A REPRODUCTION OF THE PFD DISPLAY, BASED ON DFDR DATA, HAS SHOWN
THAT THE PILOT FLYING (PF) USED THE SIDESTICK POSITION SYMBOL
DISPLAYED ON THE PFD WHEN THE AIRCRAFT IS ON THE GROUND (THE
CROSS) TO PERFORM THE ROTATION DURING TAKEOFF.
AT VR, THE PF PULLED ON THE SIDESTICK TO SET THE CROSS AT A
POSITION CORRESPONDING TO ABOUT 9 DEGREES ON THE MOVING PITCH
ATTITUDE SCALE. AT THAT TIME, THE AIRCRAFT PITCH ATTITUDE WAS
CLOSE TO ZERO.
DURING THE ROTATION, THE PF ATTEMPTED TO KEEP THE CROSS ON THE
SAME POSITION OF THIS MOVING REFERENCE. HOWEVER, IN THIS PHASE,
THE AIRCRAFT PITCH ATTITUDE INCREASES, AND THEREFORE THE PITCH
ATTITUDE SCALE OF THE PFD MOVES DOWN. AS A CONSEQUENCE, THE FACT
OF MAINTAINING THE CROSS ON THE SAME MARK (ABOUT 9?) OF THE
MOVING SCALE LED THE PF TO PROGRESSIVELY REDUCE THE PITCH UP
SIDESTICK ORDER.
That's quite scary. Something this fundamental should be well known to any Airbus jockey. 12.5 degrees, at 2.5 degrees per second, using the pitch dot for reference.
I really don't believe what I'm reading. Using the cross? How the hell did anyone come up with that idea?