Flying an A330 sim

[India Four Two]

I'm a PPL with a lapsed IR. Through a well-connected friend, I've been offered an hour in an A330 Level D simulator. I've had a couple of rides in Boeing 737 NG simulators and a few 777 and L1011 jump seat rides, but this will be my first Airbus experience.

I am interested in seeing how it flies manually in Normal Law and Direct Law.

I've downloaded and read the appropriate parts of an A330/A340 FCTM, but I would like to know if there is any other online resource that would be useful to read.

[FlightDetent]

Definitely A330 Flight Deck and Systems Briefing For Pilots.

[India Four Two]

FD,

Thanks. Exactly what I was looking for.

A330 Flight Deck and Systems Briefing For Pilots (http://www.smartcockpit.com/aircraft-ressources/A330_Flight_Deck_and_Systems_Briefing_For_Pilots.html)

[FlightDetent]

Glad you like the proposal.

Based on the time available, you may also consider the following suggestions to be useful. Or not :):
. read the Guide first, before FCTM. Just walk through it easily, skip all chapters apart from flightdeck layout and operational philosophy.
. find sections in FCTM that provide you with more info about F.L. and O.P., read those too.

Targets:
- to know your seat and surroundings, once you fill the seat in SIM (time will be precious)
- to understand only the elementary of Airbus FBW, in order not to be surprised / taken away - save time for some jolly tricks :D
- make sure you have enough time available to land the ship in direct law, just once.

For sure you will enjoy it.

[India Four Two]

FD,

Great suggestions. Thanks.

I appreciate your encouragement to try landing in Direct Law. From my reading, particularly about the pitot and AoA probe icing issues, there seem to be seem to be a lot of people who are scared of Direct Law.

So what "jolly tricks" do you recommend? :)

By way of background, in one of my 737 sim rides, I flew a no-autothrottle, raw-data IGS 13 at Kai Tak and much to my surprise, actually managed to land on the runway. As someone said to me afterwards, "Fly it like a big 172". I wonder what my impression of the A330 will be.

[FlightDetent]

I am rated on the 320 only, so please take all with a pinch of salt.

For DCT law, use no A/THR - you will need to trim with power changes, it can be done quite easily: move the THR levers <> spin the wheel. (no artificial backpressure available from the stick, no trim-hat there either)

Jolly tricks? Whatever you please:
. V1 ENG FAIL with split V1 to Vr
. multiple HYD failure, just to see, how well it flies with so little sytems available
. definitely GWPS escape :)
. in case you have some gliding experience and a good instructor, DUAL ENG FAIL overhead at FL 100.

[fantom]

A very important thing is to appreciate how big it is. That means INERTIA. It will not respond as a smaller aircraft does. Plan ahead.

[India Four Two]

FD,

I had been wondering about trimming with no stick-force feedback. I find it very strange when flying X-Plane aircraft with a simple joystick. I often find it easier to ignore the stick and set pitch attitude with the trim.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll ask for a V1 cut and also look at hydraulic failures. GPWS escape as well.

I have a lot of glider time, but I'm not sure I would be up to a glide approach in a 230 tonne jet!

fantom,
Thanks for the inertia reminder. I had noticed that in the X-Plane flight models of the 747 and B52, but had forgotten to put that in my pre-sim notes.

I've also made a note to remember to flare higher than normal. The first landing I saw from a 777 jump seat really surprised me. It looked to me as if we were 100' up when the gear touched!

Earlier today, I had been told that my sim was AOG, but while I was typing, I had a bad news/good news call. The A330 is still down, but I've been swapped into an A380!

So I guess fantom's advice applies in spades. :)

My ride is Friday morning ( about 15 hours from now). I'll post my impressions on the Private Flying forum.