Guys,
Haven't got the BEA report to hand (does anyone have a link)
**, but I imagine the data published in the Airbus report of 1995 would be in accord with them. The Airbus report supplies the following -
(1) About 20 secs before "impact", there was a momentary ramp of RA (as previously commented somewhere by you, Dozy) to 24 ft, presumably due to some tree or other obstruction on the airfield boundary inbound.
(2) For about the last 16 secs before "impact", the RA was below 50 ft.
(3) During those last 16 secs, however, the RA remained above 30 ft until approximately 2 secs before "impact". Specifically, it shows an RA of 24 ft approximately 1 sec before "impact".
Just thought you three might like some figures to chew over in relation to the possible engagement (and maybe disengagement) of Flare mode. I've got to rush out...
** Thanks r-r-rat, but that link's not working for me right now.
[Edit (1606Z) Got it now, thanks: must have been a very slow download.]
PS
It would be remarkable if Airbus had not made some amendments to the FBW logic, as well as the FMGC logic (which they definitely did), in the first few years of A320 ops. So I think we have to be cautious when quoting from any documentation that is dated 1989 or later.