Altitude management with the A320 on autopilot

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1

Hello,
I can’t figure out how to use altitude management with the A320 on autopilot.
I am at fl 100, I want to go to FL 150. I specify that A / THR and AP1 are activated and that the engine throttle is on CL.
I set ALT to 15000, then I set VS to + 2000 for example. Nothing happens and after a few seconds the VS +2000 display goes out!
Thank you for your advice.

2

You have to activate the ‘selected’ or ‘managed’ modes with the A320 AP. If using a mouse in the new (not legacy PC only) interface then you change value with left mouse down and WHILE HOLDING LEFT MOUSE BUTTON DOWN click the middle mouse button (for selcted mode) or right mouse button (for managed mode).
You don’t need to use V/S to change altitude. but if you do I think it’s the middle mouse click option to engage it.
To change altitude in managed mode just change the dial to the altitude you want and while holding left mouse button down click right mouse button and a dot will appear in display indicating ‘managed’ mode.
To change altitude in selected mode just change the dial to the altitude you want and while holding left mouse down click centre mouse button (or scroll wheel click).

If you are on PC and in ‘legacy’ mode (changeable in options) the managed/selected modes are engaged by small arrows that appear when you mouse over the dial.

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3

Thank you very match. I have understood.
Even if clicking on the wheel click button is not very ergonomic!
What is the difference between managed mode and selected mode?

4

Managed mode is letting the aircraft FMC dictate optimal descent rate/speed etc. Also Managed modes will take into account any constraints too so say for example an approach waypoint has an altitude constraint of 6000ft, but you have said get me to 5000ft in ‘Managed’ mode, the descent will bottom level off at 6000ft. If you want to get to 5000ft you switch to ‘selected’ mode to get there.
You can use V/S mode if you want to ascend/descend faster/slower than in managed or selected modes (eg sometimes those modes are slow to react).
Also in the FBW A320NX (for example) you can use EXPEDITE button/mode to ascend/descend even faster, but V/S mode is better for limiting the rates.
There is a whole lot more to learn (need to do web research as I am no expert) about the various A320 modes though, but a rudimentary understanding will get you by for flying the A320 in FS.

5

Here’s a toic on the very subject-
https://www.airliners.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=768915

7

A way to think about the Airbus system. The knobs are push-pull.

  • You pull to take control from the plane (SELECTED)
  • You push to give control to the plane (MANAGED)
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8

Thank you guys for this information. I have just started trying to fly the FBW A320 and was wondering why I could not directly change altitude while cruising with the AP on. (I was using VS to do it as best I could.) So much to learn!

With all of the mouse clicks seemingly required, I am wondering how it is possible to change altitude with the AP on by using the Honeycomb Bravo throttle quadrant. That has a selector switch for ALT, HDG, VS, etc. and a dial to change the selected parameter. Can that switch and that dial be used on the A320 without invoking mouse clicks? How would one activate the dialed-in change?

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