Tricks and Tips to make flying easier.
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Tricks and Tips to make flying easier.
Hello guys,
Just out of curiosity, I would be interested if some of you could share your tricks or tips or just "way of doing things" in the every day life of flying. I personally use Mnemonic. It helps me a lot since I started flying like for example "3D5V" For a 3° approach, you multiple your distance by 3 to know what altitude you should be and your ground speed by 5 to know your vertical speed. Or back when I was flying twin pistons in the bush with no checklist, I always used the BUMPFFTIDE or BUMPFFDIET check for take off: Brakes, Undercarriages, Mixture, Pitch, Fuel, Flaps, Doors, Instruments, Electrical, Trim and only BUMPFF for approach.
Now I'm on the A 320, and the one I used the most are:
TLPAD: Techlog, Loadsheet, Performance (EFB computation), ATC, and Doors.
Quite useful to make sure we don't start the push back before signing the techlog and forget to do the performance computation. "P" can also stands for passport for China flights as we need to give our passport to immigration even for turn around flights.
For the descent profile, I just multiple the distance or the altitude by 3: then + 1nm per 10kt to lose on the speed. Pretty classic this one.
SSLETUCEWW for the memory items including Crew incapacitation. I know Crew incapacitation is not considered as a memory item anymore and there have been some changes but still good anyway.
Quick way to know if you are flying an A 321 Category C or D? --> Just look at the placard speed: VFE Config 1 is 235kt for Category D and only 230kt for category C.
5533: 5 min for engine warm up after 2 hours shut down, 5 min minimum to wait to set brakes fan On after landing, 3 min to warm up the engine for quick turn around, and 3 min minimum to cool down the engine after landing.
When does the ILS ident appears on the rad nav page? --> 300nm direct distance to the runway threshold. I could not find this one on the FCOM but you can try eg " ZBAA01" on the progress page and at 300nm exactly the ILS Ident will appear.
Some others also just before push back like "NWS" Nosewheel steering disc displayed on the memo, Windows closed, Slides armed.
Engine failure in cruise: TASP for the 4 first steps: Thrust MCT, A/THR Off, Speed .78/300kt, Progress page Altitude check.
For emergency : WTF, Weather, Terrain, Fuel.
during Ecam at Status page: 3 things to consider CAR Cheklist? APU? Reset?
After Ecam action completed, I Made that one: Sounds complicated but works well for me to make sure I do not forget anything critical during the sim:
BDBIIAC: Books (QRH, FCOM, MEL), Decision: Fordec/FOD/WTF, Box (ATIS, EFB, FMS & Briefing), Inform ( 4C--> CFA, Customers, Controller and Company) I0 000 feet check and Cabin report.
These are the main ones I can think off right now. And honnestly they do make my flying much easier. What's about yours? Please share.
Just out of curiosity, I would be interested if some of you could share your tricks or tips or just "way of doing things" in the every day life of flying. I personally use Mnemonic. It helps me a lot since I started flying like for example "3D5V" For a 3° approach, you multiple your distance by 3 to know what altitude you should be and your ground speed by 5 to know your vertical speed. Or back when I was flying twin pistons in the bush with no checklist, I always used the BUMPFFTIDE or BUMPFFDIET check for take off: Brakes, Undercarriages, Mixture, Pitch, Fuel, Flaps, Doors, Instruments, Electrical, Trim and only BUMPFF for approach.
Now I'm on the A 320, and the one I used the most are:
TLPAD: Techlog, Loadsheet, Performance (EFB computation), ATC, and Doors.
Quite useful to make sure we don't start the push back before signing the techlog and forget to do the performance computation. "P" can also stands for passport for China flights as we need to give our passport to immigration even for turn around flights.
For the descent profile, I just multiple the distance or the altitude by 3: then + 1nm per 10kt to lose on the speed. Pretty classic this one.
SSLETUCEWW for the memory items including Crew incapacitation. I know Crew incapacitation is not considered as a memory item anymore and there have been some changes but still good anyway.
Quick way to know if you are flying an A 321 Category C or D? --> Just look at the placard speed: VFE Config 1 is 235kt for Category D and only 230kt for category C.
5533: 5 min for engine warm up after 2 hours shut down, 5 min minimum to wait to set brakes fan On after landing, 3 min to warm up the engine for quick turn around, and 3 min minimum to cool down the engine after landing.
When does the ILS ident appears on the rad nav page? --> 300nm direct distance to the runway threshold. I could not find this one on the FCOM but you can try eg " ZBAA01" on the progress page and at 300nm exactly the ILS Ident will appear.
Some others also just before push back like "NWS" Nosewheel steering disc displayed on the memo, Windows closed, Slides armed.
Engine failure in cruise: TASP for the 4 first steps: Thrust MCT, A/THR Off, Speed .78/300kt, Progress page Altitude check.
For emergency : WTF, Weather, Terrain, Fuel.
during Ecam at Status page: 3 things to consider CAR Cheklist? APU? Reset?
After Ecam action completed, I Made that one: Sounds complicated but works well for me to make sure I do not forget anything critical during the sim:
BDBIIAC: Books (QRH, FCOM, MEL), Decision: Fordec/FOD/WTF, Box (ATIS, EFB, FMS & Briefing), Inform ( 4C--> CFA, Customers, Controller and Company) I0 000 feet check and Cabin report.
These are the main ones I can think off right now. And honnestly they do make my flying much easier. What's about yours? Please share.
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300 kt it is; for single engine failure. 280kt in case of dual engine failure
Not wishing to detract from the topic, and being a Boeing man, I'd like to understand this discrepancy. A double engine failure you want to enhance the chance of a windmill start, hence maintaining high speed. A single engine failure does not need the same urgency; you may need to drift down, in which case you need to slow down to maintain altitude before descending and then deciding on the problem and next course of action.
Not wishing to detract from the topic, and being a Boeing man, I'd like to understand this discrepancy. A double engine failure you want to enhance the chance of a windmill start, hence maintaining high speed. A single engine failure does not need the same urgency; you may need to drift down, in which case you need to slow down to maintain altitude before descending and then deciding on the problem and next course of action.
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It is the airbus standard strategy. .78/300kias for descent. However, the obstacle strategy is to reduce to green dot and keep that until clear of obstacles, then increase to standard strategy speeds. For ETOPS you might have to fly a fixed speed strategy depending on your ops manual.
The standard strategy is designed to keep the aircraft inside the windmilling engine start envelope.
The standard strategy is designed to keep the aircraft inside the windmilling engine start envelope.
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From what I Remember: 300kt is the optimum relight speed for IAE engines.
280kt is used for dual engines failure as 300kt you will lose altitude too quickly and 280kt is still good for windmilling start.
280kt is used for dual engines failure as 300kt you will lose altitude too quickly and 280kt is still good for windmilling start.
Only half a speed-brake
pineteam, that makes no sense. What more critical scenario could there be to fly optimum relight speed other than ALL ENG FAIL?
Besides, it is not correct anyways. For IAE the number is 280, for CFM 300. Please check FCOM before spreading rubbish. Frankly, I doubt your stated credentials: why would a trained pilot need an acronym to help remind himself to calculate TKOF speeds before pushback, is well beyond me.
Besides, it is not correct anyways. For IAE the number is 280, for CFM 300. Please check FCOM before spreading rubbish. Frankly, I doubt your stated credentials: why would a trained pilot need an acronym to help remind himself to calculate TKOF speeds before pushback, is well beyond me.
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FlightDetent, I was talking about IAE. I have the Books in front of me: According to the QRH for the A320, A stabiliized windmill relight will occur from 250kt. In the FCOM, for Eng Dual Failure with fuel remaining they write: optimum Relight Speed: 280kt but for engine failed in cruise it’s written black and white: .78/300kt in the FCTM and in our SOPM. I would happily send you the screenshot. Maybe the training department or FCTM are wrong then? I don’t know. I beleive it makes sense as we cruise around 250/270kt IAS, if you lose both engines, it’s very unlikely you will be able to target 300kt IAS as it will be above MMO at high altitude. So I guess 280kt makes more sense. And you certainly do not want to waste precious altitude by flying faster. At Fl 200, you can slow down to green dot speed and use the APU bleed to attempt engines start one by one.
Concerning accronyms: Well it happens people took off with temporary speed. Pushed back without signing the techlog ( happened with me when I was Fo) or closed the doors forgetting the loadsheet. So yes it does help. And before accusing me of spreading rubbish, I would like to remind you this is not the technical part of the forum. I’m happy to be corrected of course but oh well once again my topic is spoiled.... LOL.
Concerning accronyms: Well it happens people took off with temporary speed. Pushed back without signing the techlog ( happened with me when I was Fo) or closed the doors forgetting the loadsheet. So yes it does help. And before accusing me of spreading rubbish, I would like to remind you this is not the technical part of the forum. I’m happy to be corrected of course but oh well once again my topic is spoiled.... LOL.
Last edited by pineteam; 13th Nov 2017 at 05:19. Reason: Typo
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But I still don't get it. A single engine failure is totally different from an all engine failure. Considering windmill starting and x-bleed starting + geographical location makes it NOT a one horse for all courses scenario. Hence I'm puzzled. The high speed for all engines failed came to the fore after BA B747 lost all engines in volcano ash over Indonesia. The scenario was unknown in detail, and it was suggested in the aftermath that the high speed descent prevented the engines from seizing up in cooling silicon ash.
A single engine failure and drift down profile followed by either a x-bleed start or then an increased IAS for windmill start is for crew planning. Cruising at 250kts/M0.8 then single engine failure at FL>300 and increasing to 280/300kts when possible just doesn't seem the way to go.
I must be missing something.
A single engine failure and drift down profile followed by either a x-bleed start or then an increased IAS for windmill start is for crew planning. Cruising at 250kts/M0.8 then single engine failure at FL>300 and increasing to 280/300kts when possible just doesn't seem the way to go.
I must be missing something.
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Hello RAT 5,
We don't really accelerate but basically maintain the same Mach Number since we are cruising in average at M.78 on the A 320. And the speed target for an engine failure in cruise is .78/300Kt.
I asked Vilas his opinion about why it's 280kts for dual engine flame out and 300kt for single engine flame out in cruise and he said:
"Relight speeds are there to ensure required air density and N1. While the speed of 300kts in engine failure cruise is from mandatory requirement for twins on non ETOPS to have an alternate within one hour on one engine. That requirement is considered to have met at .78/300kts."
So I guess the 300kts is just to comply with regulation. So the theory I heard from one instructor that we used 280kt instead of 300kt during dual engine flame out to minimize the descent rate might be rubbish after all. Haha.
We don't really accelerate but basically maintain the same Mach Number since we are cruising in average at M.78 on the A 320. And the speed target for an engine failure in cruise is .78/300Kt.
I asked Vilas his opinion about why it's 280kts for dual engine flame out and 300kt for single engine flame out in cruise and he said:
"Relight speeds are there to ensure required air density and N1. While the speed of 300kts in engine failure cruise is from mandatory requirement for twins on non ETOPS to have an alternate within one hour on one engine. That requirement is considered to have met at .78/300kts."
So I guess the 300kts is just to comply with regulation. So the theory I heard from one instructor that we used 280kt instead of 300kt during dual engine flame out to minimize the descent rate might be rubbish after all. Haha.
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"Relight speeds are there to ensure required air density and N1. While the speed of 300kts in engine failure cruise is from mandatory requirement for twins on non ETOPS to have an alternate within one hour on one engine. That requirement is considered to have met at .78/300kts."
So I guess the 300kts is just to comply with regulation. So the theory I heard from one instructor that we used 280kt instead of 300kt during dual engine flame out to minimize the descent rate might be rubbish after all. Haha.
I still don't get it. Engine failure at cruise level. Fly the a/c. Decide if you can cruise descend for a windmill start, or need to drift down first then do x-bleed or accelerate again for windmill. The decision making time depends on 'the mind' and crew composition. If you are not sure, and in crowded RVSM, then you need a few seconds to think & decide and coordinate; hence set up for a drift down is perhaps 1st reaction, then modify as necessary once that decision has been made. That might be a 300kts descent.
The 300kts for ETOPS/non-ETOPS is a nominal speed used to calculate the diameter of the diversion circles to alternates. It is not a necessarily a practical speed. If you drift down first, then divert you will have first slowed down and then you'll consider what level to descend to and what speed to accelerate to. That is something that happens after the engine failure(s)
Dual engine failure enquires a very different reaction and speed is very relevant.
What has been told here seems to be a one size fits all in the single engine or dual engine failure case. Hm? Life ain't like that.
So I guess the 300kts is just to comply with regulation. So the theory I heard from one instructor that we used 280kt instead of 300kt during dual engine flame out to minimize the descent rate might be rubbish after all. Haha.
I still don't get it. Engine failure at cruise level. Fly the a/c. Decide if you can cruise descend for a windmill start, or need to drift down first then do x-bleed or accelerate again for windmill. The decision making time depends on 'the mind' and crew composition. If you are not sure, and in crowded RVSM, then you need a few seconds to think & decide and coordinate; hence set up for a drift down is perhaps 1st reaction, then modify as necessary once that decision has been made. That might be a 300kts descent.
The 300kts for ETOPS/non-ETOPS is a nominal speed used to calculate the diameter of the diversion circles to alternates. It is not a necessarily a practical speed. If you drift down first, then divert you will have first slowed down and then you'll consider what level to descend to and what speed to accelerate to. That is something that happens after the engine failure(s)
Dual engine failure enquires a very different reaction and speed is very relevant.
What has been told here seems to be a one size fits all in the single engine or dual engine failure case. Hm? Life ain't like that.
Last edited by RAT 5; 13th Nov 2017 at 20:16.
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CFM for type rating and IAE only with my current company.
RAT 5,
Technique are not the same. For dual engine flame out, first thing is speed target 280kt (IAE) which is the optimum relight speed.
For single engine failure, Airbus mentions 3 different strategies:Standard strategy when obstacle and time constraint are not a factor, then the speed target is: .78/300kt, Obstacle strategy: Speed target green dot speed and finally Fixed Speed Strategy (ETOPS).
Maybe i should have said that before. In our routes, we don’t have high mountains and we are not doing any ETOPS operations; so we always apply the standard strategy as obstacle is never an issue.
RAT 5,
Technique are not the same. For dual engine flame out, first thing is speed target 280kt (IAE) which is the optimum relight speed.
For single engine failure, Airbus mentions 3 different strategies:Standard strategy when obstacle and time constraint are not a factor, then the speed target is: .78/300kt, Obstacle strategy: Speed target green dot speed and finally Fixed Speed Strategy (ETOPS).
Maybe i should have said that before. In our routes, we don’t have high mountains and we are not doing any ETOPS operations; so we always apply the standard strategy as obstacle is never an issue.
