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A320ECAM
29th Aug 2017, 13:03
Hey guys,

Just wondered if this is unheard of.

Company A320 took off heavy (75t) and approx 2000' had ALPHA FLOOR activate due to windshear. They were slow and heavy during climb but as they encountered the windshear, their airspeed dropped down to approx 140kts and alpha floor activated.

Crew handled it well and followed SOPs but was just curious if what happened was a safe non-event or something was missed by the crew?

Thanks.

pfvspnf
29th Aug 2017, 15:33
I'm sorry I don't understand your question

Are you an airline pilot ?

Contact Approach
29th Aug 2017, 15:44
If he/she was they'd know the answer to the question!

A320ECAM
4th Sep 2017, 12:20
Any other thoughts apart from the two spivs above?

EGPFlyer
4th Sep 2017, 12:58
It's not unheard of
It's not a non-event
Hard to say if something was missed. Was WS reported? Without knowing the config of the aircraft at the time etc. it would be hard to answer

A320ECAM
11th Sep 2017, 21:34
Guys, surely this should have generated more food for thought.

A near MTOW A320 on early climbout suffered ALPHA FLOOR due to a sudden change of wind. Apparently no warning for the windshear.

The change of hwind to twind caused IAS to drop below stall speed.

A/C was potentially F+1F but not sure about that.

Cough
11th Sep 2017, 21:58
Would a windshear alert be generated at 2000'? Normally 1500' is the cutoff... but I don't have any A320 manuals to hand in order to verify that statement.

As to the rest, winds can do that, A/floor is a possible consequence but until any of us see the data or the report absolutely none of us can comment...

ps. F+1F isn't an A320 conf setting I've heard of [pedantic mode;-)]

dream747
12th Sep 2017, 03:02
Reactive windshear is available up to 1300ft, predictive 1800 or 2300 depending on the weather radar.

Since A.FLOOR is available from lift off to 100ft RA, I'd imagine it will be activated if the conditions are met. The right thing to do probably is to put TOGA on realising that the speed is reducing rapidly, to try prevent putting the aircraft in that situation, and not wait for the w/s warnings even if it's within the warning envelope.

vilas
12th Sep 2017, 07:18
The aircraft behaved as designed. Alpha floor is a function by itself it has following requirements:
The FAC sends this signal when:
‐ The angle of attack is above a predetermined threshold, that is a function of the configuration.
‐ In CONF 3 and CONF FULL, this threshold decreases as a function of the aircraft deceleration rate (down to – 3 °).
Alpha-floor is available from lift-off until the aircraft reaches 100 ft. RA in approach.
At 2000ft. wind shear alert would not be triggered. It has it's own conditions.
The windshear detection function is provided by the Flight Augmentation Computer (FAC) in takeoff and approach phase in the following conditions: ‐ At takeoff, 3 s after liftoff, up to 1 300 ft RA
‐ At landing, from 1 300 ft RA to 50 ft RA
‐ With at least CONF 1 selected.

pfvspnf
12th Sep 2017, 22:38
Reactive windshear is based on equivalent angle of attack FAcs on a320, FE on a330 and the Prims on a350

I really don't see what food for thought is needed, it's a protection mode it kicked in , out of shear and recovered normally ...

You practice this on nearly every recurrent