A320 Neo issue with EGCC/23R

Im learning to fly the A320 Neo, my first airliner (been flying things like the CJ4 previously).
I’ve come across an “issue”, which Im not sure is the the A320, or something more general… perhaps about approach into Manchester.

so I was flying EGKK → EGCC/23R, using the ELVO1M STAR. into ILS23R

flight is fine, get to end of STAR at DAYNE, and turns to the approach and heads to the CF12(?) / D12 waypoint - ALL good so far.

but when AP gets to CF12 it attempts to turn LEFT to go towards FF10,
we can also see this in the PLAN view.
basically, it wants to do a sharp LEFT, then a sharp RIGHT back on to the approach path. but its simply too tight… so the right turn back onto approach misses the approach by quite a margin.
(thus losing track , and so disabling AP etc)

if we look at the IL23R approach plate/chart we can see, its say this is ‘incorrect’. (if im reading correctly :wink: )
what should happen is, it should cross at D12, then turn RIGHT to hdg 232 (away from runway) and then back to FF10.

so Im wondering… should the AP/ flight planner know this. is this a bug ?
is this the A320 Neo specific?

OR

is this ‘pilot error’ and what should I do ? is there a way to ‘force’ a right turn?
the only thing I can think of is turning off managed heading/nav, moving to HDG mode, and then performing the right turn using heading indicator.

note: ofc, I recognise if I was using ATC, they may vector me in differently, but Im getting used to plane, and the nav systems - so wondering what options I have


interesting side note:
if I enter the above in the Microsoft flight planner app, is has an alternative path.
basically it turns directly RIGHT on to approach, using basically intercepting between D12 and D10, which I suspect would also be a reasonable route.

though its not what the plate says, and means a shorter lead up to FF10, but should be fine.

whats your thoughts?

so I tried the flight planning with other planes (different FMCs)
in particular : CJ4, SF50 and B787M

I think the ‘underlying’ issue is a ‘direct via’
on the A320N it connects DAYNE with CF23 (D12) with no disconnect (!)
on all other FMCs similarly will default to a direct, but shows a disconnect.

looking a bit closer, it looks like normally you would fly this with an MCT via,
which on all FMCs (including a320n) gets the approach I was expecting albeit passing over the airport first., seems odd… but ok, that’s just the route/traffic pattern, probably good reasons.

back to ‘direct’
so I don’t have an issue with this on other FMCs, as deleting a discontinuity feels like a ‘planning decision’, i.e. you should be looking at the plan.
(I quite like the Garmin, which explicitly tells you this is a vectored approach)

A320N catches me out, as its seems it (can at times?) just connect STAR to APP, when its inappropriate - it should be a discontinuity to shows its a vectored approach,
not sure if this is a bug? given the the FMC puts discontinuities in at other times.

that said, its a learning experience for me…like there is a new ‘rule’
if you don’t use a transition/via on from STAR to APPR, then you have to assume its a vectored approach.

ofc, as I mentioned in OP, usually Id have ATC turned on, in which case this would (assuming good atc ;)) be a non-issue. either they’d have vectored me in (so I ignore the nav route anyway), or they’d have instructed me (I suspect) to go via MCT.


I only had ATC off as I wanted to focus on the plane, and so wanted to follow the FMC route, and not get vectored in for the ILS - which, lol, is what caused the issue :wink: