Airbus lateral guidance after takeoff
 

Curious to hear what different SOPs say about how to preset the lateral guidance in the cockpit prep for use after takeoff. My AFM says that NAV is the normal preset but the SOP is silent on the matter. This obviously won't work well if there's no SID coded in the box so in this case I'm guessing preselect runway heading and then pull heading after takeoff.

Preselect Track, Bloggs. Good for taking off in lots of crosswind... :ok:

One click rotation of hdg knob on RW or set RW TRK, no need to set after TO, why to distract yourself

What you set will depend on the clearence you have received. NAV is normal only when you have selected a SID in the MCDU. If your clearence is RW heading then set it and after airborne when RWTRK engages even in crosswind you must pull HDG , if clearence is TRK or extended center line then leave RWTRK as it is.

Track for crosswinds for departures requiring runway heading? Departures don't say "track runway alignment" they say "maintain runway heading".

misd-agin

You are correct in your neck of the woods as

"When cleared to "fly or maintain runway heading", pilots are expected to FLY THE RUNWAY HEADING WITH NO DRIFT CORRECTION applied. AIM PCG R-5"

as my last airline pre-retirement advised its pilots.

However, in other parts of the world it is the norm to maintain runway track.

Just another one of those things that international crews have to be aware of - along with things like the US phraseology 'maintain FL240' meaning 'descend FL240' as per 90% of the rest of the world.

Hey ho

Top Bunk - thanks for using the soft feathers for the professional slap. :-)

If you are asked to maintain RW heading, in crosswind ATC expects you to drift. If you maintainTrack and there is parallal RW, you will compromise seperation for the departing traffic from that RW.

Thanks for the info all.

And when you ARE departing on a SID, preselect managed NAV? Or wait until airborne to manage NAV?

Sounds good. In the engine fail after V1 case (no EO SID), before turning the autopilot on you would turn heading knob to runway heading and pull then?

As Smash stated, armed then engaged.
Depending on your variant and version, 'engaged', and the level of automation 'engaged' varies. Some at wheels up, others at a set altitude, etc.

Ahramin----no, unless you had a reason for not following the SID you would stay in NAV with or without the A/P engaged.

If you had a pre programmed Engine out SID you would insert it and stay in NAV.

The only time you would pull HDG would be if you needed to cancel the SID and turn or fly straight ahead. ( edited to keep Bloggsy happy )

Let me just clear up one thing-----

In Australia Canada and the USA Fly Runway Heading means fly the Heading without drift correction.

In the rest of the World Fly Runway Heading means fly the Track with drift correction.


Excerpt from my bible:---

Departure Tracking

If a SID or Departure Clearance specifies ‘Maintain Runway Heading' it is implied that a drift correction will be applied in order to maintain the runway track. Exceptions - USA, Canada and Australia require that “Runway Heading” be maintained without drift correction.'

Simple. :ok:

Simple? Ya joking surely? Get with the program, you POMs (and the rest), Heading is Heading and Track is Track!

To be fair, Nitpicker, if the Aussies want you to maintain runway track after takeoff eg night/IMC, ATC will ordinarily say "Track 016 degrees, Clear For Takeoff". Absolutely no doubt about what they want with that.

Or if the EO procedure called for Straight Ahead and the SID required a turn...

I'm only quoting the rules Bloggsy. ( I don't see why ATC can't just ask for what they want using plain English either )

Aust ATC will either say "cancel SID maintain runway heading clear for takeoff" or "cancel SID assigned heading *** clear for takeoff"

In 30 years of IFR in Oz I've never been instructed to fly *** track after takeoff.

Oz ATC will be aware of the wind and will allow for the drift in their heading instructions to achieve the separation results they want.:ok:


So as I said above In Oz, Canada and the good ol US of A RWY HDG means HDG.

Yeh well read AIP ENR 1.5 Page 40 or the Jepp Airway Manual Aust Terminal SID Section 4.6. :=

We get them "here" all the time. :ok:

Now Bloggsy------I never said ATC in Australia couldn't give that instruction did I....:cool:
I said "I've never been instructed....":8

By the way, where is the "here" you refer to?:)

Nice try, Picker! :O

Let's just say that when **** aren't flying we sometimes get the abovementioned departure when taking off on our northerly runway... :ok: