I’m really enjoying flying the FBW A32NX. I have one element that I still do not understand. Here is how I do a flight at the moment:
Plan flight using Simbrief using the FBW A32NX airframe;
Locate flight in the A32NX flyPad
Take off and switch on Autopilot
Around 150 miles from the destination airport, I see ‘ENTER DEST DATA’ in the MCDU
This is the point I don’t really know what to do. I manage to get to the ARRIVALS page on the MCDU and select my runway. Beyond this point the screens confuse me (enter STARS?). Could someone explain in really simple terms what I should be doing at this point please, and what the thought/planning process should be to enter my arrivals data?
I am able to intercept the glidescope and do the landing and rollout. However, it’s the bit when I see ENTER DEST DATA and lining up for the approach that is totally confusing me!
you have to fill out the approach page in the MCDU with actual wind, QNH and DA(H). that calculates you Vapp and Vls speed. also you can select FLAPS3 Landings
after you fill it out, the “ENTER DEST DATA” dissappears
you can also learn tons of stuff for the FMS (MCDU) here:
its not the most up to date document, but the basics are the same!
Yes you can print the metar data from the mcdu. After printing it will be put neat the mcdu so that you can type it into the destination page. Most of the I get my weather from the flypad.
You can import your simbrief flight plan into the flypad. After that you can follow your flight on the map in the flypad. The weather data will automatically changed time by time but I think you need to refresh the page of the flypad by clicking another page and then go back. Flypad is very powerful. You can calculate the tod, the approach etc.
Altgr (you will see some kind of magnifyglas or something) and leftclick. It will open a window that you can change in size and position. You can do it with every system in one window or even in seperate windows.
You can also import the Simbrief into the MCDU as well. That will allow you to populate most of the info into the MCDU without having to manually enter it.
Thank you all for the information. I managed to complete a flight successfully today, albeit with some minor issues.
The OFP was generated in Simbrief and was from EGLL (Heathrow) to EGPF (Glasgow). When I saw the ‘ENTER DEST DATA’ appear on the A32NX MCDU shortly after take-off, I located some of the info required from the flyPad (flight plan imported from Simbrief) and some from the EGPF runway 05 chart.
By the way, using the cockpit printer didn’t work very well for me as once the paper was collected, I couldn’t see it properly due to the throttles getting in the way!
Anyway, there was a BARO entry that I had to fill in as part of the DEST info. I just entered the barometer setting at EGPF, but I now know that this was wrong and I realise it is something to do with a decision height as there was a separate field for QNH.
My question is this: where do I get this BARO info from? I think it’s supposed to be in the approach plates for the runway but I couldn’t find it (for EGPF runway 05). Also, given that I was doing a CATIII landing, should I enter the word ‘NO’ for the BARO setting in the MCDU?
Another issue: I could not tune the ATIS for EGPF. The knob for tuning the radio completely skipped past the 129.575 MHz frequency. I literally could not tune this frequency, and I could not get it via the ATC ATIS option! I’m not sure what the issue was here.
Anyway, I’m pretty happy that I can (almost) do a full IFR flight now. There’s still lots to learn though and I appreciate the help from members on this forum.
Baro is one of two ways of calculating minimum descent altitude.
Radar Altimeter is the other.
Since radar is normally more accurate and less prone to pilot error (forgetting or not having the correct barometric pressure set) it is used more often in airliners.
I’m not an expert, but I believe the entry would be in either case, the published minimums on the chart.
Use the MCDU “Rad Nav” screen to enter the ATIS.
ATIS is not available from ATC strangely enough, until you land!
However, I am almost sure this has no impact in the FBW A320 (and they may never get there). I would expect this to be in the Fenix product if that ever gets released maybe sometime late next year.
