NoD;
Yeah, me too, (back in the books, that is).
My "recollection" (which maybe wrong) is that (Idle) OP DES is pretty much like FLCH is a B757/767...
Yes, except (I believe), if you level off a Boeing anywhere in a descent but not at the Selected Altitude, the power will come up to maintain the speed in FLCH because the Speed mode is always engaged. In Idle-Open Descent the power will not come up - not until ALT*/ALT because "Idle" is engaged, not Speed.
On the mode reversion, thanks. I think on the first point, we're talking about the above point - in descent in Idle-Open, the airplane will decelerate until Vls + 4 at which time the A/T system reverts to Speed - I couldn't recall if the F/D's were removed or not.
TyroPicard;
I understand your point in terms of small movements at the base, large up top. The sidesticks I've used do not seem to have a breakaway resistance and thus the method suggested for turbulence works academically and it works in practise. Clearly one never lets the airplane get away with anything one doesn't want!, but that said, the slight, "felt" resistance is precisely what makes the method work well. It keeps forces at the bottom of the stick from moving the stick either too rapidly or too far. It's a judgement thing after all. Some sticks are more resistant than others, just as some Thrust Levers move very easily, others not quite so - at least in my experience - (we got our first 320's in the late 80's and still have them plus 319's & 321's, -the latter of which I have not flown).
CONF iture - oh, okay, I thought the F/D system had been modified so that if one F/D was switched off the AT reverted to Speed - thanks. In any case, for a TCAS Resolution Warning, our SOPs require both F/D's to be switched off so that "Speed" is the available mode.
I could never understand why Airbus just didn't install one pushbutton for the F/D's if both either had to be on or off, but, like the answer I got in 1991 when I asked (foolishly, at the time, given AB's willingness to listen to customers and users), something else about the VNAV system, the reply in a heavy French accent was, "..zat ees zee whay zee hairplan ees design". Nothing further was forthcoming - they opened up to pilots and customers somewhat after a few..."incidents".
Anyway - passing time while the current theory regarding paint and sensors awaits confirmation or ?