Taxi 

Getting started: Imagine you enter the cockpit of a parked A340 - everything is ready except that all systems are shut down - including APU and engines. First thing you do is to sit down and adjust the seat. Now both batteries are switched on at the Overhead ELEC panel. The next thing to do is to check the APU fire warning. To do this, the TEST button on the APU fire panel is depressed and released when the fire light illuminates. Now the APU is switched on by pushing the MASTER switch on the APU panel. When the "FLAP OPEN" message appears on the ECAM" the APU start switch is depressed. When the AVAIL light illuminates, the APU bleed push button on the AIR panel is pushed to supply the air conditioning and other systems with air. Check the all panels for white lights out and turn the three IR switches to NAV for the alignment process (7 min). Refer to the MCDU programming page. Now the before Start Checklist (written on the table) can be completed. Before starting the engines turn the beacon light on and seat belts to on.

Engine Start up: The normal engine start procedure is the AUTO START procedure. In this case the FADEC prevents start malfunctions like hot start, stall etc. It recognizes all of these and takes appropiate actions for instance reducing fuel flow, cranking the engine, attemping new starts or cutting fuel flow. The air from the APU (APU bleed) allows to start 2 engines simultaneously. The engine start up sequenze is simple: 1 and 2 are started firstly to pressurize the green and blue system which supplly the parking brakes and hydraulic actuators. An actuator is a little box that converts the elctrical inputs to real rudder movements. The Caravelle and Comet were the first to use this system although the inputs were (are) given manually and not electrically. The Boeing B707 for instance doesn't have this system. OK, now back to the engine start procedure: Engine 1 and 2 first, followed by 3 and 4. Check thrust levers idle. Then set IGN/START to START - now an eye must be kept on the ECAM to check if APU bleed is stable. ENG1 Master switch is set to ON followed by ENG 2 when N2 of Engine 1 has reached 10%. Now monitor and check in the right order: Startvalve open (now high pressure bleed air (minimum 30psi) air is blown into the engine), N2 IGN A or B, Fuel flow, EGT OIL PRESS rising. FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control) closes the start valve when N2 reaches 50%, now monitor EGT and ENG Vibration and the engine AVAIL which illuminates when the start sequence is over. Now the same is repeated for ENG 3 and 4. When all engines are running stabel set the IGN / START switch back to NORM which automatically switches the Packs back ON. If, for any reasons, there is an abnormal start DO NOT interrupt the FADEC protectives and just follow the ECAM instructions if they appear. Another procedure to start the engines is the MANUAL START which is only used in exceptionally cases like high altitude aiports or subsequent low APU bleed pressure or to CRANK the engine dry prior opening the fuel flow. In case of an aborted engine start up a dry cranking must be considered. If the engines are started manually the FADEC just monitors the sequence and gives warnings but doesn't interfer in the sequence excepct in case of a HOT START. I don't want to go into detail of how to start the engine manually as it is rarely done.

Taxi: When all engines are running check both left and right side for any obstacles and smoothly move the thrust levers forward - only a few centimeters as otheriwse you would blow everything away that is standing behind you and if you don't know how this looks like click here so do not exceed N1 40% during taxi. The APU bleed should be turned off to avoid ingestion of exhaust gases by the PACKs. On straight taxiway and shallow turns the pedals are used to steer the aircraft but the hand is kept on the steering tiller is used in sharp turns. Be careful with that - it is very sensitive so move this wheel VERY slowly (drive by wire). Also when on the ground don't start turns to early - remember that the nosegear on the A340 is far back (4 meters), this means that the cockpit has to be over the grass in an intersection. If you turn to early the main gear can end up in the grass so make sure to oversteer signifincatly. The A340 is easier to handle on the ground than the A330 as you can use assymetrical thrust. Slowly move the thrust lever 1 (left one) slightly forward to make a right turn and use the right lever for number 4 engine slightly forward to make a left turn. It is not recommended to use differential braking to avoid gear stress. The speed shouldn't exceed 10 knots in turns also if brake temperature exceeds 150° degrees the brake fans (not istalled in all aircraft) must be switched on. Remember to taxi slowly at about 10-12 knots. You usually don't use thrust reverser during taxi - it is used on old 737-200s or MD80s but not on the '340. Extend the flaps to 1 + F the lever is located on the centerpanel and you simple pull the handle up and move it down one step. Make sure the stabilizer trim is in the green range and the rudder trim at 0.

Take off: When turning onto the runway, switch on the strobes and landing lights and align the aircraft on the center line and select Auto Brake MAX on the main instrument panel (below the gear indicator)In case of an engine failure the aircraft stops automatically when the thrust levers are moved to IDLE. Then push the CONFIG test on the ECAM so as to insure that the ECAM take off ceck list items are all green. If everything is set the thrust levers are moved slowly to 50% N1 and when all engines are running stable at 50% move the levers the stops (TOGA). A yellow arrow appear on the PFD indicating the acceleration. Now full conectration is needed to monitor speed, engine gauge and the aircraft on the center line. At 90 knots the rudder has to be used to keep the aircraft aligned with the center line as at 100 knots the nose gear steering disconnects from the nose gear. This is actually the most tricky part of the take off run - in case of an engine failure it is difficult to keep the aircraft aligned with the center line as the airspeed is still to low for an effective rudder and the nose gear steeering is disconnected. This is why much attention has to be paid on the engine gauges at this stage to react as early as possible. At 140 knots (Vr) smoothly move the sidestick backwards to gain a pitch attitude of 8° to avoid tail strike and then to 12-15° (depending on weigh). The Autpilot is available 5 seconds after take off.

CLB/CRZ/DES: When a stable positive rate of climb is established the gear is selected up and thrust reduced to CLB at 1500feet. The flaps are retracted at 200kts but as this only a traffic pattern they are set to 1. In case of a traffic pattern usually you maintain 1500 feet above ground. You can use the autopilot for the traffic pattern. Just press AP1 and Pull + rotate the altitude knob to 1500 and then pull it. Now select your desired heading - simply add 180° to your current heading to make a 180 degree turn to fly the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. Stalling the A340 in normal flight is impossible as the auto trim will prevent this. The A340 is very stable and handles very nice. It is a "forgiving" aircraft during landings because of its boogie main gears. Probably a big plus is that the A340 doesn't have to be trimmed with different thrust settings or steep turns this also reduced workload compared to early jets or propliners which need to be trimmed at different power settings.

Landing: Put the FLAP lever to 2 and select 160 knots airspeed. Now put the gear lever to down and the FLAP lever to 3. Select 140 knots speed. Before turning on final extend the flaps to FULL and arm the spoilers and push the Autobrake switch to Medium - you do not use autobrake max during landing. Now the aircraftshould be alligned with the runway centerline and have an airspeed of 140 knots with the gear down and flaps set to FULL and a rate of desecent of 700-800 feet per minute and a pitch angle of 4-5°. These paramaters need to be monitored constantly - never fix your eyes on one parameter always keep all parameters in view. The PAPI will help you to establish the correct glide path. The PAPI consits of 4 lights which can illuminate red or white. If you see 2 red and 2 white lights than the glide path is correct - if 3 reds and and 1 white is seen than slowly add power and smoothly pull the stick backwards to reduce the ROD. But most of you will know how this works either from real life or from the flight simulator. When passing 500 feet a voice message is heared indicating 500ft so monitoring altitude above ground doesn't have high priority. It is VERY important to keep the speed at 140 knots - if it is below 140kts then in most cases this will result in a hard landing if the speed is to high the aircraft will climb during the landing flare. Switch the Autopilot off by pressing the red sidestick button twice and press one of the red buttons twice on the thrust levers to disengage the authrust system. A short aural warning will be heared. Contionue descent at 700 feet per minute until reaching 30 feet. Now reduce rate of descent to half and count slowly 1, 2, 3 while retarding the thrust lever to idle when the retard call is heared. Avoid push the sitck forward if not absolutely necessary - this will increase the rate of descent and result in a hard landing. To make it correct always give very little sidestick inputs and monitor what happens - if descending to fast pull the stick back again but always small inputs and monitor speed! - also remember a nice approach is almost a nice landing so if you monitored all parameters well a soft landing is not guaranteed put likely. When the forward boogie touches the ground move the thrust reverser levers upwards - the spoilers extend automatically. Now the landing isn't over at all - the nose gear has to be landed as well and if you keep it up to long it will just fall down and this is not very comfortable! so slowly move the sidestick forward - give little inputs and just see what happens. Remember to to use the nose wheel steering at 30 kts.

Shut down.Take the next intersection and taxi to the ramp. Push the spoiler lever down, retract the flaps to 0, switch off the strobes and landings lights and reduce speed to 10-12 knots. Make sure the APU is on when parking position is reached. Set parking brake and move the Engine Master switches to OFF one after another. Turn of the beacon light and seat belts.

By Nils Alegren

Used with permission.

Copyright Nils Alegren
http://www.a340.net/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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