@natstrackalpha, maybe you want to study the FCTM a bit more then, because airbus certainly disagrees with you.
NO-170 flare
At 20*ft, the "RETARD" auto call-out reminds the pilot to retard thrust levers. It is a reminder rather than an order.
And FCTM NO-160 approach procedure
RETARD auto call out comes at 10*ft for autoland as an order. (Instead of 20*ft for manual landing as an indication)
In fact during a manual approach the height at which the thrust levers are closed is a judgement based on environmental conditions. Reflected in the FCTM by:
At 20*ft, the "RETARD" auto call-out reminds the pilot to retard thrust levers. It is a reminder rather than an order. When best adapted, the pilot will rapidly retard all thrust levers: depending on the conditions, the pilot will retard earlier or later. However, the pilot must ensure that all thrust levers are at IDLE detent at the latest at touchdown, to ensure ground spoilers extension at touchdown.
@johnsmith
If you hear it on an ordinary manual landing, you've kept the power on for too long.
That is also evidently BS!!!The simple fact is that the airbus will ALWAYS call retard, even if the levers are already in idle.