Older vs Newer A320
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 829
Likes: 9
From: taking up the hold
Chris
In answer to your questions-
Does the new RAT design enable:
1) RAT to provide reliable hydraulic and electrical power until touchdown?
1) RAT to provide reliable hydraulic and electrical power until touchdown?
From FCOM 1 for sn 934:
When the landing gear is down, the emergency generator is no longer powered, and the emergency generation network is automatically transferred to the batteries and the static inverter, and the system automatically sheds the AC SHED ESS and DC SHED ESS buses.
& for sn 2098 there is no referance to gear down but this statement replaces it:
If the RAT stalls, or if the aircraft is on the ground with a speed below 100 knots, the emergency generator has nothing to drive it. The emergency generation network automatically transfers to the batteries and static inverter, and the system automatically sheds the AC SHED ESS and DC SHED ESS buses.
In answer to your second question-
Does the new RAT design enable:
2) Alternate Law to continue after L/G extension?
Does the new RAT design enable:
2) Alternate Law to continue after L/G extension?
No, they are all direct law with the gear down. I imagine Airbus would have recertify the aircraft to enable this. I beleive that the A330 will land in alternate law.
FCOM 3 makes referance to the fact that on the older aircraft the RAT stalls at 140 kts but it is 125 kts except in the flare for the newer ones. Perhaps this is a clue as to why it is still direct law for landing.
As an aside the terms older & newer are perhaps a bit misleading. The new style RAT was incorporated into the A321 from the beginning whereas Airbus continued to produce the 320 with the old RAT. A couple of the 321s that I fly have the new RAT despite being older than our 320s with the old style.
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 220
Likes: 0
From: KDEN
The Thales unit is a nice box, thought I never had the privelege of using the Honeywell system, other than in a flight training device. Our first few ships came with the Honeywell box before being swapped out, the few at our organization that have flown both are split 50/50 on which unit was superior. It's a wash.
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 829
Likes: 9
From: taking up the hold
Thales FMGC2 wins hands down. It does everything that the honeywell does & so much more:
Creates temporary flight plan for every modification with insert/eras options.
Abeam points available with a direct to.
Will calculate the "Equal time point" on any route between any two points. Very handy when en route diversions are few & far between. Accessed via DATA key & 6L. Defaults to Origin & Destination unless modified.
Will allow you to draw radials from any waypoint. Accessed via lateral revision at from waypoint or destination via 5L.
Will allow you to create "Place Distance" waypoints a user defined distance before or after any way point. type ref waypoint name then / followed by +/- nm before or after (eg 30nm before LAM type LAM/-30) & insert in flightplan.
As previously mentioned provides much more comprehensive evaluations of step climb & descents by allowing different winds to be inserted at different levels. Also gives the fuel/time saving or penalty before the change is inserted.
Will give a list of nearest airports with nm & time & very cleverly includes the track miles & time to loose your altitude. Accessed via DATA key & 5L.
I'm sure there are others that I can't remember or don't know about!
Creates temporary flight plan for every modification with insert/eras options.
Abeam points available with a direct to.
Will calculate the "Equal time point" on any route between any two points. Very handy when en route diversions are few & far between. Accessed via DATA key & 6L. Defaults to Origin & Destination unless modified.
Will allow you to draw radials from any waypoint. Accessed via lateral revision at from waypoint or destination via 5L.
Will allow you to create "Place Distance" waypoints a user defined distance before or after any way point. type ref waypoint name then / followed by +/- nm before or after (eg 30nm before LAM type LAM/-30) & insert in flightplan.
As previously mentioned provides much more comprehensive evaluations of step climb & descents by allowing different winds to be inserted at different levels. Also gives the fuel/time saving or penalty before the change is inserted.
Will give a list of nearest airports with nm & time & very cleverly includes the track miles & time to loose your altitude. Accessed via DATA key & 5L.
I'm sure there are others that I can't remember or don't know about!
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 263
Likes: 1
From: farrrr east
New cargo floor panels, ceiling decompression panels, led lights, fully electronic controlled brakes, ozone filters, new pack and controller, new improved cids, different way of attaching the fuselage roof panel stringers, CFM56 highly modified, (spent 3 days in the class room being updated). Some old and some new defects.
The list goes on.
GAPCU, what frustration.
The list goes on.GAPCU, what frustration.
Last edited by allthatglitters; 23rd February 2008 at 14:24.
Only half a speed-brake
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 4,459
Likes: 136
From: Commuting not home
Old: Honeywell Legacy
New: FMGS 2 Honeywell OR Thales.
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 96
Likes: 0
From: Sandpit
The new FMGS II is a great feature however their new "soft alt + thrust" designed for fuel economy and pax confort (i'm talking about 3000+ serial number) can scare the s*** out of you. Selected .78 = .81 and engines still apply power or FD pointing at 10 degrees nose up = autopilot in 15 degrees moving VERY slowly towards the 10 degrees command. 
On the old FMGS you can select a different cruise alt on the Prog page and it will keep your altitude in turbulence, on the new FMGS you cannot get out of the ALT CRZ and you will be somewhere near your cruising altitude at all times with speed near your cruise speed.
However the noise is significantly lower.
On the old FMGS you can select a different cruise alt on the Prog page and it will keep your altitude in turbulence, on the new FMGS you cannot get out of the ALT CRZ and you will be somewhere near your cruising altitude at all times with speed near your cruise speed.
However the noise is significantly lower.
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
From: CO
What about the CFM56 Tech Insertion ?
It is said that the fuel consumption is reduced by 1%, the reliability is better with a bigger EGT margin.
But what are the facts in real life ? Is the fuel consumption 'realy' lower than a 'classic' CFM56
?
Nevertheless, I am convinced that the maintenance cost are lower due to a better management of the LLP : the life limit of the first limiter is higher.
It is said that the fuel consumption is reduced by 1%, the reliability is better with a bigger EGT margin.
But what are the facts in real life ? Is the fuel consumption 'realy' lower than a 'classic' CFM56
?Nevertheless, I am convinced that the maintenance cost are lower due to a better management of the LLP : the life limit of the first limiter is higher.
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
From: Somewhere in Europe
new A319s
There appear to be a few glitches with the brand new A319s
1. After 2nd engine start, both N1s spool up uncommanded about 10% for a few seconds before returning to idle?!?
2. The idle is higher than the older models such that on a hot day, you run the risk of cooking the brakes and hence delaying take-off. Either that or you may have to use the brake fans whilst taxiing.
3. After using the speed brakes whilst slowing down on approach and continuing to use them during flap selections, the a/thrust commands a speed down the approach of Vapp +10 kts. I know that Airbus know about this one and require data files to be sent to them for analysis whenever possible.
In short, nothing really to worry about but still curious as this behaviour goes undocumented
1. After 2nd engine start, both N1s spool up uncommanded about 10% for a few seconds before returning to idle?!?
2. The idle is higher than the older models such that on a hot day, you run the risk of cooking the brakes and hence delaying take-off. Either that or you may have to use the brake fans whilst taxiing.
3. After using the speed brakes whilst slowing down on approach and continuing to use them during flap selections, the a/thrust commands a speed down the approach of Vapp +10 kts. I know that Airbus know about this one and require data files to be sent to them for analysis whenever possible.
In short, nothing really to worry about but still curious as this behaviour goes undocumented
