Hi Mooneyboy,
I’m assuming that you are new to Airbus and are asking for yourself, not to help others with this problem.
There has been some great information here but talking from personal experience, the big issue that you’re struggling with is trying to convert all that technical stuff into something practical that you can use.
Knowing the technical is required. Knowing how to convert that into “the performance” is also required.
Seating position, as discussed, is very important. Keep in mind that you need to start with the correct eye height. Some aircraft have systems for getting this step correct. Some Airbus types have balls set on small posts set to align when eye-height is correct. Then set armrest and then set rudder pedals so you can achieve full travel AND brake input. Please don’t set shoe size.
Also keep in mind that you need to check that this position still is correct when you are hands on side stick and thrust levers. Seat back position needs to be the same, as this will change your armrest and position. You will also potentially be a little shorter by the end of a long day, changing eye height. Think how you get into your car to drive home and need to adjust your rear view mirror.
Some have mentioned to watch your PFD during the control check. I like to also check the Flight Control SD page. You’ll see exactly the moment that any pitch input invokes lateral output and vice versa. Practice this so that you can “disconnect” the two axis.
Our job is all about “output” when it comes to hand flying. Telling you what inputs to make is pointless but understanding that the Flight Control Computers are flying the aircraft in parallel with you is important to always remember. It’s a bit like having another pilot maintaining the attitude that you demand through stick position and that pilot is still under training! As Vilas said, the aircraft maintains flight path but only in a “book” sense. For example, a disturbance on short final such as a wing drop will have you now aiming at a new aim point after the “aircraft” makes inputs to return to the demanded attitude. YOU now have to make an input to reacquire the aim point. If you react to the turbulence by flying via the “seat of your pants”, you will be effectively making a “dual input” and will have demanded a roll that now makes you opposite wing down. PIO, here we come! Factor in that, as you progress down the funnel of your approach path, you can’t really sit back and wait for the aircraft to make it’s input, so you’ll have to anticipate both your inputs and what the aircraft inputs will be.
The unfortunate gulf between how the simulator presents it’s reality and how the real world is, doesn’t always set you up to succeed. In the sim, you can fly a very good approach off an IP almost without making any inputs until the flare. Try this on the line and you will most likely have the PM take over as you lose the aim point. If the sim was set up to have varying layers of W/V as one descended to the runway, the vagaries of the wind on a real life approach would be more realistically represented.
Approaching the flare, having made sure that you held the aim point, now consider how flare law changes pitch and therefore trim and how lateral is the same, ie lateral disturbance will induce an input from the aircraft. You’ll probably have to make one too but DON’T do the dual input thing, anticipate your input. In crosswind, if you “rush” the rudder input, the aircraft will roll and your input to counteract this will be demanding an opposite roll. Once you touchdown and Ground Law takes over, understand these changes too.
If you are making corrections to aim point or the Autothrust is reacting to speed changes as you pass through 100’, you may now have an out of trim aircraft, so flare as required not from memory.
Finally, treat this aircraft like a conventional aircraft whilst considering the above and don’t forget to keep your sky pointer in your scan and you’ll get your head around her.
Sorry for the lengthy post and good luck.