In our company the standard thrust reduction / acceleration height has been 1000' AGL for many years now on the A320/330/340 and it has worked quite fine. Of course as mentioned earlier it is only applicable to airports where there is no local restriction either for noise abatement or terrain clearance. At those airports with restrictions we have amended thrust reduction and acceleration heights based on data published by the local authorities. However the question about the take off inhibit is quite interesting and I have just looked up FCOM 1 and 3.. Take off inhibit is active up to 1500' AGL or 2 minutes after lift off whichever occurs first. The only changes that occur between 1000' AGL and the end of take off inhibit would be thrust reduction and flaps retraction. The ECAM caution for FLAPS FAULT / FLAPS LOCKED is inhibited in phases 4,5 and 8 that means from 80 knots to 1500' AGL and from touchdown to 80 knots.
So if you took off in configuration 2 or 3 and you got a FLAPS FAULT / LOCKED while passing 1000' AGL and accelerating through F speed the caution will be inhibited until you reach 1500' AGL, though I doubt that you will hit the overspeed limit for your flap setting before passing 1500' AGL. Your Vmo displayed on the PFD will still be the one for the current flap position and all you need to do is select a lower target speed if you approach Vmo with or without the ECAM caution.
In configuration 1 take off I do not believe that you reach S speed before passing 1500' AGL at least not on the A320.
Last edited by ALK A343; 23rd April 2009 at 12:28.