Originally Posted by Chris Scott
So how to fly the Airbus FBW manually?
Personally, I have never given much thought to it. I just went out and flew. C*U blending? Degraded laws? Whatever. If the aroplane's attitude doesn't follow your sustained input, you are in much, much bigger trouble than simple FC mode change.
Based on my limited experience, I can certify everything Chris Scott has written here on the subject of manual Airbus control is sound operational advice.
Mind you, there were two caveats on single-aisle Airbi regarding dual hydraulic system loss. It's been four years since my last flight on the minibus so I cannot remember anymore which was which but in one case you'd be left with elevators only and you had to drop the wheels at exact speed (which was "remembered" as neutral reference by elevators) otherwise approach feels normal but pitch-up at go around would be very hard to contain. The other was loss of one elevator leading to other being reduced to half its travel not to load the tail with too much twist, basically leaving you with just 1/4 of normal elevator authority - sufficient but the aeroplane felt sluggish so landing at airport with minimum crosswind and turbulence was advised.
I'm pretty sure widebodies have different hyd and FC architecture but if among flight patterns in FCOM you find "Approach and landing with xxxxxx inoperative", follow it as precisely as you can, if it is there it is there for a very good reason.