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Old 3rd Jun 2013, 17:31
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dixi188
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Dorset UK
Age: 70
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Hi Vallance.

I can't say for the A320, but the A300 has 5 autobrake options : Off, Min, Med, Hi and Max. The Min, Med and Hi modes are looking for a particular deceleration rate. The Max setting will apply Maximum braking and is only used for Rejected take off.
If when landing on a long runway and expecting to vacate at or near the end, as in Budapest, then a pilot will probably not use autobrake but roll along the runway with ground spoilers and reverse idle until he or she judges it about right to apply the brakes to make a smooth exit from the runway without occupying it for too long. This also saves brake wear.

We once landed on 04L (about 3700m) at Copenhagen at an average landing weight with a little head wind and vacated the end of the runway at 15kts without using brakes at all. At 0400 runway occupancy time was not important.

I believe some of the latest Airbuses have a "Brake to Vacate" option so the Autobrake will apply the brakes to slow the aircraft for a designated exit.

Hope this helps.
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