Auto flight VPrep -FMA Annunciation Flashcards
The FMA has how many columns and how many rows?
5 columns
3 rows
What does column 1 show?
Thrust modes (SPEED…)
What does column 2 show?
Vertical modes (ALT green, G/S blue….)
What does column 3 show?
Lateral modes (LOC……)
What does column 4 show?
Approach Capabilities (CAT3, DUAL, BARO 532….)
What does column 5 show?
AP, FD and A/THR engagement status
What do GREEN annunciations mean on the FMA?
Active
What do BLUE annunciations mean on the FMA?
Armed
What do WHITE annunciations mean on the FMA?
Engaged
What do MAGENTA annunciations mean on the FMA?
Restriction
What, and for how long does a WHITE BOX show?
Highlights a new selection,
3-10sec depending on mode change
What does a Triple Click indicate?
Change in the approach capability, (DUAL to SINGLE), or
change to a reversion
On the Ground, CLB NAV blue, 1FD2?
The autoflight system is armed to follow the vertical and lateral navigation after take-off.
Flight directors 1 (Capt) and 2(FO) are ON.
What does the FMA show when PF selects take-off thrust?
The other modes that are active and armed:
MAN (white) SRS(gr) RWY(gr)
FLX(wh) +45(b) CLB(bl) NAV (bl) 1FD2(wh)
A/THR (bl)
Where is MAN FLX+45 ad when should it be achieved?
Set from the MCDU
Achieved when Thrust levers placed in the FLX MCT detent for take-off
If PF sets TOGA for take-off what will be annunciated on the FMA?
MAN
TOGA
in thrust mode column 1
What does a lateral mode (column 3) RWY green on the FMA indicate?
RWY centreline guidance will be given on the runway through the yaw bar if an ILS is available.
If no ILS is available the lateral active box will be blank.
If a pre-selected HDG is used for take-off how will this be displayed on the FMA?
Column 3, row 2
HDG armed blue
What does SRS green in Vertical mode (column 2) indicate?
The aircraft will follow a pitch attitude to maintain V2 - V2+10 kts once airborne
What does A/THR blue in column 5, row 3 indicate?
Autothrust is armed
When does RWY green change to NAV green during the take-off?
After lift-off.
Shows aircraft is following lateral naviagation as programmed in the FMGC page.
If heading has been pre-selected what tracking will te aircraft follow once airborne?
Runway track (RWY TRK green) until the heading knob on the FCU is pulled
FMA shows:
RWY TRK green
HDG blue
1FD2 indicates that:
a) FD1 is following orders from…..?
b) FD2 is following orders from….?
a) FMGC1
b) FMGC2
What does white AP1 (white) in column 5 indicate?
AP1 is engaged and following orders from FMGC1
What does white AP2 (white) in column 5 indicate?
AP2 is engaged and following orders from FMGC2
What Thrust mode appears on the FMA at thrust reduction altitude?
LVR CLB flashes to prompt PF to select climb thrust
MAN (wh)
TOGA (wh)
LVR CLB (wh)
After thrust is reduced to Climb position at Thrust reduction altitude, what does the FMA Thrust mode column change to?
THR CLB (green) gives maximum climb thrust
When does the Autothrust go from armed to active?
After thrust is reduced to Climb position at Thrust reduction altitude
When does CLB mode engage?
At acceleration altitude
What occurs at acceleration altitude?
CLB mode Engages
Aircraft accelerates to 250kts below 10000ft
Flap retraction
CLB green
ALT blue
Above 10000ft what will the FMGC command in thrust and speed?
Max climb thrust, and
Vary the pitch to maintain the target ECON climb speed
If an altitude constraint is in the flightplan then what colour will ALT be on the FMA?
Magenta
As the aircraft approaches an altitude constraint what does CLB green change to?
ALT CST* green
What does ALT CST/ALT indicate?
An altitude capture function that allows a smooth change from climbing to levelling off by:
reducing the pitch, and
thrust
to reduce vertical speed
When levelling off what thrust mode will be shown on the FMA?
SPEED green
indicating that thrust is being controlled to maintain speed
When out of altitude constraints and cleared to climb what will be indicated on the FMA?
THR CLB CLB
Vertical navigation will resume climbing to the FCU selected altitude
How is open climb engaged?
By pulling the FCU altitude knob
THR CLB OP CLB(green)
What is commanded if the Expedite pb on the FCU is selected?
FMA will change to EXP CLB
FMGS target speed will be green dot
(disregarding any speed of altitude constraints)
On reaching cruise altitude the FMGC will select the ECON cruise Mach (speed) and what will show on the FMA?
MACH (gr) ALT CRZ (gr)
ALT CRZ is a soft altitude mode. What does this mean?
The current Mach / Speed is maintained by varying the altitude by +-50ft to avoid changes in thrust
How can NAV be re-engaged after flying off track after pulling the HDG knob?
- Select a track to re-intercept the original FMGC track and push HDG (aircraft will maintain this heading until track is intercepted and aircraft will again follow active flight plan)
- Select direct/to in the MCDU
How is the descent initiated?
Selects lower altutde on FCU, and
Push altitude knob
What does the FMGC calculate for descent?
Optimum descent point, and
speed to maintain idle thrust until 1000ft AAL
If the crew descend earlier than the calculated optimum descent point what will be commanded?
1000fpm rate of descent until descent profile regained
SPEED DES NAV
into
THR IDLE DES NAV
What will the FMGC command if the crew decend later than te calculated optimum?
The FMGC will increase the aircraft speed and rate of descent until optimum descent profile is regained.
THR IDLE DES NAV
When aircraft is established on the optimum descent profilewhat wil the FMGC’s command?
Idle Thrust, ad
Pitch attitude to maintain the ECON descent speed.
What does pulling the altitude knob on the FCU for descent engage?
Open descent
THR IDLE OP DES NAV
Open descent disregards the optimum descent profile and any flight plan altitude constraints. T/F?
True
What thrust setting will the aircraft descend at in selected mode, to the FCU selected altitude?
Idle thrust
What happens when Expedite button is pressed on the FCU for descent?
The FMA will change to EXP DES, and
FMGS target speed will be 340kts or Mach 0.80
(disregarding any speed or altitude restraints)
THR IDLE EXP DES NAV
What is armed when approach button on the FCU is pressed?
LOC asnd GS
What does CAT3 SINGLE in column 4 of the FMA indicate?
Approach capability (fail passive)
What does DH 50 in column 4 of the FMA indicate?
The decision height as entered into the MCDU
PERF APPR page
What does LOC* indicate?
The aircraft is capturing the Localiser.
Also set up a turn rate to stop the aircraft overshooting the localiser depending on intercept angle.
When both Autopilots are engaged for the ILS what will the approach capability show on the FMA?
CAT3 DUAL
CAT3 AP 1+2
DUAL 1FD2
DH 50 A/THR
What does LOC indicate?
The aircraft is following the localiser signal
What does GS* indicate?
The aircraft is capturing the glideslope
GS* cannot engage unless LOC* or LOC are active
What does GS indicate?
The aircraft is descending on the glideslope
What does LAND on the FMA indicate?
The FCU is locked
At what RA does LAND annunciate on the FMA?
approx. 350ft RA
With LAND engaged what are the only 2 ways to dis-continue the approach?
- Go-around
2. Disengage autopilots
What does FLARE on the FMA indicate?
Aircraft is ALIGNing with the centreline,
RAISING the NOSE and
sending a signal to the auto thrust to command IDLE power.
At what RA does FLARE occur?
approx 30ft
THR IDLE FLARE
At FLARE, when pilot sets idle thrust, what disengages?
Auto Thrust
When does ROLLOUT mode engage?
On touchdown
Steers the aircraft along the localiser signal
Where does the information come from when the aircraft flies a managed non-precision approach?
The info stored in the FMGC
What is armed when the APPR pb is pressed on the FCU for a non-precision approach, provided the aircraft is on an intercept heading from the “from/to” waypoints?
FINAL, and
APP NAV
SPEED ALT HDG
FINAL APP NAV
MDA 900
What does FINAL in the Vertical Mode on the FMA indcate?
That the aircraft will descend at the final descent point (VIP Vertical Interception Point-RNAV app) in order to be at the MDA by the MAP
What does APP NAV blue in the lateral mode (row 2) on the FMA indicate?
The aircraft WILL follow the final approach when intercepting
What does APP NAV green indicate?
The aircraft IS following the approach track and correcting for any crosswind
What does FINAL APP green in both columns 2 and 3 on the FMA indicate?
The aircraft is on the inbound track and descending at the final descent point to the MDA.
When does the message DISCONNECT AP FOR LDG appear on the FMA?
At decision height.
After the AP is disconnected at the decision height of a non-precision approach what is shown on the FMA?
HDG/VS or TRK/FPA
(depending on FCU selection)
SPEED V/S -700 HDG
How is a Go-around initiated?
When the thrust levers are moved from CLB to TOGA
(or MCT to TOGA -single engine)
MAN SRS GA TRK CAT3 AP1+2
TOGA ALT(bl) DUAL 1FD2
BARO 400 A/THR (bl)
What track does the aircraft initially follow in a go-around?
The track the aircraft was flying when it initiated the go-around
How does autothrust behave in a go-around?
Goes from engaged (white) during the approach to armed (blue) in the go-around
During the go-around with AP 1+2, how does the AP behave?
the second AP will disengage which temporarily down grades the approach capability (SINGLE -white)
When the system realises no approach is being made it removes the approach capability from the FMA
What speed does the aircraft maintain during the go-around?
The higher of:
the speed at which go-around was initiated, or
VAPP
What is the speed target limited to during a go-around?
VLS+25 for 2 engines
VLS+15 single engine
How is the crew reminded to set climb thrust when climbing through thrust reduction altitude during the go-around?
LVR CLB flashes
When does auto thrust become active in a go-around?
At thrust reduction altitude when the thrust levers are set at CLB thrust
During the go-around, at acceleration altitude the vertical mode changes from SRS to….?
OP CLB
THR CLB OP CLB NAV
ALT
How can the crew select managed climb mode after a go-around in the climb out?
push the altitude knob on the FCU
What must be done first to use VS?
select an altitude away from your current altitude
Wen will the aircraft not fly the selected VS?
When it is in ALT at an FCU selected altitude
What is TRK/FPA?
An autoflight facility that allows:
track across the ground, and
vertical flight path
to be flown
What computes the TRK/FPA?
The IRS
which correct for wind, both horizontal and vertical
What is TRK/FPA used for?
Flying an accurate raw data NPA
How is TRK/FPA selected?
By pressing the TRK/FPA pb on the FCU
How is lateral nav track selected using TRK/FPA?
HDG knob
How is the vertical nav flight path angle set when in TRK/FPA?
By using the V/S knob (set -3.0deg) and PULL
When will the PFD show ‘the bird’
AP disengaged
FD’s turned OFF
What does the bird represent?
The aircraft’s actual track and FPA
