Automatic Flight

Question 1

On the ground with no AP engaged and both FD’s off. What happens when you turn on one Flight Director?

Answer 1

1. First FD on arms the FD in the TOGA roll and pitch modes
2. Second FD on displays flight direction and steering indications on the second PFD

Question 2

In flight with the AP disengaged and both FD’s off, the first FD turned on activates what vertical and lateral modes?

Answer 2

1. Vertical speed
2. Heading Hold
   –If bank is greater than 5 degrees lateral mode is attitude hold

Question 3

In flight with the AP ENGAGED and both FD’s off, the first FD selected on activates…

Answer 3

the flight director in the selected AP modes

Question 4

What situation would cause the flight directors to populate even if the switches were selected in the OFF position

Answer 4

TOGA switch is pressed when airspeed is greater than 80kts and the flaps are out of up
EX: you see the runway, kill the FD and have to go missed

Question 5

Can you turn on the autopilot with the FD’s off?

Answer 5

Yes

Question 6

Can you turn on the FD with the AP off?

Answer 6

yes

Question 7

If you turn on the AP with the FD off, what modes would be active?

Answer 7

Same as FD: default modes are
1.Vertical speed
2 heading hold
–unless bank is greater than 5 degrees then Attitude hold

Question 8

If either FD is on, then the AP is engaged, what happens?

Answer 8

The AP engages in the selected FD mode(s)

Question 9

How many autopilots are there?

Answer 9

3

Question 10

Autopilot disengage bar does what?

Answer 10

1. disengages all three AP’s
2. Prevents AP enguagement
3. exposes amber strip
   –must lift bar back up to enable AP engagement

Question 11

What are the two basic autothrottle modes?

Answer 11

1. THRUST: Maintains speed using thrust
2. SPEED: maintains speed using elevator

Question 12

What does the Auto Throttle arm switch do?

Answer 12

Arms the AT system for mode selection

Question 13

IF AT is armed, when will the AT activate?

Answer 13

1. when VNAV, FLCH or TOGA switch is pushed (SPEED)
2. when speed switch is pushed and pitch mode is ALT, VS or G/S (THRUST)

Question 14

When AT is armed but no mode is selected what will activate the AT?

Answer 14

Cycling AT arm switch to off then arm

Question 15

AT Arm swithc off:

Answer 15

1. Disconnects AT
   2.disables AT activation
   3.disables engine trim equalization

Question 16

Briefly explain the purpose of the Thrust switch THR?

Answer 16

Dual purpose switch
1. Thrust limit function (light remains off)
–Selects Climb thrust or Continuous depending on situation
2. Changes AT mode selection to THR REF

Question 17

When do the SPD and THR switches become operative?

Answer 17

400’ after takeoff until landing

Question 18

Regarding the THR switch and its thrust limit function, when would this function be used?

Answer 18

1. after takeoff with VNAV or FLCH selected: changes reference thrust limit to armed climb thrust limit or CON if engine inop
   2.After go around: changes ref thrust limit to CLB or CON if engine inop or CON selected

NOTE: Reference thrust remains GA when flaps in landing position or pitch mode is GS

Question 19

Regarding the THR switch and it’s AT mode function, when would AT mode be changed to THR REF when switch is pressed?

Answer 19

1. Reference thrust limit is CLB, CLB1, CLB2, CRZ or CON and pitch mode is ALT or VS
2. Reference thrust limit is GA and pitch mode is GS or FLARE OR pitch mode is ALT or VS and flaps are in lading position

Question 20

When SPD switch is pressed what happens?

Answer 20

1.Selects AT mode to Speed mode (speed is controlled by elevator)
2. Displays SPD on both PFDs
3. controls thrust to maintian IAS or MACH displayed in IAS or MACH window subject to min and max speed limits
4. Inactive in VNAV XXX, FLCH SPD, or TOGA pitch modes

Question 21

IAS/MACH window sets what speed when power is first applied?

Answer 21

200KTS

Question 22

IAS/MACH display range in KTS and MACH

Answer 22

100-399KTS
.400-.950 Mach

Question 23

When does IAS automatically change to MACH and vis versa?

Answer 23

1. In climb, IAS to MACH approximately: .84
   2.In descent Mach changes to IAS at approximately: 310KTS

Question 24

What does the IAS/ MACH Select switch do?

Answer 24

Alternately changes between IAS and MACH
NOTE: Mach must be .4 or greater for IAS to MACH

Question 25

What does the IAS/ MACH selector allow you to do?
(Knob right below IAS/MACH window)

Answer 25

1. Allows you to select a desired speed/ MACH number
2. When window is blank (speed is controlled by the FMC) and selector is pressed in, this allows for speed intervention

Question 26

Regarding the LNAV switch, what are the two important requirements for LNAV to become active?

Answer 26

1.Aircraft must be 50’ above runway elevation
2. within 2.5 NM of Active leg

Question 27

What scratch pad message would you get if LNAV is armed and you are not on an intercept heading?

Answer 27

NOT ON INTERCEPT HEADING

Question 28

What VNAV modes are there?

Answer 28

VANV PTH, VNAV SPD, VNAV ALT

Question 29

On departure, when can VNAV become active if armed

Answer 29

400’ above runway elevation

Question 30

What happens when you select FLCH?

Answer 30

1. FLCH becomes the active pitch mode
2. IAS/MACH window populates commanded speed
3. Fixed thrust setting(CLB or IDLE) and elevator controls speed.

Question 31

Describe the HDG selector switch inner and outer knobs

Answer 31

Inner: sets desired heading in the heading window, if knob is pushed in HDG SEL roll mode is activated
Outer (bank limit) AUTO: varies between 15 degrees and 25 degrees depending on aircraft speed, configuration and V2
OR
Manually selecting: 5,10,15,20,25

Question 32

If the heading hold switch is pressed in a turn what happens?

Answer 32

AFDS rolls wings level then holds present heading

Question 33

What happens when Vertical speed switch is pressed

Answer 33

1.Vertical speed becomes the active pitch mode
2. Current VS is displayed in the window
3. VS selector is used to command vertical speed

Question 34

Regarding the altitude selector, what are the different functions of punching in the selector?

Answer 34

1. during a climb or descent with altitude constraints, each push deletes the next waypoint constraint between aircraft alt, and alt window setting
2. during a climb with no alt constraints, and the alt window set above FMC cruise alt, pressing the alt selector changes the cruise altitude to what’s in the window
3. During cruise, pushing the alt selector button sets whatever alt is in the window to be the new FMC cruise alt
4. During cruise with VNAV PTH or VNAV ALT setting a new alt in the window and pushing the alt selector will start a climb or descent to capture the new alt
5. Within 50 NM or TOD pressing will initiate descent now

Question 35

If ALT hold is pressed during a climb or descent what happens

Answer 35

AFDS will capture and hold the altitude when the switch was pressed

Question 36

For the LOC mode to become active, the aircraft must be within how many degrees of the loc corse?

Answer 36

120

Question 37

Regarding the APP switch, what must happen first before GS can become active?

Answer 37

GS capture is inhibited until loc intercept is within 80 degrees