Flight Controls Flashcards
Unlike conventional aircraft, what are you commanding with the stick?
Roll rate in bank
G load in pitch (Load factor Demand)
How do you disconnect the autopilot with the sidestick?
Applying significant force to the stick will disconnect the autopilot, but using the disconnect button is better practice
How do you deactivate a side stick?
Press and hold the red button for command authority. Holding for 40 seconds will completely deactivate the opposite sidestick.
What are the actions done by the autopilot that are not represented on the rudder pedals?
turn coordination, rudder trim and yaw damping. All manual trim and other pilot inputs are felt through the pedals.
What are the Flat/Slat protections?
Surface asymmetry between left and right wing, Surface attachment failure, Uncommanded surface movement
What is S/F-Lock?
The Wing Tip Brakes are stopping the flaps/slats from moving to an uncommanded position.
What is A-LOCK?
A-LOCK prevents SLAT retraction at high AoA and low speeds
How many spoilers are there and why are they used?
10 total (5 per wing), they at as speed brakes(panels 2,3,4), roll spoilers and ground spoilers
What is different with the A320 when speed brakes are used while autopilot is on?
The A320 will only allow 1/2 deflection of speed brakes when autopilot is on.
What does it mean when the SPEED BRK message is amber?
Engine is above idle
When will the speed brakes auto retract?
Above MCT thrust
Flaps set to FULL (config 3 in A321)
High AoA
Flight Control Computer malfunctions
How do you arm the ground spoilers?
Pulling up on the speed brake lever until you see the GND SPLRS ARMED message and can see the white band around the base of the lever.
What happens to the ground spoilers during a rejected TO?
When ARMED: 72kts + IDLE = Spoilers Deployed
UnARMED: 72kts + reverse thrust = Spoilers Deloyed
Which control surfaces move in each Flap setting?
1+F (1 set on ground or retracting to 1 in flight): Slats and Flaps Move to position 1
1: SLATS only to position 1
2: FLAPS and SLATS to position 2
3: FLAPS only to position 3
FULL: FLAPS and SLATS to FULL
After speed brakes are auto retracted due to TOGA power, how can you regain control of them?
Reduce power
Lever to retract
Wait 10 seconds
When will auto spoilers engage on landing?
Spoilers Armed: Both Mains on Ground + Idle power
Spoilers not armed: Both Mains on Ground + Reverse selected
When is partial spoiler deployment engaged?
Spoilers ARMED:
Both thrust levers at or below IDLE
One gear on ground
Spoilers NOT ARMED:
Reverse (at least 1 engine)
One gear on ground
When will spoilers auto retract on landing?
Thrust above idle
Spoilers disarmed
What are the Flight Control Computers?
7 Total
2 ELAC (Elevator Aileron Computer)
3 SEC (Spoiler Elevator Computer)
2 FAC (Flight Augmentation Computer)
What do the ELACs control?
Elevators
Ailerons
THS (trimmable horizontal stabilizer)
What do the SEC control?
Spoilers
Backup Elevator Control
Backup THS (trimmable horizontal stabilizer)
What do the FAC control?
Rudder
Speed computations
Weight Calcs
Windshear warnings
In the event of complete electrical failure, what surfaces have a mechanical backup?
Rudder and THS (trimmable horizontal stabilizer)
How are the Slats/Flaps controlled?
2 Slat Flap Control Computers (SFCC) Each SFCC has two channels which power their own hydraulic jack
4 jacks per slat/flap
What will happen to the Aileron max deflection with flaps down?
Aileron max deflection is reduced with flaps down
During pre-flight, the Slat/Flap surfaces are not in the commanded position? What do you do?
DO NOT MOVE THE LEVER, contact mx
In normal law, how is sidestick control different on the ground?
On the ground, the flight controls act like a conventional aircraft for rotation and control surface checks.
When is Normal Law switching from Direct Mode to Load Factor and Roll Rate Demand mode?
5 seconds after TO
When will the Flap automatically retract?
210 kts NOTE: THE SLATS WILL NOT AUTO RETRACT
What are you requesting when you move the sidestick to neutral position?
1 G load
When does THS engage?
When you release the sidestick, the THS moves the Elevator to center the elevators in respect to the stabilizer
Little no back stick is required up to what bank angle?
33 degrees bank
What are the pitch protections?
Load factor limitation
Pitch attitude (30/-15)
High Speed (Vmo / Mmo)
Angle of Attack
What are the G loading protections?
+2.5 / -1.0 G +2 / 0 G with Flaps or Slats
What are the Pitch (Attitude) protection limits?
+30 / -15 degrees Pitch Config 0-3 (at low speed +25 / -15)
+25 /-15 degrees Config FULL (at low speed +20 / -15)
What is the High Speed Protection?
The green “=” is the speed where protection is activated. Nose down trim inhibited Autopilot disengages Limited acceleration even with pilot full down input
What is the priority protection in Normal Law?
Angle of Attack protection. Flight Control computers will override the pilot inputs to prevent a stall.
What is Vls?
Minimum airspeed FDs will allow. IF autothrust is engaged, they will not allow the aircraft to reduce speed below VLS.
What happens at Alpha Prot?
Nose up trim inhibited Autopilot disengaged Logic changes from Load Factor Commands to Angle of Attack Commands
What happens at Alpha Max?
Computers will ignore back stick commands preventing a stall.
When is alpha floor available?
After TO Entire flight Descent Down to 100AGL in config 1 or greater
What is Alpha Floor and when will it engage?
TOGA power automatically engaged when: Excessive AoA Windshear Excessive nose up attitudes combine with specific sidestick inputs
When encountering turbulence during a turn, will autoflight return to commanded bank angle?
NO, you only control roll rate not bank angle. You must counter any roll change from external factors.
What is the max roll rate in Normal Law?
15 degrees / second
Bank Angle Hold activates to what roll limit?
33 degrees
What is Positive Spiral Stability?
During bank angles 33-67, releasing the sidestick will return to 33 degrees bank. NOTE: beyond 33 degrees, you will require back pressure like a normal aircraft
What is the bank angle limit?
67 degrees bank
What computers are involved in turn coordination?
ELAC and FAC
What flight control has a cable driven backup?
Rudder
When is the landing memo displayed on the E/WD panel?
2000 AGL
When does FLARE MODE activate?
50 AGL
What happens at 30 AGL?
slight forward pressure to simulate a conventional aircraft landing
What is the only protection offered in ALTERNATE LAW?
Maneuver (G loading) High Speed and Alpha are replaced by high and low speed stabilities
How is Speed stability (ALT LAW) different than Speed Protection?
Speed Stability attempts to pitch up (down) during overspeed however this can be overridden by the pilot. Protection, ignores pilot inputs to prevent an overspeed or stall
How are sidestick inputs different in ALT Law?
Pitch is the same Load Factor Demand as NORMAL Roll is now DIRECT like a conventional aircraft. Roll rate doubles to 30/sec
What happens with Rudder Limits in ALT LAW?
They maintain last position before failure. When Slats extend, max rudder deflection is available
When would DIRECT LAW be active?
In ALT LAW with landing gear down. This allows for full flare mode during touchdown.
What is special about SEC 3?
It can only control spoilers and can not replace pitch functions of SEC 1&2.
What is Abnormal Attitude Law and what protections are available?
When in an outside normal attitude caused by external forces. Maneuver protection is all that remains.
What are the modes of teh FC servos?
Active Damping Centering Only one servo can be active at a given time.
If both ELAC fails, how is roll now controlled?
Roll spoilers only
In the GROUND MODE (normal law) Flight Controls movement is proportional to what?
Sidestick input (>70kts elevator limited)
What is inhibited at more than 33degrees bank?
Pitch trim stops working.
What is demanded by a Pitch / Roll Input on the sidestick in flight?
Pitch = Load factor (constant G)Roll = Roll Rate
What happens to the flight path angle of the aircraft if the sidestick is put at neutral?
With the sidestick at neutral, wings level, the system maintains 1g in pitch, and there is no need for the pilot to trim by changing speed or configuration.
What are the G (Load Factor) Protection Limits?
Clean: +2.5g / -1gOthers: +2g / -0g
Descending through 30’RA on the approach, what happens to Pitch Control?
The system begins to reduce the pitch attitude, reducing it to 2 degrees nose down over a period of 8 seconds. This means that it takes nose-up action by the pilot to flare the aircraft.
What are the pitch attitude limits?
Config 0-3: 30 degrees nose up, 25 degrees at low speed.Config FULL: 25 degrees nose up, 20 degrees at low speed.Max 15 degrees nose down.
What are the protections available?
- Load factor limitations- Pitch attitude protection- High AoA protection- High speed protection
What is the Lowest Speed achievable with “Hands Off”?
- The AP disengages at Alpha Prot. +1- With A/THR will be VLS.
What is the lowest speed achievable with sidestick fully back? In Alpha Prot., what does sidestick movement command?
- Alpha Max, even with fully backpressure.- In the Alpha Prot. Range, from Alpha Prot. To Alpha Max, the sidestick commands Alpha directly.
What happens if, at Alpha Max, the sidestick is released to Neutral?
The angle of attack returns to Alpha Prot. And stays there.
What happens to the Thrust when Alpha Floor is annunciated?
Alpha Floor automatically sets go-around thrust (TOGA).
When does HI SPD Protection activate?
HI SPD protection is activated at or above (+6) VMO / MMO.
What happens to the pitch if HI SPD protection is activated?
When it is activated, the THS setting is limited between the setting at the aircrafts entry into this protection and 11 degrees nose-up.
What speed will the aircraft return to following HI SPD protection with NO Sidestick inputs?
High-speed protection is deactivated, when the aircraft speed decreases below VMO/MMO.
What happens if, in HI SPD protection, the sidestick is pushed forward?
As the speed increases above VMO/MMO, the sidestick nose-down authority is progressively reduced, and a permanent nose-up order is applied to aid recovery to normal flight conditions.
What is the Max Angle of Bank?
67 degrees
What happens to the FD / FMA if more than 45 degrees bank is applied?
Autopilot disconnects and the FD bars + FMA disappear: the FD bars return when the bank angle decreases to less than 40 degrees.
What is the Maximum Bank Angle for a Level Turn with “Hands off”?
33 degrees.
What is the Maximum Bank Angle in Hi SPD Protection and Alpha Protection?
HI SPD: 40 degreesAlpha Protection: 45 degrees
Control laws and their characteristics
• Normal law- Pitch: Vertical load factor- Bank: Roll rate• Alternate law- Pitch: Vertical load factor- Bank: Roll rate in ALTN1 / Direct control of ailerons in ALTN2• Direct law, direct relationship between stick and flight control surfaces• Ground law (before lift-off and after touch-down), same as Direct law• Flare law (allow conventional flare):- Pitch: Stick orders a pitch attitude increment to a reference attitude- Bank: Direct control of ailerons
Protections in normal law
• Load factor protection• High speed protection• High angle-of-attack protection• Pitch attitude protection• Bank angle protection• Low energy warning
Protections in alternate law
• Load factor protection• Bank angle protection (ALTN1 only)• Low speed stability:- VSW replaces αPROT and αMAX- If speed reduces to VSW, AP disconnect and a nose down pitch input is introduced• High speed stability:- Amber dashes replace the Green dashes on speed scale- If speed increases to VMO, AP disconnect and a nose up pitch input is introduced• Aural stall• Overspeed warning
Protections in Alternate law without stability
• Load factor protection• Aural stall• Overspeed warning
Load factor protection
• Load factor limitation:+ 2.5 g, -1 g in clean configuration+ 2 g, 0 g when slats are extended• Rapid pull-up to 2.5 g is immediately possible.
High speed protection
• VMO + 4 kt / MMO+ 0.006,Overspeed Ecam warning• VMO +6 kt / MMO + 0.01, Automatic pitch up applied • VMO + 16 kt / MMO +0.04,Maximum stabilized speed stick maintained nose down
High angle-of-attack protection
• VLS: Minimum allowed speed, A/THR in speed mode will not allow speed to drop below VLS even if lower speed is selected• Vα Prot: AP disengages, Auto Pitch trim stops• Vα Floor: TOGA thrust is set automatically• Vα Max: Speed is maintained with full aft stick, speed brake retract if previously extended
Pitch attitude protection
• Nose-down, 15°• Nose-up,- 30° in conf 0 to 3 reduced to 25° at low speed- 25° in conf FULL reduced to 20° at low speed
Bank angle protection
• Bank angle limited to 67°• Above 33°:- Stick released, aircraft rolls back to 33°- Stick maintained, bank angle maintained• In high speed protection:- Spiral stability is introduced regardless of angle- bank angle is limited to 40°• In high angle-of-attack protection, bank angle is limited to 45°
Low energy warning Available between 100 ft and 2000 ft RA in Conf 2, 3 and Full
• Aural warning, “SPEED SPEED SPEED”• To stop the warning, increase Thrust
Protections in Direct law
• Aural stall• Overspeed warning
Are stabilities (aural, callouts, visuals etc.) always available?
No. Depends on the failures, as protections, load factor limitation is always available.
How do pitch & roll control compare with normal law?
Pitch: only load factor limitation availableRoll: direct law
What happens to Turn Co-ordination?
No turn coordination.
What happens when the Gear is extended?
Activates direct law except if alternate law is activated from abnormal attitude.