Originally Posted by Dream Land
I doubt if a person can make it to the left seat without being more familiar with the A/TH system.
Originally Posted by FlightDetent
KILL-THE-THRUST is normal operation at every single landing. There is no way any A320 pilot could attempt and succeed landing other way around.
Quite agree, Dream Land, Detent. But I'm trying to 'think outside the box'; it's let's say 80% certain, on the FDR evidence, that a highly-experienced pilot made a mistake. The only reasons I can think of for that are 'overload' (too much else to think about) or a less than full understanding of the interacting systems.
Originally Posted by bsieker
Careful here. There are four distinct ways autothrust can disconnect:
That's what's 'bearing in on me' - four different methods, but only ONE (TLs to 'idle') that actually does what you want. Does anyone know why the systems got that complicated - in particular, why the red 'instinctive disconnect' buttons are provided at all, when in fact (as I understand it) they don't kill the power but merely 'freeze' the thrust where the autothrust had left it?
My 'starting point' (from the rare occasions when I was let loose on anything expensive enough to have an autothrottle) is that in those days you disconnected the A/T quite early in the approach. Thanks to moving throttle levers you knew exactly what the remaining power setting was.
I've learned, from chatting to pilots, that the technique nowadays is to leave the A/T on much longer, almost into the flare; but the whole idea of that 'bothers' me somehow. Since flaring inevitably involves a slight but progressive reduction in airspeed, aren't you just about asking for the engines to give you a 'kick in the pants' at the very moment when you least need it, unless you get the timing of the 'retard' exactly right?
Originally Posted by bieseker
The grip in this video looks like the pilot keeps ready for go-around, by keeping the thumb and middle finder behind the levers to be able to push them quickly and decisively all the way forward.
Have cordially to disagree on that point, bieseker. As far as I know, all he'd need if he wanted to apply full power would be the heel of his palm behind the levers. Unless all these 'systems' are even weirder than I've gathered to date.
