SH Chapter 4 - Automatic Flight

Question 1

1) What is the function of the Flight Control Unit?

Answer 1

Short term interface between crew and FMGC

Question 2

2) What do dashes in the FCU display windows along with the adjacent white dot indicate?

Answer 2

In managed guidance

Question 3

3) How is Selected Guidance engaged?

Answer 3

Pulling the knob out and dialing the selected parameter

Question 4

4) Does Selected or Managed Guidance have priority?

Answer 4

Selected

Question 5

5) Will the FCU Altitude window ever display dashes?

Answer 5

No

Question 6

6) What are the main components of the FMGS?

Answer 6

• 2 FMGU
• 2 MCDU
• 1 FCU
• 2 Flight Augmentation Computers (FACs)

Question 7

7) What are the functions of the Flight Management Guidance Computers?

Answer 7

Flight Management
- Navigation and management of Nav radios
- Management of Flight Planning
- Prediction & optimization of performance
- Display management 
Flight Guidance
- AP Command
- FD Command
- A/THR Command

Question 8

8) What are the 4 modes of FMGS operation?

Answer 8

• Dual mode (normal mode)
• Independent mode (each FMGC controlled by its MCDU)
• Single mode (one FMGC only)
• Backup navigation mode

Question 9

9) How does autopilot selection influence master FMGS logic?

Answer 9

• One AP engaged, the related FMGC is master
• Two APs engaged, FMGC 1 is master
• No AP engaged, FD1 on, FMGC 1 is master. FD2 on and FD1 off, FMGC 2 is master

Question 10

10) If an amber SELECT OFFSIDE RNG/MODE message is displayed on the ND, what action should the crew take?

Answer 10

Change the scale or mode on EFIS to match the other side ND

Question 11

11) What is the difference between the large and small fonts utilized in the MCDU?

Answer 11

Large are crew entry and modifiable data. Small is defaulted/computed and non modifiable data

Question 12

12) What do amber box prompts on the MCDU indicate?

Answer 12

Mandatory data

Question 13

13) What is VLS?

Answer 13

Lowest selectable speed

Question 14

14) What are the 2 modes of flight guidance?

Answer 14

Managed and selected

Question 15

15) What is the Managed mode of flight guidance used for?

Answer 15

Commanding long term lateral, vertical and speed profiles via MCDU

Question 16

16) What is the Selected mode of flight guidance used for?

Answer 16

Commanding short term lateral, vertical and speed profiles via MCDU

Question 17

17) Can both autopilots be engaged during any phase of flight?

Answer 17

Only when the localizer/glide slope, rollout or go around mode is armed or engaged

Question 18

18) What is Ground Speed Mini?

Answer 18

Speed target that accounts for gusts or wind changes (magenta speed bug)

Question 19

19) What does it mean when you see the magenta target airspeed triangle above VAPP on approach?

Answer 19

Ground speed mini has computed headwind is higher than entered in MCDU

Question 20

20) Is the Ground Speed Mini function available in selected speed?

Answer 20

No

Question 21

21) What are 3 ways to disconnect the A/THR?

Answer 21

• Thrust levers to idle
• Instinctive button
• A/THR pb on FCU

Question 22

22) How do you disconnect the A/THR for the remainder of the flight?

Answer 22

Pushing and holding instinctive button for at least 15 seconds

Question 23

23) What would you lose if you held down the Instinctive Disconnect Pushbutton for more than 15 seconds?

Answer 23

A/THR for remainder of flight

Question 24

24) What happens to thrust and what annunciates on the FMA when you reach Alpha Floor?

Answer 24

Thrust gots to TOGA and A FLOOR displayed in green surrounded by flashing amber box

Question 25

25) What occurs during Alpha Floor protection after speed increases above VLS?

Answer 25

TOGA LK

Question 26

26) How do you regain normal A/THR when in TOGA LK?

Answer 26

Disengage A/THR and reengage with A/THR pb

Question 27

27) When is Alpha Floor Protection active?

Answer 27

In normal law, from lift off to 100’ AGL on landing

Question 28

28) When would Thrust Lock occur?

Answer 28

When levers in CL (MCT with OEI) and the

A/THR pb is pushed, or A/THR disconnects due to failure

Question 29

29) How do you confirm all autopilot, FD, and A/THR inputs?

Answer 29

FMA

Question 30

30) What does each column mean on the FMA portion?

Answer 30

From left to right, A/THR operation, AP/FD vertical modes, AP/FD lateral modes, approach capabilities, AP/FD & A/THR engagement status

Question 31

31) How is the crew made aware of mode changes on the FMA?

Answer 31

White box displayed for 10 seconds around any mode change

Question 32

32) How are armed/engaged modes displayed on the FMA?

Answer 32

Engaged is in green and armed in blue or magenta

Question 33

33) Under Normal Law, what do the FACs provide?

Answer 33

Four main functions:
Yaw- Damping, turn coordination, rudder trim & rudder travel limitation
Flight Envelope - PFD speed scale management & alpha floor protection
Low-energy Aural Alert - “Speed, speed, speed”
Windshear detection - Aural and visual

Question 34

34) How do you determine the validity of the navigation database?

Answer 34

Status page of MCDC under Data

Question 35

35) What input does each FMGC use for position determination?

Answer 35

Each FMGC from a mix IRS position & GPS position or computed radio position

Question 36

36) When would a Takeoff Shift be entered on the PERF TO page?

Answer 36

When taking off from an intersection. Entered in PERF Take Off page

Question 37

37) Where do you enter the Zero Fuel Weight?

Answer 37

Init B

Question 38

38) What occurs when managed NAV mode is engaged and the aircraft overflies a flight plan discontinuity?

Answer 38

NAV mode automatically reverts to HDG (TRK) mode