Can someone please help me with some BASIC takeoff procedure on the A320? Here is the information I was given…
Flaps setting 3
V1 120kts
Vr 130kts
Climb rate 2400fpm
Maintain 15 degree body angle
Flaps 2 at 170kts
False 1 at 200kts
Etc etc…
I’m taking off with no wind and full fuel. With cargo and passengers I’m just under maximum weight limits. My PROBLEM with this is that if I go by the numbers above my climb rate sky rockets well over 2400fpm when I’m at a 15 degree pitch. If I throttle down to compensate then I can’t maintain speed. Are my numbers correct? Even at a 10 degree pitch my climb rate is a little high. Each marker on the pitch ladder should be 5 degrees so I’m 3 hash marks above horizon line.
Climb at the 15 degree pitch till around 5000ft AGL. It’s normal to have a higher climb rate during this phase of departure because it’s important to gain altitude.
After that, reduce your climb rate to something between 2000ft per minute and 2400ft per minute.
Here is a video of a real A320 takeoff with view on the cockpit instruments. You can see that the climb rate is pretty high at the beginning.
It’s also important to know that your V1 and Vr speed are not always the same. They depend on your weight, winds, …
Flap 3 is quite draggy and is used for short field take offs in real life.
Flap 1 or Flap 2 are normal.
Also pitch angle is very dependent upon your weight. 15 degrees is also quite high unless you are very light and need to contain the speed. The heavier the jet the lower to pitch angle.
In the real world we use a reduced take off thrust in order to save the engine wear and tear so we would never, for a normal take-off, ‘firewall’ the engines.
Set a thrust, pitch initially to maintain V2+'5-15’kts and adjust to keep that speed. 1000ft above airfield level nose down, accelerate and clean up on schedule.
Haven’t flown the jet for a long time so perhaps things have changed.
Thank you very much for your responses. This is my first time posting here and I’m happy to find excellent support and advice! Ill take notes from you all have said
Adding from what @Yuan_Tugo said, Flap 1 is sufficient at most aerodromes. I can’t remember a case in the real world where I’ve opted flap two. As for pitch the Airbus has SRS “Speed Reference System” which commands the FD’s for the Takeoff Speed target which is V2 (the magenta bug) or the current speed at takeoff but no more than V2+15… typically your looking at V2 + 10 if you did your rotation rate properly. Initial rotation should be towards 15 degree’s you can see as high as 20 degree’s depending the weights and environmental conditions, but again whatever gives you V2+10 in this case. Once Accelerating like mentioned we clean up at S speed, which typically hovers around 190.
When you say not too firewall my thrust on takeoff what is an appropriate thrust percentage? More like 90%?
And you want me to maintain a speed about 5 to 15 knots over rotation speed throughout lift off?
**I understand the answers to my questions are highly dependant on many variables but as a non-pilot im just trying to get some starting point guidelines even if they are broad generalizations.
Thanks!
Start at around 90% thrust and see how you get on.
You don’t want the speed to drop below V2 (an automatic fail in a Sim check!) To do so would allow the aircraft to approach VMCA which would be very bad! Don’t get stuck on a specific V/S as it is highly variable depending upon your weight, climbout speed and power.
The aircraft will engage auto thrust in real life in the band of V2 + 5-15kts to give you a buffer during the climb out.
Thank you again yuan! Appreciate you (and many others) taking the time to reply to my newbie questions. I certainly have more than enough to go and practice with now.
