Automatic Flight

Question 1

(ALL) Explain which roll mode is affected by the HDG BANK LIMIT
selector

Answer 1

Heading select (HDG SEL) only. (Has no effect in L-NAV mode).
- In AUTO, the selector will vary the aircraft bank angle
 depending on true airspeed.
- If manually selected between 5 and 25, the selected value is the maximum value regardless of true airspeed.

Question 2

(ALL) Describe the method(s) for autothrottle (A/T) engagement

Answer 2

Engagement: (The A/T ARM switch must be armed):
 N1/EPR
 SPD
 VNAV
 FLCH
 Pressing either G/A switch on the rear of the thrust levers.

Question 3

(ALL) Describe the method(s) for autothrottle (A/T) disengagement

Answer 3

Disengagement:
 Positioning the A/T ARM switch to OFF
 Pressing either A/T disconnect switch on the rear of the thrust
levers. A second press clears the AUTOTHROT DISC EICAS message
 Engaging reverse thrust.

Note: Manually over-riding autothrottle the commanded thrust lever position will NOT disengage the autothrottles.

Question 4

(756) Explain what the mode color green represents in the FMA

Answer 4

The mode is active

Question 5

(756) Explain what a green box around the mode represents in the FMA

Answer 5

A mode change emphasis – Displays for 10 seconds.

Question 6

(756) Explain what the mode color white represents in the FMA.

Answer 6

The mode is armed.

Question 7

(756) Explain the meanings of the AFDS annunciations: CMD and FD.

Answer 7

CMD (Command) – An autopilot is engaged in the command
mode.

FD (Flight Director) - The flight director on the associated side is
turned ON.

Question 8

(756) Explain the flight director pitch and roll commands during takeoff
(if TO/TO selected) and when go-around is selected.

Answer 8

 Takeoff
Pitch: The flight director pitch bar indicates an initial pitch of approximately eight degrees up.
     After takeoff, the AFDS 
     commands a pitch 
     attitude to maintain
     a desired speed (based 
     on the speed set in the 
     IAS/Mach window) This 
     speed is automatically 
     calculated by the AFDS.
     Once a pilot changes the 
     speed in the IAS/Mach 
     window, the pitch bar 
     commands a pitch 
     attitude to maintain the 
     new speed.

Note: AFDS uses the speed set in the IAS/MACH window prior to takeoff for V2.
Roll: Maintains ground track until a new roll mode is selected.

 Go-Around
Pitch: When a go–around is initiated, the commanded speed is the
MCP IAS/Mach window or current airspeed, whichever is higher. If the
airspeed increases and remains above the initial target airspeed for five
seconds, target airspeed resets to current airspeed to a maximum of the
IAS/MACH window speed plus 25 knots. If airspeed at initiation of go–
around is greater than IAS/Mach window plus 25 knots, that speed is
maintained.
Roll: In flight, go–around arms with flaps out of up or at glideslope capture. There is no flight mode annunciation for go–around armed in flight; although the reference thrust limit changes to GA. Go–around is activated in flight by pushing either GA switch. The roll steering indication provides guidance to maintain the ground track existng at the time of GA engagement.

Note: Selecting a new pitch or roll mode is inhibited below 400 feet RA.

Question 9

(756) Explain how to manually disengage the autopilot(s).

Answer 9

 The control wheel autopilot disengage switch

 The autopilot DISENGAGE bar

Question 10

9 (ALL) Explain the meaning of a steady red A/P DISC light on the center forward panel.

Answer 10

Illuminated (red) –

• An autopilot has been automatically or manually disconnected.
• Can be extinguished by pushing either control column autopilot disengage switch.

Note: Pushing either control column autopilot disengage switch also silences the aural Warning.

Question 11

(756) Explain the indications of a degraded autopilot mode.

Answer 11

 Illuminated (amber):
- A degraded operating condition exists in an engaged autopilot
- The light extinguishes when the condition is corrected or an
alternate autopilot is selected, provided the fault is not common to an alternate autopilot

Note: Continued operation with an autopilot in a degraded condition may result in a dangerous situation.

Question 12

(ALL) Explain the indications when the autothrottle is disengaged.

Answer 12

Illuminated (amber):– The autothrottle system has been
disconnected
Note: The light may be extinguished by pushing either autothrottle
disconnect switch located on the outboard side of each thrust
lever.

Question 13

(756) Explain the meaning of an FMC light on the center forward panel.

Answer 13

Illuminated (amber) – The MCDU is displaying an operationally significant message in the scratchpad

Note: Pushing the MCDU CLR key extinguishes the light and clears the
scratchpad message

Question 14

(756) Identify the slip / skid indicator.

Answer 14

It is at the bottom of the ADI.

Question 15

(756) Recall the different meanings of the ASA annunciations:

Answer 15

• LAND 3
• LAND 2
• NO AUTOLND.

 LAND 3 – The aircraft is below approximately 1500’ RA, the APP mode is active, and the ASA shows the aircraft systems are
acceptable for CAT III operations.
 LAND 2 - The aircraft is below approximately 1500’ RA, the APP mode is active, and the ASA shows the aircraft systems are
acceptable for CAT II operations.

Note: With LAND 2 displayed in the ASA, 2 Units of nose up trim bias
is applied prior to landing which may affect a manual landing if the autopilot is disconnected.
 NO AUTOLND – Can appear at anytime or altitude.
The aircraft systems are NOT acceptable for Autoland operations.

Question 16

(756) Recall when APP is selected, with LOC and GS armed, the GS may capture prior to the LOC capture.

Answer 16

-With APP selected either localizer or glideslope can be captured first

Question 17

(756) Recall that when flying a back course approach, Delta recommends selecting

Answer 17

B/CRS prior to LOC.

Question 18

(756) Recall what the N1/EPR switch controls

Answer 18

Thrust, not speed

Question 19

(756) Recall what the N1/EPR switch controls

Answer 19

Thrust, not speed

Note: The display mode of EPR or N1 is engine type dependent. Pratt engines will display EPR, GE engines will display N1

Question 20

(756)) Recall the FLCH switch utilizes a “two minute rule” (125 seconds) to prevent the autothrottle system from performing a full EPR climb or flight idle descent during small altitude changes.

Answer 20

If climb will take less than 125 seconds, throttle doesn’t drive to full for the climb.

Question 21

(756) Recall the V/S (Vertical Speed) switch has no

Answer 21

overspeed or stall

protection, and can fly the aircraft away from the MCP selected altitude.

Question 22

(756) Describe the two ways speed is controlled in VNAV.

Answer 22

 Inputs into the FMS

 Using speed intervention (Pushing the IAS/MACH selector)

Question 23

(756) Recall the LNAV switch allows the FMS to control the aircraft’s

Answer 23

Lateral navigation and bank angle.

Question 24

(756) Recall the function of the HDG HOLD switch.

Answer 24

Push –

• Selects the HDG HOLD roll mode
• HDG HOLD displays as the pitch mode on each FMA
• If selected with the aircraft in a turn, the AFDS rolls the aircraft wings level, and then holds present heading

Question 25

(756) Recall the function of the ALT HOLD switch.

Answer 25

Push –
Selects the ALT HOLD pitch mode
ALT HOLD pitch mode displays as the FMA pitch mode.
The AFDS commands pitch to maintain the altitude the aircraft was at when the switch was pushed

Question 26

(756) Recall that selecting G/A, while the F/D switches are turned OFF,
will

Answer 26

cause the flight director command bars to appear.

Question 27

(756) Recall the vertical speed selector is only active if

Answer 27

the VERT SPD

window is open.

Question 28

(756) Recall that engaging an autopilot in the takeoff or go-around mode
will result in pitch and roll modes of

Answer 28

V/S and HDG HOLD.

Question 29

(756) Recall how another pitch or roll mode can be engaged after
localizer or glideslope has captured.

Answer 29

 With LOC captured and G/S armed, select another roll mode
 With G/S captured and LOC armed, select other pitch mode
 Select GA after LOC and/or G/S are captured
 Disengage autopilot(s), turn both F/D switches off then back on, and then select the desired pitch and roll modes

Question 30

(756) Recall how the approach mode can be disarmed if neither the
localizer or glideslope have been captured.

Answer 30

Select the approach switch a second time or select other pitch or roll mode

Question 31

(756) Recall how after the localizer and glideslope are both captured, they can be deactivated.

Answer 31

After localizer and glideslope capture, the localizer and
glideslope modes can only be deactivated by disengaging the
autopilot and turning both flight directors off or by selecting the
GA mode.