Taxi

 

It is Captains discretion as to when visibility is good enough to taxi. (FOM 5.5.6)

 

No more than 40% N1 for breakaway thrust without clearance. (PH 18.2.3)

Max taxi speed on straightaway – 30 kts.

Max taxi speed on turns approx. 10 kts.

Minimum pavement width for 180° turn: 100’ (A321 105’)

 

Ensure at least 5 minutes for engine warm up after engine start before applying takeoff thrust for first flight of day. Plan for 5 minutes and allow at least 3 minutes for subsequent flights for that day. (PH 18.3.2, 3.7, 3.15)

 

During taxi in icing conditions longer than 30 mins. run-up engines to approx. 70% N1 for at least 30 secs. to shed fan ice (PH 3.6).

 

Note: Do not exceed 75% N1 (A321 70%) on both engines with parking brake ON (PH 3.6).

 

i Airbus Gotcha’: If you do not get the Flight Control page on ECAM when you do the Flight Control check you need to turn off the Engine Mode switch from IGN/START to NORM. Next time try to remember your After Start flow!

 

Single Engine Taxi – Single engine taxi is at Captain’s discretion with factors such as weight, ramp condition, passenger comfort, etc. Allow 5 minute warm up for first flight of day, 3 minutes on subsequent flights must be observed. Allow at least one minute for engine cool down on taxi in. (PH 3.7, 3.15)

 

Single Engine Taxi is not allowed when:

Ø      When aircraft will be powered out (no pushback)

Ø      Contaminated surfaces (snow, ice, etc.)

 

Requirements for Single Engine Taxi are:

Ø      Yellow Electric Pump ON and Yellow Accumulator pressure in green.

Ø      Engine 1 must be used as operative engine during single engine taxi.

Ø      Make no braking or steering inputs during engine starts. This will avoid computer problems during electrical power shifts.

Ø      Use APU if available on taxi out.

 

APU is normally used for starting second engine as it is more fuel efficient than a crossbleed start. However, if APU or APU bleed is not available single engine taxi may still be used and crossbleed procedures used for second engine start. Therefore APU is to be used if available during single engine taxi out. If APU bleed is being used during single engine taxi then select X-BLEED AUTO, if APU bleed off then select X-BLEED OPEN. Normally APU is not used during taxi in.

 

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Takeoff

 

iMake your flight instructor happy!: When setting power for takeoff, the thrust levers should be set to 50% on the TLA (doughnut) and once both engines stabilize at 50% then position both levers to FLEX or TOGA. The 50% setting will be at about the H on the thrust lever index where the pedestal says A/THR (to give you an idea of how far forward the thrust lever goes). Make an initial setting on the thrust levers and then adjust on the TLA to 50%.

 

Note: Allow at least 5 minutes for engine warm up before applying takeoff thrust for first flight of day. Plan for 5 mins. warm up however on after first flight of day subsequent flights may use a minimum of 3 mins. warm up. (PH 18.2.3)

 

Do not use aileron into the wind during a crosswind (PH 18.3.4). During a takeoff with crosswind exceeding 20 kts. or CG more than 34% (PH 18.3.2) apply full forward sidestick to be taken out by 80 to 100 kts. Ensure the aileron is neutralized by looking at the “control pointer cross” on the PFD or relax the sidestick to center during the takeoff roll. This will ensure that you do not have any roll in the initial rotation and liftoff. During crosswind takeoff let engines stabilize at 50% then increase to 70% N1 and stabilize, then increase to FLEX or TOGA by 40 kts. ground speed.

 

i Airbus Gotcha’: It is possible for the F/O to occasionally enter the wrong W&B data. An easy way for both the Capt. and F/O to double-check their work is to look at the Gross Weight shown in the bottom right hand corner of the SD after engine start and W&B is entered. This number should be very close to the Ramp weight shown on the W&B printout and similar to the TPS numbers. If you manage to still takeoff with the wrong gross weight entered, you will eventually get a gross weight mismatch error message once the aircraft has computed its in-flight weight. To correct this just enter the proper weight in the PROG page after subtracting the current fuel used from the original Ramp weight.

 

i Airbus Gotcha’: If on taxi out you do not have the V speeds showing in your PFD (after entry in MCDU), make sure that your Flight Director is turned on.

 

On takeoff, PF should have the F-PLN page, PM the PERF-TAKEOFF page

 

Use a radar tilt of 5-8° UP if radar required during takeoff. (PH 3.8 pg. 3-48)

 

Normally set a departure heading for selection at 400’. Note: set the heading you will need at 400’. If you are using a SID departure where NAV is required NAV mode will engage at 30’ automatically, do not set a heading for NAV departure. (PH 17.4.3, 18.3.1)

 

Use ARC or ROSE NAV on takeoff on your EFIS ND settings. Do not fly around in PLAN. Only use PLAN as a momentary reference in-flight.


 

RTO – Rejected Takeoff (PH 18.3.6)

 

ECAM will inhibit all warnings/cautions that are not paramount from 80 kts. to 1500’ AGL.

 

Ø      The captain calls the “reject”. F/O verify braking and notify tower

Ø      Thrust Levers idle (when the thrust levers go to idle the ground spoilers extend, which then trigger the autobrakes)

Ø      Monitor autobraking (brake manually only if autobrakes do not function)

Ø      Select Full Reverse

Ø      Maintain slight forward pressure on sidestick

Ø      Stop aircraft

Ø      F/O inform passengers and flight attendants

 

Note: If necessary, maximum reverse may be used until aircraft comes to complete stop.

 

Note: Autobrakes will not activate below 72 kts.

 

On takeoff the aircraft will “blend” from direct to normal law as it goes from ground mode to flight mode. This means that the backpressure that you need to hold the nose up will reduce to zero once normal law autotrim activates. You will usually not really notice this change as the aircraft will be climbing quickly but you will learn to release the backpressure around 100 to 200 ft. as the trim kicks in or the nose will “balloon”. A good Airbus pilot quickly learns to minimize input as many times the pilot is inducing a slight amount of sidestick pressure without realizing it. Remember, the less input on the stick the better. You don’t want to “confuse” the computers (or the pilot!).

 

New Airbus pilots tend to get into the habit of “slapping” the Thrust Levers back from TOGA or FLX/MCT to the CL detent. While this will work it really isn’t the best technique. The power reduction will be very noticeable in back to the passengers and is harder on the engines when using TOGA or less aggressive FLEX reductions. When the FLEX temp is around 60° there will be little or no reduction when coming out of FLX/MCT to CL and this is why pilots get used to just “slapping” the levers back. However, when the reduction is in the 30° range or so (common on the 321) or at TOGA the immediate reduction is very noticeable. Remember that when above CL you are manually controlling the thrust but the FLEX has “capped” the thrust so that with large assumed temps there is little or no change from FLX/MCT to CL. Just ease the thrust levers back from FLX/MCT or TOGA to the CL detent slowly just as you would on any other jet aircraft. Your passengers and engines will appreciate it!


V1 Cuts

 

Pick a line and stick to it no matter what on every takeoff. You will find that you will just naturally put in the correct rudder for V1 cuts if you practice this on every takeoff. You don’t have to hit the centerline lights but stay right on the centerline. You should have the aircraft already stabilized with rudder before rotation (assuming the cut is before the Rotate call). Bring the nose up to 10° (park it on the 10° “shelf”) and hold it. Then follow the flight director. The only real gotcha’ here is that the aircraft takes off in Direct mode. It will then blend to Normal. This means that you will have autotrim kicking in just after takeoff. Remember in direct you will be holding back pressure to keep the nose at 10° until Normal law with autotrim comes in and then you will need to release the back pressure on the sidestick. In fact this is what happens on every takeoff. Be sure that you don’t try to trim off the rudder so quickly that you are diverted from flying during the blend from direct to normal as the trim coming in will cause you to pitch up if you aren’t watching for it. Since technically the autopilot can be put on at 100’ some folks try to show how good they are and start trimming rudder right away. Better to wait until the blend is complete around a few hundred feet first and then trim the rudder and then get it on autopilot. You don’t get any bonus points for a quick rudder trim but losing speed and pitch control!

 

Note: If taking off in FLEX the PF has the discretion to leave thrust levers in FLEX or to increase to TOGA. If aircraft is heavy, runway is short, aircraft must be maneuvered for obstacle clearance, aircraft is on fire or has other time critical problem pilot should consider using TOGA if not already selected. Thrust should be increased to TOGA in a slow, deliberate manner in order to not destabilize the situation. You may do this once on autopilot if so desired.

 

Note: If thrust levers are left in FLEX then they must be positioned to TOGA and reset back to MCT (same detent as FLEX) when engine out procedures call for reduction to MCT. This is due to the fact that the same detent is used for FLEX and MCT. By selecting from FLEX to TOGA and then back to the MCT detent the logic is satisfied for the FMGC.

 

 

First Pilot noting engine failure: “Engine Failure”

PF: “TOGA” (if desired)

Maintain centerline, minimize sidestick inputs

PM: “TOGA SET”

 

At VR – “Rotate”

 

“Gear UP”

“Positive Rate”

 

“Gear UP” – position gear lever UP and disarm spoilers

After blend from direct to normal law (about 200’) trim off rudder as needed

 

“Autopilot 1” (or 2) as needed above 100’ RA

Select autopilot as called for

At 400’ select heading if needed, Comply with engine out departure procedures if specified for airport or runway

 

At 1000’ or engine out acceleration altitude push V/S or call “Altitude HOLD”

Push V/S if Altitude Hold is called for

At F speed call “Flaps 1”

“Flaps 1” – Select Flaps 1

At S speed call “Flaps UP”

Accelerate to Green Dot (VFTO)

“Flaps UP” – Select Flaps UP

Continue climb if needed

Select OPEN CLIMB or call “OPEN CLIMB SELECT”

 

Select Open Climb if called for

Select MCT on thrust levers (or if in FLEX select TOGA and then MCT)

 

“ECAM actions”

“After Takeoff checklist”

 

 

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