Track/FPA approach on A320
Thread Starter
Track/FPA approach on A320
First off - I am NOT a pilot! Apart from the approximately 20 hours I did towards a PPL back in the early 80s I'm just an aviation enthusiast. I recently had my second session in the excellent A320 simulator at Simulator Adventures in Salford (disclaimer - I have no commercial affiliation, I'm just a very satisfied customer). I flew an approach and landing at St Maarten using Track/FPA, and just wanted to clarify a few things for my own interest.
1) the track vector shown on the display is, I assume, equivalent to the localiser on an ILS approach?
2) flying the 'bird' to maintain the appropriate descent angle is equivalent to the glideslope on an ILS approach?
3) having only ever flown a Piper PA28 for real, where on a visual approach I used the throttle to control rate of descent and the stick to control airspeed, on a Track/FPA approach I'm assuming the autothrottle controls rate of descent but what is controlling airspeed?
Sorry if any/all of the above is a bit dumb, but as i say, I'm not a 'real' pilot!
1) the track vector shown on the display is, I assume, equivalent to the localiser on an ILS approach?
2) flying the 'bird' to maintain the appropriate descent angle is equivalent to the glideslope on an ILS approach?
3) having only ever flown a Piper PA28 for real, where on a visual approach I used the throttle to control rate of descent and the stick to control airspeed, on a Track/FPA approach I'm assuming the autothrottle controls rate of descent but what is controlling airspeed?
Sorry if any/all of the above is a bit dumb, but as i say, I'm not a 'real' pilot!
Hello !
Track FPA is just the guidance modes. It's unrelated to the approach you're flying.
If you were not strictly following SOP, you could use TRACK/FPA modes to follow almost any type of approach.
The localiser is equivalent to the lateral deviation on RNAV approaches, or to the course deviation on VOR or ADFs approaches.
Similarly, the bird (FPA) is just an indication of current descent angle. It's unrelated to the actual position relative to the glideslope (actual, radioelectric, or computed for non precision approaches).
The airbus uses the other way around than your piper. Rate of descent is controlled with the pitch attitude and speed is controlled with the ATHR. The ATHR is in "SPEED" mode for approach.
However, proper piloting technique if you're flying manual will still include reducing power when pushing and opposite (except for very small variations)
Track FPA is just the guidance modes. It's unrelated to the approach you're flying.
If you were not strictly following SOP, you could use TRACK/FPA modes to follow almost any type of approach.
The localiser is equivalent to the lateral deviation on RNAV approaches, or to the course deviation on VOR or ADFs approaches.
Similarly, the bird (FPA) is just an indication of current descent angle. It's unrelated to the actual position relative to the glideslope (actual, radioelectric, or computed for non precision approaches).
The airbus uses the other way around than your piper. Rate of descent is controlled with the pitch attitude and speed is controlled with the ATHR. The ATHR is in "SPEED" mode for approach.
However, proper piloting technique if you're flying manual will still include reducing power when pushing and opposite (except for very small variations)
Thread Starter
Hi, thanks for that. I did find this approach method quite straightforward, although I realised afterwards that I need to watch the PAPI lights more!
On a completely different note, one thing I just didn't do well was keeping the nose straight on take-off and landing roll, I seemed to get off the centreline very easily and struggled to get it back again.
On a completely different note, one thing I just didn't do well was keeping the nose straight on take-off and landing roll, I seemed to get off the centreline very easily and struggled to get it back again.
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Hi, thanks for that. I did find this approach method quite straightforward, although I realised afterwards that I need to watch the PAPI lights more!
On a completely different note, one thing I just didn't do well was keeping the nose straight on take-off and landing roll, I seemed to get off the centreline very easily and struggled to get it back again.
On a completely different note, one thing I just didn't do well was keeping the nose straight on take-off and landing roll, I seemed to get off the centreline very easily and struggled to get it back again.
With the centreline, that will just take time and experience to finesse. Get back there quickly but anticipate once you’re moving back towards it to adjust the nose in the other direction to stay there. Bear in mind you’ll likely always need some rudder input, it’s never as easy as pointing the nose straight down the runway with no input or deviations. Keep your legs light and able to bounce between inputs between the pedals. Also make sure you’re making no brake inputs by accident!
I guess you’re an avid simmer? Something I’ve heard a lot say is how surprised they are with how far forward they are sat in the correct seating position. My knees are quite close to the foot rests! Make sure you use the eye reference points in the central window pilar so that you cannot see the white ball at all. Get an instructor to check your arm rest position and make note of the numbers, the same with the rudder pedals too.
Hi, thanks for that. I did find this approach method quite straightforward, although I realised afterwards that I need to watch the PAPI lights more!
On a completely different note, one thing I just didn't do well was keeping the nose straight on take-off and landing roll, I seemed to get off the centreline very easily and struggled to get it back again.
On a completely different note, one thing I just didn't do well was keeping the nose straight on take-off and landing roll, I seemed to get off the centreline very easily and struggled to get it back again.
They're sometimes more difficult to fly than the real plane.
At least, they're very different. The screen is sometimes completely off and I flew a general public sim once which gave illusions when turning and banking the plane.
Consider it realistic only if it's certified for fixed base training (MCC, beginning of type rating..), or if real world pilots confirmed it to be so.
Thread Starter
If you get the papis in place with 2 red 2 white and then place the top of the wing of the bird just under the bottom of the 2.5 degree line, (assuming it’s a 3 degree slope) and just make very small adjustments, that’ll help you keep you on target, and on datum for the landing.
With the centreline, that will just take time and experience to finesse. Get back there quickly but anticipate once you’re moving back towards it to adjust the nose in the other direction to stay there. Bear in mind you’ll likely always need some rudder input, it’s never as easy as pointing the nose straight down the runway with no input or deviations. Keep your legs light and able to bounce between inputs between the pedals. Also make sure you’re making no brake inputs by accident!
I guess you’re an avid simmer? Something I’ve heard a lot say is how surprised they are with how far forward they are sat in the correct seating position. My knees are quite close to the foot rests! Make sure you use the eye reference points in the central window pilar so that you cannot see the white ball at all. Get an instructor to check your arm rest position and make note of the numbers, the same with the rudder pedals too.
With the centreline, that will just take time and experience to finesse. Get back there quickly but anticipate once you’re moving back towards it to adjust the nose in the other direction to stay there. Bear in mind you’ll likely always need some rudder input, it’s never as easy as pointing the nose straight down the runway with no input or deviations. Keep your legs light and able to bounce between inputs between the pedals. Also make sure you’re making no brake inputs by accident!
I guess you’re an avid simmer? Something I’ve heard a lot say is how surprised they are with how far forward they are sat in the correct seating position. My knees are quite close to the foot rests! Make sure you use the eye reference points in the central window pilar so that you cannot see the white ball at all. Get an instructor to check your arm rest position and make note of the numbers, the same with the rudder pedals too.
I get what you are saying about rudder control, on my first session I think I was holding the sidestick too firmly, second time around I used a lighter touch and found following the flight director (AP off) much easier, so I was probably too impatient with my initial rudder inputs, expecting a quicker response but then getting into trouble, putting in too much input then over-correcting.
I was told to keep my feet fully on the pedals for taxying, but for take-off and roll-out put my heels on the floor and use the balls of my feet for rudder input, thereby avoiding accidental braking. I don't know if this is correct procedure but hey, it worked for me.
