ILS A340-600 Landings

[samueldethierry]

Does an ILS automatically intiate a flare? It obviously didn't when i had an ILS landing - what a hard landing (even opened overhead bins)!

[hetfield]

No, it still rests with the pilot or autopilot.

[vapilot2004]

If you are asking if the ILS will generally couple to the AP and initiate a flare - Hetfield has given you your answer. :ok:

If you are wondering if the A340 autoflight system can autoland the AC - from my meager understanding of the 340, the answer is yes - provided the APPR button is pushed prior to reaching 400' RA and there is an available ILS. (and electrics/hydraulics are norm - both Radio Altimeters are working.......)

The A340 will enter flare mode within about 40' RA - depending on the VS rate - and will align the aircraft with the runway centerline (yaw) and will then send pitch commands to flare the aircraft. If autothrust is engaged, a retard command is sent upon entering flare mode.

At this point a landing is almost assured. :\

[regor]

samueldethierry - The ILS is just a combination of two radio signals they do not have any control over the a/c systems directly. It is the a/c systems that respond to the ILS signal. If the A/P is coupled, it will flare and upon landing will continue to track the localiser and maintain the centreline once on the runway. This is known as the 'rollout' mode.

If you were pax, then how do you know the approach was an automated precision approach (coupled ILS)? The pilot may well have been flying a precision approach manually and left the flare a bit late, resulting in the 'positive' landing you described. :)

[AlphaWhiskyRomeo]

As I understand it, very few fully automated ILS landings are flown. Only in the worst weather or every so often to keep the crew trained.

It is said that a fully automated landing is often smoother than a manual landing, but I have no experience to back this up.

[angels]

I experienced a fully automated landing quite a few years back on a BA flight from Frankfurt. The weather was clear but we came down with a hell of a thud.

My memory may be wrong on this, but I think BA were testing some new kit. After the pilot had found his teeth fillings he came on and told us what had happened (IE the auto-landing).

For our troubles the men were given a tie and the ladies a head-scarf thingy.

Edited to add the hairyplane was not an A340-600. Can't recall type.

[scroggs]

The ILS does not automatically initiate a flare. The flare is initiated by the aircraft's own equipment, principally in response to the radio altimeter(s).

Autoland on the A340 (300 or 600) is normally very good indeed.

[AFA]

AlphaWhiskyRomeo,

You're absolutely right. In nine years of commercial flying i'd say i have done maybe a dozen Autolands.
As you say, we normally do them only in low visibility ops or in the simulator every 6 months to revalidate ourselves.
Unless anyone goes to JFK once a week in the winter the chances of being a passenger on a flight that does an autoland are very slim.

[PAXboy]

My nephew tells me that on his (not UK) carrier, each 744 must perform two autolands per month. The crew are not keen on this - because they have to fill in more paperwork to report how the a/c performed and to document for the record.