SPEED MODE BELOW FL100 (A320)

[marsattacks]

Good morning,

another quite operational airbus question- Is there any recomandation which states only to use V/S below a certain altitude during approach?

I'm not talking about general airmanship- not to descent rapidly in ground proximity, but if you got any reference for the use of V/S (instead of OPN DES).



Thanks in advance,
MA

[Artificial Horizon]

I don't think there is any airbus reference for this. All the airlines I have been with cover this with SOP's. My current airline prohibits the use of Open Descent mode below 1500' AAL and limits rate of descent to no more than 5000 fpm above 5000'. No more than 3000 fpm above 3,000, not more than 2,000 fpm above 1000'. My previous airline just had an SOP that you should be not less than one minute from hitting the ground i.e. if you are 5,000' above the ground then v/s is limited to 5000fpm, 4,000' AAL then 4,000 fpm etc.

[marsattacks]

allright... I thought, there would be any reference about it!
what about last vector for the ILS- remember the the accident in india a couple of years ago (bangalore 1990)!?

[compressor stall]

There is a reference, on my bus anyway. Check the limitations section. Auto flight.

Use of the AP or FD in OPEN DES or DES mode is not permitted in approach, unless the FCU altitude is set to, or above, MDA (MDH) or 500 ft, whichever is the highest.

[CaptainProp]

Yea but to descend in OPEN DES to 500' would not be something that I would recommend....

[Eric Janson]

Keep it simple

I use open/managed descent down to the initial approach altitude. I'll use V/S mode only if I'm a little below profile.

For the approach G/S mode or FPA depending on the approach. You shouldn't need to use V/S at all.