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Approach Phase-How is it done in real flight?


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In vectored approach by flightsim ATC (Radar Contact), when is the "Approach Phase" initiated in the MCDU? Sometimes, the approach checklist seems to be started late by the simulated flight crew that's included with the airbus bundle. Thanks in advance for any info you have.

Era

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It's variable by different airlines, but you activate it latest when you want to reduce to Vapp. I usually activate it much earlier around FL100 already and then simply fly selected speed until I want to reduce. This way I can assure not to forget activating it and having a bad surprise when pressing the speed knob in to reduce speed!

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When you're vectored ATC will normally give you speed constraints as well. Typically you will be instructed to reduce to "minimum clean" - and that's your indication to activate approach phase (as the bus automatically decelerates to that speed). When you are flying with selected speed (e.g. ATC instruction to reduce to 180 knts) you can activate it anyway. The latest time to activate it (non vectored) should be at your IAF (as this is the point where the actual approach procedure starts). In the unlikely case (like never, since it's pointless) you get vectors without speed constraints, you activate it as soon as you want to decelerate.

I usually activate it much earlier around FL100 already and then simply fly selected speed until I want to reduce.

You do that in RL, to a low lying airport?

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  • Deputy Sheriffs

You do that in RL, to a low lying airport?

We do that to any airport in RL.

And min clean in Europe means 210 for the medium class planes. Imagine a low weight A319 flying green dot to Heathrow. ;)

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And min clean in Europe means 210 for the medium class planes.

Ok, never heard that before. I always just read that green dot equals min. clean. A bad name for it then.

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  • Deputy Sheriffs

Well, CAT C has nothing to do with weight (which influences the min clean) like medium class does. The CRJ200 is CAT D but only 25t.

In Europe there is an unwritten understanding that min clean means more or less 210 for jets that can fly this clean. Heavies normally fly 225 or faster depending their weight. They fly so to speak really min clean.

With the traffic flow in major European hubs it is not feasable for every plane to fly it's own min clean. This would create a lot seperation problems.

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Just as a general information: Never make an opinion up from a single video. You don't know if the airlines SOP differs from Airbus SOP or from most other airlines SOPs. Also ATC may do something unique with that single flight which you may then adapt as standart while it would usually never happen again.

And last but not least real pilots also make mistakes. In fact, if a pilot would loose his license for each little mistake he does there would soon be no pilots anymore...

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It's variable by different airlines, but you activate it latest when you want to reduce to Vapp.

And I thought activation of Approach phase dropped the target speed just to the the green dot, and not to the App speed. Did I take it wrong?

Thanks.

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The speed target changes to Vapp, but the Airbus will fly Green Dot in clean config, S speed with Flaps 1, etc.

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The speed target changes to Vapp, but the Airbus will fly Green Dot in clean config, S speed with Flaps 1, etc.

I see, so if I go to Flaps2 or gear down the target will drop to App notch, will it not?

Thanks,

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  • Deputy Sheriffs

No, F speed. Only Vapp when the final flap configuration is reached, which is three or full depending on what you inputted.

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No, F speed. Only Vapp when the final flap configuration is reached, which is three or full depending on what you inputted.

Sure!

Thanks.

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