Reading A320 FMA

[Flyman35]

hi,
During Takeoff roll,we usually se Manflex SRS Rwy ATHR..Blue and the call out is just that but I see some people adding the blue (CLMB) (NAV) which in the second line to the call outs any idea?

[rudderrudderrat]

Hi Flyman35,

We just announce the changes observed. Presumably they announced "CLM NAV Blue" during the before take off checks.
Are their short term memories really that bad?

[bo-peep]

The PF should call out any FMA change, unless specified differently (e.g. CAT II & III task sharing).
Therefore, the PF should announce:
‐ All armed modes with the associated color (e.g. blue, magenta): “G/S blue” “LOC blue”
‐ All active modes without the associated color (e.g. green, white): “NAV” the PNF should call “CHECKED”to all FMA changes called out by the PF

[ReverseFlight]

Presumably they announced "CLM NAV Blue" during the before take off checks. Correct. These items are typically verbalised in the instrument check which comes after the departure brief but before the "Before Start Checklist", so there's no need to repeat them on takeoff - there are other things one should be busy with at that time.

[Chris Scott]

I hope a few notes from this retired A320 pilot on the history and general philosophy of FMA calls may be relevant. They represent a small part of CRM, and must reflect its principles.

There may be nearly as many versions of standardised FMA calls as airline fleets. On the A310 fleet in BCAL in the mid-1980s, every FMA change (and there were many) had to be called. IIRC, this was done by both pilots. When we – in the process of being taken over by BA - co-launched the A320 into service in 1988, we were faced with even more FMA changes.

We recognised that both pilots parroting calls of every FMA change was of limited value, and can even be counterproductive; not only because the constant chatter can cause R/T calls to be missed. On a short-haul operation it becomes fatiguing and even intolerable. It was decided to adopt a limited repertoire of standard FMA calls. (In respect of armed modes, we limited them to "LOC blue" and "GS blue", IIRC.)

Not only did we greatly limit the FMA changes that had to be called; we decided that only one pilot should call them. When a pilot makes a mis-selection on the FCU due to workload, and then fails to notice it himself, there is a high risk that he will announce what he expects to see on his FMAs, without reading them properly. If the other pilot is either lazy or overloaded himself, he may parrot what the first pilot says, instead of actually reading his FMAs.

So it was decided that any prescribed FMA call was to be made only by whoever had NOT made the selection on the FCU (or throttle-levers). Thus, in auto-flight, with the PF normally making the FCU selections, the PNF would check his FMAs (as always) and make any necessary call. With the AP off, and the PNF normally making the selections commanded by the PF, the PF would read his FMAs (as always) and call if required by the SOP.

In the event that the pilot whose job it is to make the call fails to do so, the temptation for the other pilot to make it for him should be resisted: the call is then at best valueless; at worst misleading. Finding yourself in that situation, the best action is, where practicable, to pick a suitable moment to ask your colleague merely to check his FMAs. The word "checked" is meaningless as a response, in my opinion.

[Microburst2002]

I heard that in lufthansa they don't call out FMA mode changes, is that right?

In my experience in a few airlines, the usual in take off is:

"manual flex, srs, runway, autothrust blue", but many omit the a/thr blue, which is ok because there would be no MAN FLEX if a/THR was not armed, but the A/THR is armed upon setting thrust levers in FLEX/MCT, so it is a change and it should be announced, right?