Wizz Air A321 CG was off the chart
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Wizz Air A321 CG was off the chart
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A Vr of 112 knots for a not fully loaded but well and by far not empty A321 should have rung a bell as early as at performance computation stage. The whole set of performance data was invalid.
Also, as people well acquainted with the matter say, Wizz air have a highly customised normal checklist which does not include an after takeoff checklist. Surely reading the standard Airbus checklist to the line after flaps retraction wouldn't have allowed them to climb to 5000 with the gear down?
Also, as people well acquainted with the matter say, Wizz air have a highly customised normal checklist which does not include an after takeoff checklist. Surely reading the standard Airbus checklist to the line after flaps retraction wouldn't have allowed them to climb to 5000 with the gear down?
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After takeoff/climb checklist:
Landing gear - up
Flaps - retracted
Packs - on
--------------------
Baro reference - STD set
That's the Airbus version of it, as far as I am aware. Everything else, including removing this section, is an airline-specific customisation. And that's the trap with deleting it - probably because whoever designed the SOP and checklist thought that raising the gear was too intuitive to forget.
Landing gear - up
Flaps - retracted
Packs - on
--------------------
Baro reference - STD set
That's the Airbus version of it, as far as I am aware. Everything else, including removing this section, is an airline-specific customisation. And that's the trap with deleting it - probably because whoever designed the SOP and checklist thought that raising the gear was too intuitive to forget.
320 to 321, always a trap
We have this situation a couple of times a month, and my first thought is always pax seating and underfloor loading. Followed by fuel required.
I always discuss the pax seating with the Cabin Manager and get them to check if it “looks ok” before we close the door. (Ie: pax distribution across all 3 zones.
My company has their own iPad based loading system, which is far from perfect and doesn’t populate any of the Airbus performance data.
So it is always a challenge, and requires extra vigilance for loading and operations.
That doesn’t stop these similar events from happening, but touch wood, I’ve managed it up to this point.
They were lucky this time, it could have been a lot worse.
I always discuss the pax seating with the Cabin Manager and get them to check if it “looks ok” before we close the door. (Ie: pax distribution across all 3 zones.
My company has their own iPad based loading system, which is far from perfect and doesn’t populate any of the Airbus performance data.
So it is always a challenge, and requires extra vigilance for loading and operations.
That doesn’t stop these similar events from happening, but touch wood, I’ve managed it up to this point.
They were lucky this time, it could have been a lot worse.
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Pretty sure there is no published after take off check list in the standard Airbus SOP. We used a customized one about 15 years ago, then ditched it to align more closely with the Airbus SOP. Seem to remember that the aircraft will warn you if you've left the packs off.
Airbus most definitely has an AFTER TAKE-OFF checklist. See Pilot LZ reply!
Airbus are currently revising many items of the normal SOP and I believe the AFTER TAKE-OFF checklist will be removed. These changes are delayed but due in the second half of next year.
Airbus are currently revising many items of the normal SOP and I believe the AFTER TAKE-OFF checklist will be removed. These changes are delayed but due in the second half of next year.
Apropos the above:
"Following the incident, the operator carried out an internal investigation. It identified safety actions it would take to prevent a reoccurrence, which were to:
... Improve Ground Handling Agents' awareness of the implications of a change in aircraft variant.
... Provide additional training for cabin crew on weight and balance distribution and its affects [sic]."
"Following the incident, the operator carried out an internal investigation. It identified safety actions it would take to prevent a reoccurrence, which were to:
... Improve Ground Handling Agents' awareness of the implications of a change in aircraft variant.
... Provide additional training for cabin crew on weight and balance distribution and its affects [sic]."
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Macdo, TCX were operating a very slick and cut down Airbus SOP. Every other operator out there has an After TO and Approach checklist that is straight from the official Airbus books.
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Indeed, the low V1/Vr of 112kts should have rung alarm bells! I seen to remember from my A320 days at LTN that the Vmcg/Vmca was around 115kts, but surely the giveaway should have been the aircraft registration on the load sheet handed to the captain. Yes, a good SCM should have flagged the unusual distribution to the pilots, but no more than that. I'm afraid the fault lies firmly with the dispatcher and the pilots.
a narrow squeak!
a narrow squeak!
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Airbus has an after takeoff/climb checklist definitely since my initial type rating in 1993 and I honestly do not understand why any operator would want to skip such an important part of the checklist. L/G left down is highly common for many distractions occurring during takeoff, including EFTO slightly mismanaged with some sweating where, once the a/c is under control, the crew focusses on the EFP and forgets the gear.
Rotating an A321 with 157 pax at 112 kt means a very very low understanding of basic aerodynamics...
Rotating an A321 with 157 pax at 112 kt means a very very low understanding of basic aerodynamics...
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PilotLZ
Cannot understand how this did happen...I mean you get a different aircraft, a 321 is different in everything in terms of ZFW, TOW, MLW; You have your FlySmart tool and Inflight performance application and do your loadsheet calculatioin, you insert your cargo and pax weights and distribution check the CG, the THS data, the TOW, the ZFW, double check with your colleague, insert in MCDU INIT page, then you do your TakeOff calculation, PERF page, then check again same distribution numbers with Ramp Agent, SCCM and so on and so forth.
Even if it was a manual calculation you would have immediately spotted the CG out of range.
Am i missing something ?
Cannot understand how this did happen...I mean you get a different aircraft, a 321 is different in everything in terms of ZFW, TOW, MLW; You have your FlySmart tool and Inflight performance application and do your loadsheet calculatioin, you insert your cargo and pax weights and distribution check the CG, the THS data, the TOW, the ZFW, double check with your colleague, insert in MCDU INIT page, then you do your TakeOff calculation, PERF page, then check again same distribution numbers with Ramp Agent, SCCM and so on and so forth.
Even if it was a manual calculation you would have immediately spotted the CG out of range.
Am i missing something ?
Last edited by TheEdge; 9th Oct 2020 at 09:34.
Am i missing something ?
You are missing the fact that the loadsheet was generated external to the aircraft . I would imagine that it was probably just a print out on poor quality paper using a life expired print cartridge with no envelope depiction printed on it.
“When all the passengers have boarded, the Load and Trim Sheet is printed, and a copy is passed to the flight crew for them to complete their performance calculations.
You are missing the fact that the loadsheet was generated external to the aircraft . I would imagine that it was probably just a print out on poor quality paper using a life expired print cartridge with no envelope depiction printed on it.
“When all the passengers have boarded, the Load and Trim Sheet is printed, and a copy is passed to the flight crew for them to complete their performance calculations.