Originally Posted by cosmiccomet
But I found that using selected speed in rough conditions is better than trying to chace the magenta Vapp.
I also used to fly the B737 and then switched to Airbus (A320) and in my company I estimate that 95 % of all landings are made without A/thr. Personally I hardly ever use A/thr for landing, except for autolands of course.
We do a lot of manual flying in the A320 in our company (A/P, D/D and A/thr off), so I think we might say we fly the A320 "like a Boeing" but...
I believe it's not wise NOT to use the GS mini function
especially in conditions where the magenta Vapp "
could change a lot in a very short period of time in rough conditions" (sic).
I agree that while decelerating and configuring in stormy conditions (especially with A/thr on) it's not a good idea to do it in managed speed. Indeed the "gs mini bug" sometimes stays so close to the VNE for the config you're selecting, that a gust could quickly create an overspeed condition.
I would suggest you to always take advantage of the managed GS mini speed once you're below 1000' and in landing config. Combined with your "seat of the pants" it will give precious clues to dangerous conditions.
Using managed speed for landing does not mean you should foolishly chase the magenta bug when using manual thrust. Make a mental note of your personal "Boeing V app" if you want, but do no throw overboard the valuable information that gs mini variations give!