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RNAV GPS Approach FMA


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Greetings All,

I've been flying the bus on and off for nearly two years and just recently started experimenting with some RNAV GPS approaches the last couple of evenings and wanted to pose a question.

It seems some of the flight mode annunciation modeling for managed Non-ILS approaches has been left out and wanted to check to see if this was in fact something that just isn't modeled, and if it isn't, would like to suggest that as an addition to a future service update. 

Here's what I was expecting:

  • When selecting APPR on the FCU I was expecting to see FINAL (final descent mode armed) and APP NAV (nav mode armed for non-ILS approach) annunciated in blue on the FMA
  • At final approach course intercept APP NAV annunciate green (NAV mode is engaged during a non-ILS approach)
  • Glidepath intercept/capture FINAL APP annunciate green (APP NAV and FINAL APP modes are engaged during an RNAV approach)

As of now it appears the blue/armed annunciations and the green APP NAV annunciations aren't there, it simply goes straight to FINAL APP

Is that something we can address in a future service update?  Would be nice to have the proper FMA's for RNAV approaches like we do for the ILS approaches.

Thanks, and looking forward to the A330! 

 

 

 

 

 

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Thanks Frank,

Based on that thread it's apparently been acknowledged that it's missing the correct/expected flight mode annunciations for those two phases of the approach.

 

<<Due to the limitations of the navdata format, we wont change this.>>

<<Joshua Che.>>

I'm certainly no programmer but I would be interested to learn why the format of the NavData would prevent proper FMA modeling?

I would think that if it can be done with a precision approach it could be done with a non-precision approach?

Joshua Che. if you're around could you provide a little more insight?

Thanks much.

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So far as I recall, i´d once the FMA Mode APP NAV + FINAL, otherwise direct FINAL APP.

I´ve call with an real airbus pilot. He say, thats o.k. under certain conditions (descend, vertical profile already intercept, APP NAV active), but this is the normal procedure:

Frank

 

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Hi Michael,

i´ve tested this just at an flight from CPH DUS VOR 23R Approach (managed/managed). Before BOT NDB at 3000 ft with HDG sel. i´ve armed LOC (FMA = APP NAV blue), at nearing VOR Radial i´ve armed APPR (FMA = APP NAV + FINAL, both in blue). The plane has intercept the final approach course and at alive V/DEF Brick the mode change to FINAL APP in green.

All works fine, thanks Aerosoft

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I may need to update my installation.  I'll do that and retest to see if I'm getting the appropriate annunciations. 

I'll report back after I update and retest. 

Thanks for the feedback!

 

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Update:   Ok, after updating to 1.30 SP3 I'm now getting FINAL and APP NAV showing as armed in blue on the FMA. 

On this particular approach I did not get APP NAV in green prior to FINAL APP so I'll experiment with a couple more to see what shows up, if not I can live with it.

I'm happy that the armed modes are showing properly now!  :)

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Here's a capture from one of my manuals that illustrates this perfectly. 

FMA Final Approach Sequencing:

Please login to display this image.

As I mentioned in my previous post, after I updated my installation I'm getting the indications shown in the top picture, FINAL/APP NAV armed. (Thumbs up there). 

After flying a few more RNAV approaches at various places what I've NOT seen yet is the middle picture showing APP NAV in green at lateral NAV capture

My experience is that that I go from the top picture with FINAL/APP NAV armed, straight to the bottom picture with FINAL APP

Question for the developers: Is the programming logic there to where it's supposed to be annunciating APP NAV in green at lateral capture or no? 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks for your reply Adriano.  Perhaps we can hope to see that in a future service update.

One other question for anyone that can answer:  In additional to APP NAV, I've also not seen the L/DEV indication on the PFD.. is that also not modeled or implemented?

Thanks much!

 

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