Fire away- what’s your guess on when/why we use the chronometer and timers?
Clock for log or ETA?
Timers are used for engine start ups, especially on the NEO. Chron is typically based on carrier, I think most start it on pushback, though nowadays the ATSU AOC collects all of your times.
1 Like
As was said depends on company. Engine startup we typically don’t start since FADEC will shut it off if needed. We do use for warm-up, and takeoff when applying takeoff power for observation of 5 and 10 minutes of max continuous power on the IAE engines.
Also after landing to observe cooling before shutdown if full Thrust reverse was used.
Hey, thanks for the cool little nugget about the reverse thrust- So reverse thrust is variable? It is automatic, or does the PF just wing it? Why do engines need to cool while running if that happens?
Of course. That’s why many users are using the toggle reverse command to engage reverse thrust and using the hardware throttle to modulate reverse thrust.
IRL on many airports the use of more than idle reverse, except for safety reasons is forbidden.
Unfortunately Asobo animated the thrust reversers wrong!
They move from closed to fully open with increasing reverse thrust which is nonsene.
As soon as the reversers are unlocked, they immediately move to the fully open position IRL, from idle reverse to max reverse.
4 Likes
I use it when I start to push my throttle for Take off, The engine can only be run on TOGA mode for no longer than 5 minutes. So the Chrono is pressed as soon as I spool the engine up, and make sure I’m already at CLB detent within 5 minutes.
This is just the animation on the reverser cowl, right? The actual reverse thrust is correct I think. Because I use my throttle to control how much reverse thrust I want.
The 5/10min timing is only required for the engine failure case. You never need 5, let alone 10min takeoff thrust with both engines running.
In the single engine case you need to climb to the clean up altitude and do the clean up at max thrust, which can take a looong time on the underpowered A320.
Yes, it’s the animation which is wrong which is really bad, since you don’t see any movement when using idle reverse.
Especially the large reverser buckets on the Longitude look great when fully open.
The wrong thrust reverser animation is a leftover from FSX, so it’s questionable if Asobo will rewrite the animation logic.
2 Likes
Break cool down too. 3 min usually.
Why is that, since there’s a BTMS on the A320 (and the brakes are usually off when parking)?
Why do you need to cooldown the brakes? You wouldn’t be overheating the brakes if you use Low/Med autobrake. You would be overheating it if you push too hard on manual braking when landing.
To get back on topic, I use chrono when cleared for to until vacating the rwy after landing (on the map) Other chrono, with the clock when starting first engine until shutdown. Just copying from what I saw on rl YT vids and from the old Aerosoft bus…
In situations where one has used manual breaking or landing somewhere hot, leading to high brake temps, you would want to assure breaks have cooled to a sufficient temperature before applying brake fans this is to avoid oxidation and also so ramp crew don’t injure themselves. This is very important on quick turnarounds, which every aircraft nowadays does.
I’ve had it happen on low once, all kinds of alarms started going off as we were turning off on the high-speed taxiway. Was an anomaly, but, it happened. Outside temperature plays a big role too.
2 Likes
How does keeping the engines running contribute to cooling down?
Messuring 3:30 for the 4 Minutes Freestyle. 
airflow…
You don’t kill the engine of your car immediately after driving at full throttle either.
1 Like
I’m not flying the A320 in real life but on the ATR and Embraer I’m using the timer for:
- Engine start, although on certain models the FADEC arranges everything, even cutting fuel, cooling in case of hot start, respecting starter limitations etc. I’ll still use the timer regardless for monitoring.
- Take-off thrust set to monitor the 5/10 minute limitation in case of engine failure and I’ll usually keep the timer running after that for the flight time.
- After landing I’ll reset the timer for engine cooling before shutting one engine down in case of single engine taxi-in.
- Should I need to fly something manually like holding, procedure turn, visual approach or circling for base turn etc. I’ll use the timer.
- Abnormal / Emergency, when directed by checklist, for example engine fire when to blow the bottles, waiting after reset for some indication to dissapear etc. Good thing about the ATR -600 is that it has ECL, it even times automatically when the fire handle is being pulled indicating when to fire the bottles.
On the ATR we were using the timer all the time on ground as we need to wait 2 min before feathering after landing, then need to time another 30 seconds for engine shutdown. Then after parking need to wait again 30 seconds after feathering the remaining engine before shutdown.
2 Likes
As PZL says, maintaining airflow through the engine to prevent thermal shock, on turboprops waiting for engine oil to drain back to the collector tank on some models.
I flew the Jetstream 32 before which is equipped with Honeywell TPE-331 engines (also known as Garretts). We needed to wait 2 minutes (at ground idle) after landing before shutdown, but even then we had to crank the engine by hand during turnaround minimum 10 blades if I remember correctly to prevent shaft-bow.
On the ATR we sometimes fly into small airports were taxi time is 1 minute from runway to the stand, we actually have to wait after parking with the engines running for 1 additional minute before shutdown in such case.
2 Likes
Happens every day at LAS, on hot day with idle reverse, full plane. You get single EICAS amber message brakes hot and single chime when temp reaches 300c. Not a big deal. The only restriction is for T/O
1 Like