|
A320 - Feet position for taxi and TO
I couldn't find any reference in the FCOM/FCTM unless I missed it, but where does Airbus want our feet to be for Takeoff and Taxiing.
Fully on the pedals or heals on the floor? |
You put your left foot in, you put your left foot out, you put your left foot in..... joke aside, you put them where directional and braking control is assured, common sense (I’m not a pilot) |
Not in the FCOM, but keep in mind that under certain situations the pilot is required to maintain directional control through differential braking. This is best achieved by placing the full feet on the pedal and using the heels for directional control and the tips for braking.
|
Hi, the FCTM PR-NP-SOP-70 says that one should be able to immediately and simultaneously apply full rudder deflection and full braking. The way to achieve this is delegated to the individual operators as each have got their own view of this old time argument. Nevertheless Airbus at one of its training conferences mentioned that their suggestion is for both pilots to keep feet up. The design of the pedals is such to have your whole feet resting on it. try slide up you feet on that rubber material when landing on 38kt crosswind, or have an engine failure at low speed (below 72kt) on a 30m wide runway, good luck! |
This is best achieved by placing the full feet on the pedal and using the heels for directional control and the tips for braking. For take off, my heels were always on the floor to prevent inadvertent braking like these chaps. https://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/03/w...y-players.html https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5423046f40f0b61342000b77/Gulfstream_G150__D-CKDM_12-11.pdf |
If you need to reject and you have loss of braking on wet/slippery runway you will need to modulate braking pressure with the tips while maintaining directional control with the heels.
As I said, nothing written in the manuals, just my personal view. |
Airbus doesn't specify as far as I'm aware, but talking to some of our training captain, I shifted from heels on the floor to heels up. The risk of brake application is minimal during TO if you keep your toes up, but needing to apply differential braking at max crosswind could be difficult otherwise. The time taken to shift heels up to the pedals in a heavy crosswind might be just the thing that puts you off the side of the runway. Same with max manual braking if needed.
|
Check the Airbus CBT, You will see in lesson 1 the correct seating position including the proper positioning of feet on rudder, that is fully on the rudder, no heels on the floor. |
I’m a heels on the floor man for take-off. It’s much easier to accurately control the yaw with rudder input after an engine failure above V1 if your heels are on the floor imho. |
Originally Posted by Nightstop
(Post 10384283)
I’m a heels on the floor man for take-off. It’s much easier to accurately control the yaw with rudder input after an engine failure above V1 if your heels are on the floor imho. |
Originally Posted by Flaps0
(Post 10384467)
I concur. In the event of engine failure below 72kts, it only takes a fraction of a second to shift the feet up on the brakes. |
Originally Posted by simufly
(Post 10384547)
Not sure what 72kts has to do with it, is it 320thing? I have heard 80 kts on small jets and 100kts on bigger ones? We seem to have forgotten suprise and startle? |
I did a Technical Request to Airbus a few months back regarding this.
XXX: My name, ZZZ, ICAO Code of the airline I did the request for. Dear XXX, The following is in response to your message that is outlined below: QUESTION: We would like clarification on the recommended feet position during taxi, takeoff and landing. FCTM PR-NP-SOP 70 P1/2 gives us informations but the wording is not very clear. Should the feet be on the rudder pedals or heels to the ground ? ANSWER: Airbus would like to inform ZZZ that as mentioned in ZZZ A320 Family FCTM PR-NP-SOP-70, the feet position has to ensure full rudder deflection combined with full braking, even in differential, can be applied instinctively and without delay. As long as the above combined actions are met. Airbus does not have any specific recommendation on the where feet position should be. We hope this satisfactorily responds to your request and we remain available for any additional information and assistance. Best regards, |
Yes, I spoke in person to a couple of Airbus guys (and not sales reps/TREs...) about this at a conference and they confirmed that Airbus will never be so prescriptive to tell people where to put their feet, but the pilot must be able to apply full braking immediately without any delay. They unofficially verbally confirmed to me that the only way to achieve this is to have your toes on the brakes.
|
I used to be heels on the floor. Having started flying an Airbus, I have changed my ways. The issue I find is that the pedals are grippy and I don’t find it easy sliding my feet up, particularly if I’m already holding some rudder in. I don’t particularly like it as it means I have to use my whole leg to move the rudder instead of just my toes which is what I was used to. |
For those of you who have your heels on the floor for landing in strong crosswinds, how do you move your feet up when you want to transit to manual braking without releasing the pressure on the rudder pedal for a moment? |
Less than 72 kts is not a killer speed so you have time to move your feet to apply brakes. Auto brakes and heels on the floor for me. I'm flown Airbus, BAe, Boeing , Gulfstream and McDonald Douglas with and without auto brake and regardless I'm always heels on floor. And I've rejected close to V1.
|
Originally Posted by dream747
(Post 10384702)
For those of you who have your heels on the floor for landing in strong crosswinds, how do you move your feet up when you want to transit to manual braking without releasing the pressure on the rudder pedal for a moment? You shouldn’t have to release any, just carefully and smoothly slide your feet up the rudder pedals while keeping the same input until you can operate the brakes Otherwise it’s heels on the floor, better for control and avoiding inadvertent brake application |
Originally Posted by stilton
(Post 10384750)
You shouldn’t have to release any, just carefully and smoothly slide your feet up the rudder pedals while keeping the same input until you can operate the brakes Otherwise it’s heels on the floor, better for control and avoiding inadvertent brake application In other words both techniques work. The key point is to use whichever one gives you best control at all times, which is more than likely dependent on past experience and the shape of your foot and flexibility in your ankles! The other key is to again, make sure that both feet are all the way up to the top of the pedals during manual braking. |
Since speed for taxiing is slow it's not an issue, keep it up or down. For takeoff there is no recommended position. But in adverse conditions sliding the feet up for differential braking with full rudder in EFATO low speed reject can be a handful. In B747 classic rudders were not connected to nose wheel making very difficult. I always kept my feet on top and was very easy to slam the brake and rudder. In A320 with A/BRAKE and some control of nosewheel through rudders should not be difficult. As stated by Airbus as long as the objective to use full rudder deflection and differential braking can be achieved use any position you are comfortable with.
|
| All times are GMT. The time now is 03:55. |
Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.