near the ground too........;)

[RadarContact]

You mean that voice with that horrible accent the french think to be british? :D

[Clarence Oveur]

Negative!!.
It's that dashingly handsome all knowing all seeing god, otherwise known as the Flight Engineer.

[brit bus driver]

Sorry Clarence, but I'm afraid he's right...."my" 'Bus isn't THAT old!!

:D :D

(Back to the world of the dashing (?) FEs shortly though!)

[Clarence Oveur]

Shurely Shome mishtake on the production line.