A320 flare technique
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A320 flare technique
Hi everybody.... I have already listened many opinions about the flare technique with a320. one captain told me that the best way to flare is at 50 feets pull about 3/4 sidestick full deflection and at 20 ft only 2 small pulls (about 1/4 sidestick deflection) and wait for touchdown... others say that for a320 it is better waiting 30 feet and then flare. Can anyone tell me when start flaring, how flare mode wrks and how and how much pull the sidestick ?
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Although the technique is written on the FCOM, there are too many variables involved to reduce it to a simple thing.
In my opinion, starting flare at 50 ft is premature unless you have too much V/S, in which case is advisable to pre-flare.
Some people starts pulling the yoke up and down like shaking something. I make a progressive pull until I am happy, and I release it a little bit if I have pulled too much or increase the angle if I pulled too little. The moment I retard the levers depends on how it is going. If I have too much energy (speed well above VLS) then I retard early. If I have too little, I wait till 20 or 10 feet. I never do like many I have seen, to keep thusts levers in the CLB notch till touchdown and making a very shallow flight into the runway. It's annoying to hear so many retards and always makes me wonder if the guy is incapacitated or something.
I consider a perfect flare and landing when I touch down with very little "floating" but softly and with not too high a pitch attitude. When I do it like that (not as often as I would like) I notice clearly that the landing roll will be very short and I will need to make little use of the brakes, even when I am heavy.
It really depends a lot on your V/S, the margin to VLS, the weight, the flight path angle...
In my opinion, starting flare at 50 ft is premature unless you have too much V/S, in which case is advisable to pre-flare.
Some people starts pulling the yoke up and down like shaking something. I make a progressive pull until I am happy, and I release it a little bit if I have pulled too much or increase the angle if I pulled too little. The moment I retard the levers depends on how it is going. If I have too much energy (speed well above VLS) then I retard early. If I have too little, I wait till 20 or 10 feet. I never do like many I have seen, to keep thusts levers in the CLB notch till touchdown and making a very shallow flight into the runway. It's annoying to hear so many retards and always makes me wonder if the guy is incapacitated or something.
I consider a perfect flare and landing when I touch down with very little "floating" but softly and with not too high a pitch attitude. When I do it like that (not as often as I would like) I notice clearly that the landing roll will be very short and I will need to make little use of the brakes, even when I am heavy.
It really depends a lot on your V/S, the margin to VLS, the weight, the flight path angle...
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Couple of things you need to remember is that at flaps full the attitude is around 2.5 nose up, if flaps at 3, then attitude is at 5 nose up. So we know that its a nose up approach attitude
the basic idea of the flare in this aircraft is to arrest the descent rate. The attitude needs to change very little
When i hear the 40 callout, i check which keeps the descent going but reduces it to about 400/500 ft/min. The reason i check at 40 feet is because by the time i hear it and my brain processes it my hand pulls back on the stick when im around 30 feet.
Then around 20 i hold about half stick in to set the attitude to land. Once the attitude is set, let the aircraft land. Normally the attitude is around 5 degrees nose up, however since you look outside visually, id say you need to see most of the runway. (its impossible to tell you how much you should see)
As for the power, with a strong headwind i cut it at 20.
With little wind i let it tell me retard once, then cut it.
With a tailwind, bring the power back at 40.
All of this is ball park and every situation is different so dont take all this as the way to do it.
Small note on flare mode (its in your FCOM)
At 50 feet, the aircraft is in Flare mode. It memorises your pitch attitude and slowly lowers the nose at 30 feet. This lowering of the nose is so that you can slowly ease some backpressure in set the attitude to land. Basically give u some control of the landing.
Remember set the attitude and let it land, cut the power according to the conditions and things should get a lot easier.
the basic idea of the flare in this aircraft is to arrest the descent rate. The attitude needs to change very little
When i hear the 40 callout, i check which keeps the descent going but reduces it to about 400/500 ft/min. The reason i check at 40 feet is because by the time i hear it and my brain processes it my hand pulls back on the stick when im around 30 feet.
Then around 20 i hold about half stick in to set the attitude to land. Once the attitude is set, let the aircraft land. Normally the attitude is around 5 degrees nose up, however since you look outside visually, id say you need to see most of the runway. (its impossible to tell you how much you should see)
As for the power, with a strong headwind i cut it at 20.
With little wind i let it tell me retard once, then cut it.
With a tailwind, bring the power back at 40.
All of this is ball park and every situation is different so dont take all this as the way to do it.
Small note on flare mode (its in your FCOM)
At 50 feet, the aircraft is in Flare mode. It memorises your pitch attitude and slowly lowers the nose at 30 feet. This lowering of the nose is so that you can slowly ease some backpressure in set the attitude to land. Basically give u some control of the landing.
Remember set the attitude and let it land, cut the power according to the conditions and things should get a lot easier.
This usually works for me :
at 200' eyes outside and focus on touchdown zone
at 100', focus at the end of runway now / hold attitude
Don't do anything until after 30' (apart from flying towards your aim point / hold attitude)
after 30', set idle thrust
(apply rudder to straighten out if any crosswind about now)
after 20', a very small flare (very slight back pressure only)
then
hold (slowly increase) a very slight backpressure to hold off and minimse rate of descent
(keep wings level)
sometimes I release back pressure/apply forward pressure just before touchdown (this can often give a nice greaser and in the zone)
Most important is not too flare until "AFTER" the 20; call, otherwise most likely :
- it will be a long landing if you try to make it a smooth one
or
- it won't be smooth if you try to get it down in the zone
at 200' eyes outside and focus on touchdown zone
at 100', focus at the end of runway now / hold attitude
Don't do anything until after 30' (apart from flying towards your aim point / hold attitude)
after 30', set idle thrust
(apply rudder to straighten out if any crosswind about now)
after 20', a very small flare (very slight back pressure only)
then
hold (slowly increase) a very slight backpressure to hold off and minimse rate of descent
(keep wings level)
sometimes I release back pressure/apply forward pressure just before touchdown (this can often give a nice greaser and in the zone)
Most important is not too flare until "AFTER" the 20; call, otherwise most likely :
- it will be a long landing if you try to make it a smooth one
or
- it won't be smooth if you try to get it down in the zone
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John Citizen has it right.
30' Thr Idle, start the flare.
When you know you're really close, within 1 or 2 feet, pushing the nose over is best. It improves the geometry with the added bonus of landing in the TDZ. Once you have it sorted, this airplane is very easy to consistently land softly.
30' Thr Idle, start the flare.
When you know you're really close, within 1 or 2 feet, pushing the nose over is best. It improves the geometry with the added bonus of landing in the TDZ. Once you have it sorted, this airplane is very easy to consistently land softly.
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It's important to get your head around what happens at 50ft on the Airbus. The aircraft enters its flare law, auto-trim ceases and the system memorises your pitch attitude.
What this means in practice is that if your pitch is less and your ROD is more than it should be at this stage it can be hard work to prevent an unpleasant arrival.
Indeed, the FCTM itself says:
Personally, I find that ensuring the ROD is sensible and where I want it to be at 50', then beginning a gradual flare just after 30' to be established in the flare by the "retard" call generally works well for me in normal conditions.
Flying the Airbus on the line, I see a huge variation in what people do with the thrust levers during landing, from retarding at 40ft to closing them a millisecond before touchdown.
The FCTM tells you to close the thrust levers
In my opinion, the problem with closing them too late is that the autothrust remains in speed mode, and if you're not careful it will start adding thrust to try to keep the speed. This can lead to a floaty messy arrival at best.
I have seen guys slowly retard the thrust levers from 30ft to be at idle by touchdown - I think it's mainly the guys who have come off the Boeing who have carried this technique over to the Airbus... I understand what they are trying to achieve by bleeding the power off gently, but from my own observations just closing the thrust levers at about 30-20ft has a similar effect, as FADEC will ensure the engines spool down slowly, and there's plenty of residual thrust.
I agree with the previous poster, gently releasing a modicum of back pressure on the stick just before the aircraft touches down can produce a smoother touchdown, this is particularly noticeable on the A321.
What this means in practice is that if your pitch is less and your ROD is more than it should be at this stage it can be hard work to prevent an unpleasant arrival.
Indeed, the FCTM itself says:
Prior to the flare, avoid destabilization of the approach...from stabilized conditions, the flare height is about 30ft.
Flying the Airbus on the line, I see a huge variation in what people do with the thrust levers during landing, from retarding at 40ft to closing them a millisecond before touchdown.
The FCTM tells you to close the thrust levers
when best adapted.
I have seen guys slowly retard the thrust levers from 30ft to be at idle by touchdown - I think it's mainly the guys who have come off the Boeing who have carried this technique over to the Airbus... I understand what they are trying to achieve by bleeding the power off gently, but from my own observations just closing the thrust levers at about 30-20ft has a similar effect, as FADEC will ensure the engines spool down slowly, and there's plenty of residual thrust.
I agree with the previous poster, gently releasing a modicum of back pressure on the stick just before the aircraft touches down can produce a smoother touchdown, this is particularly noticeable on the A321.
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.......and it is worth pointing out that until the TL 'donuts' on the N1 gauges pick up the N1 pointers at the instantantaneous N1, the rearwards movement of the TLs is not having any effect on the thrust output of the engines - if you see what I mean!!
Cheers
mcdhu
Cheers
mcdhu
...Which is one of the reasons that hand-flown approaches are best flown using manual thrust on Airbus FBW aeroplanes like the A320. Sadly, this seems to be widely discouraged, or even forbidden.
As has been said above, the best way to achieve a smooth AND accurate touchdown on the A320 was always to flare as appropriate for an accurate, moderately-firm touchdown, and then (provided the nose is high enough) briefly release the back pressure on the stick to reduce the pitch-attitude slightly just before main-wheel touchdown.
On touchdown, resume back-pressure to avoid thumping the nose-wheels on. After touchdown, however, ground-spoiler deployment tends to cause some degree of pitch-up: this has to be counteracted. If you are using medium autobrake, it will try to thump the nose-wheels on.
Keep flying the aeroplane. This applies in pitch and roll. Don't be tempted to take your hand off the stick as soon as the nose is down, as I sometimes saw in my line-checking days. It's not over yet. Ground spoilers kill most of the wing lift, but some pitch and (limited) roll control remain available initially. You may still need them.
Chris
As has been said above, the best way to achieve a smooth AND accurate touchdown on the A320 was always to flare as appropriate for an accurate, moderately-firm touchdown, and then (provided the nose is high enough) briefly release the back pressure on the stick to reduce the pitch-attitude slightly just before main-wheel touchdown.
On touchdown, resume back-pressure to avoid thumping the nose-wheels on. After touchdown, however, ground-spoiler deployment tends to cause some degree of pitch-up: this has to be counteracted. If you are using medium autobrake, it will try to thump the nose-wheels on.
Keep flying the aeroplane. This applies in pitch and roll. Don't be tempted to take your hand off the stick as soon as the nose is down, as I sometimes saw in my line-checking days. It's not over yet. Ground spoilers kill most of the wing lift, but some pitch and (limited) roll control remain available initially. You may still need them.
Chris
Last edited by Chris Scott; 8th Mar 2011 at 11:07. Reason: Punctuation. "(limited)" added to penultimate sentence.
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Hi,
Just to add a bit more: make sure the Thrust Levers are closed before touch down else the following may happen.
From Airbus Safety First Magazine Feb 2010
Just to add a bit more: make sure the Thrust Levers are closed before touch down else the following may happen.
From Airbus Safety First Magazine Feb 2010
3.2. Hard landings
Among hard landings, one specific category has been identified where by the hard landing occurred after a bounce. They fit to the following scenario (fig. 7):
No engine throttle reduction (retard) during the flare
No ground spoiler extension.
Bounce induced by a too high energy level and by the lack of lift destruction.
Engine throttle reduction performed during the bounce
Ground spoiler extension if the retard is performed within 3 seconds following the first touchdown.
Severe hard landing due to sudden loss of lift leading to a fall from a height of about 5ft to 15 ft. It has been established that most of the hard landings occurring after a bounce are severe.
Among hard landings, one specific category has been identified where by the hard landing occurred after a bounce. They fit to the following scenario (fig. 7):
No engine throttle reduction (retard) during the flare
No ground spoiler extension.
Bounce induced by a too high energy level and by the lack of lift destruction.
Engine throttle reduction performed during the bounce
Ground spoiler extension if the retard is performed within 3 seconds following the first touchdown.
Severe hard landing due to sudden loss of lift leading to a fall from a height of about 5ft to 15 ft. It has been established that most of the hard landings occurring after a bounce are severe.
Last edited by rudderrudderrat; 8th Mar 2011 at 13:50. Reason: spelling
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It also a good idea to get back to basics and learn to flare via visual references, instead of reliance on RAD ALT calls. There is some very good reference material on the following website.
The Jacobson Flare
It basically states that for each aircraft type there is a specific aim point which will have you crossing the threshold at the correct altitude. There is a also a specific cutoff point on the runway which is the cue to commence the flare, this will put you at the correct flare height. For example on the A330 aim point is about 1150 ft from the threshold (end of the 1000 ft markers) and the cutoff point is approximately the end of the 500 ft markers. So you drill your aim point maintaining a 3 deg approach and as the 500ft markers start to slip beneath your view below the combing commence the flare.
The Jacobson Flare
It basically states that for each aircraft type there is a specific aim point which will have you crossing the threshold at the correct altitude. There is a also a specific cutoff point on the runway which is the cue to commence the flare, this will put you at the correct flare height. For example on the A330 aim point is about 1150 ft from the threshold (end of the 1000 ft markers) and the cutoff point is approximately the end of the 500 ft markers. So you drill your aim point maintaining a 3 deg approach and as the 500ft markers start to slip beneath your view below the combing commence the flare.
Originally Posted by Rudderrat
Severe hard landing due to sudden loss of lift leading to a fall from a height of about 5ft to 15 ft.
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mcdhu
you are right. I usually "pre-retard" the donuts towards the thrust and then retard fully when I think is necessary.
The retard call out is not a command. It is a reminder for you not to forget retarding the levers. Forgetting it has killed quite a few people already and know there is a relatively new red ECAM warning if you do forget, I believe.
The partial spoiler helps a lot in this airplane, by the way.
you are right. I usually "pre-retard" the donuts towards the thrust and then retard fully when I think is necessary.
The retard call out is not a command. It is a reminder for you not to forget retarding the levers. Forgetting it has killed quite a few people already and know there is a relatively new red ECAM warning if you do forget, I believe.
The partial spoiler helps a lot in this airplane, by the way.
Quote from Microburst2002:
I usually "pre-retard" the donuts towards the thrust and then retard fully when I think is necessary.
At what height do you "pre-retard" the doughnuts - approximately?
I usually "pre-retard" the donuts towards the thrust and then retard fully when I think is necessary.
At what height do you "pre-retard" the doughnuts - approximately?
!!
Why is sometimes that after you achieve a smooth touchdown, that the aircraft then seems to then rapidly sink then bounce/bounce (as if bounce off the shock absorbers or something) ? And how do you counteract this ?
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Why is sometimes that after you achieve a smooth touchdown, that the aircraft then seems to then rapidly sink then bounce/bounce
