About the main screen of A32NX

I’m watching for the second time the tuto of Djo on a flight from TFFF to TFFR. When the aircraft begins its descent, he turns the button which allows to vary the vertical speed on -30, either 3000 feet per mn, I suppose and says the aircraft is going down follow an angle of 3 degrees. Is it true ?

Yes, the VS/FPA button will switch between the Vertical Speed (VS) mode, or Flight Path Angle (FPA) mode. In Vertical Speed mode, the autopilot will target the vertical speed, so the descent angle might varies as long as it can hit that vertical speed target.

In FPA mode, the autopilot will have variable vertical speed, as long as it’s descending at the descent angle that you set.

Normally you would use just open descent for descent. Cause it’s the savest mode. Pilots call the VS mode the “very stupid” mode. Same goes with FPA. You only use it with certain approaches.

Merci, bien reçu. I have read a tuto on a complete flight with A32NX, the autor of that flight told that he always does his descents and approaches with one angle obviously depending of the altitude and distance.