@bula: "EXP CLB" is not present in the majority of A320's. And even in the A320's where you have it, it wouldn't be useful in the situation Citation2 is talking about
@rudderrudderrat: you said "set 8000 in window and don't do anything else" If you'd do that where there's an altitude constraint to cross a certain point at or below an altitude which is lower then your acceleration altitude, you would still see that constraint altitude in amber in the PFD. The A320 would make a very uncomfortable level of that constraint altitude while keeping a "V2 +10"-ish speed.
@md83FO: you said "When the pf pulls pulls speed while in srs the airplane makes an ugly pitch move as if it were out of trim." No it wouldn't. If you pull speed when the A320 is climbing at a constant managed speed, it would just keep the pitch to climb at the speed you were already climbing at.
At Young Paul: you asked "Is it possible to have an altitude constraint below acceleration altitude? The point about acceleration altitude is that you have to maintain a minimum gradient to that point - so an altitude constraint below there would undermine the basis of the acceleration altitude, no? Can you point me to a place where there is an altitude constraint below acceleration altitude? Or is that not what you meant?" I don't have charts with me here but it is either Lanzarote or Fuerteventura which has such (idiotic) SID's: cross a certain point a few miles away from the RWY at 3000' or below and continue climb thereafter. My company's standard SOP is to accelerate at 3000' AAL.
So, citation2, there's nothing wrong with your method in my opinion. It keeps your heads up and it's the fastest way to get the A/C doing what you want but it wouldn't work if your constraint is below acc. alt. In that case you would need to pull speed + pull open climb to avoid a level off at the constraint. Artificial Horizon's solution is also a good one: pre-departure, clear the constraint from the FMGC and put that altitude in the FCU.
Anyway, if I were approaching such a ridiculous alt constraint and told to maintain it, I would still be accelerating to 250 to smoothen the level off, even if I'm still below the (noise abatement) acc. alt.
Regards,
Sabenaboy