Lessons Lesson 2 of 3
Taxi, takeoff and climb
Configure for take-off at Heathrow, taxi out, take off from 27R with flex thrust and climb to flight level one hundred on the autopilot — and understand how the Airbus flies.
START At Heathrow, both engines running, MCDU prepared for runway 27R and the UMLAT 1F departure, parking brake set.
23 STEPS · 3 BRIEFINGS · 17 READ FROM THE SIM · 3 YOU CONFIRM
Written, not yet flown through in the sim: that comes before the app does. Until then, steps and checks may still change.
How to read the colours Green: done or read from the sim. Cyan: your action and where to find it. Amber: caution. Magenta: a route constraint.
The scenario · The departure
- RUNWAY
- 27R
- SID
- UMLAT 1F · flown by the FMS
- CONSTRAINT
- LON D8 at or above 3000
- CONSTRAINT
- LON D10 at or above 4000
- CONSTRAINT
- UMLAT at 6000
- INITIAL ALT
- 6,000
- FLAPS
- 1+F
- FIRST CLEARANCE
- FL100
Every step, with its reason
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Step 1: APU MASTER SWOFF, unless the APU is needed for take-off
WHERE Overhead panel, APU section
Read from the sim: APU MASTER OFF
WHY
The engine generators power everything now and the engines give the bleed air. The A P U would only burn fuel. After you switch it off it runs on for a minute or so to cool down, so the AVAIL light goes out before it stops.
The coach says: “APU master off, unless we need the APU for take-off.”
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Step 2: Pushback: EFB GROUND page, call the tug and choose the direction, then PARK BRK OFF. When the tug stops: PARK BRK ON
WHERE EFB, GROUND page. PARK BRK on the pedestal
You confirm this one
WHY
The aircraft cannot reverse under its own power at the stand, so a tug pushes it out onto the taxiway. The tug steers: you only release the brake and set it again when it stops.
The coach says: “Pushback. On the EFB ground page, call the tug and choose the direction, then release the parking brake. When the tug stops, parking brake on.”
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BRIEFING · 3 OF 23
Configuring the wing for takeoff
The wing is designed for cruise: fast and efficient high up. At takeoff speed it does not make enough lift on its own. Slats on the front edge and flaps on the back edge change its shape: more curve and more area, so more lift at low speed. The price is drag. That is why we use the smallest setting the takeoff calculation allows, and retract them as soon as the speed allows.
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Step 4: FLAPS lever to 1 (1+F on the ground), as on PERF TAKE OFF
WHERE Pedestal, FLAPS lever on the right
Read from the sim: FLAPS 1 or more
WHY
Position one plus F means the slats and a little flap. It must match what you entered in the takeoff performance page, because the V speeds were calculated for exactly this setting. With the wrong flaps, the speeds you will fly are wrong.
The coach says: “Flaps one.”
CAUTION If this comes undone later, the coach says: “Caution. The flaps are no longer set for takeoff.”
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Step 5: Speed brake lever: pull up to ARM
WHERE Pedestal, SPEED BRAKE lever on the left
Read from the sim: Spoilers ARMED
WHY
Ground spoilers are panels on top of the wing that dump the lift. If you have to abort the takeoff at high speed, they pop up the moment you pull the thrust to idle. That puts the aircraft's weight on the wheels, so the brakes can stop it in the remaining runway.
The coach says: “Ground spoilers, arm.”
CAUTION If this comes undone later, the coach says: “Caution. The ground spoilers are no longer armed.”
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Step 6: AUTO BRKMAX
WHERE Centre panel, next to the landing gear lever
Read from the sim: AUTO BRK MAX
WHY
If we reject the take-off above seventy two knots, closing the thrust levers raises the ground spoilers and the auto brake brakes at full pressure straight away. Below seventy two knots it does nothing, so you brake with your feet.
The coach says: “Auto brake, max.”
CAUTION If this comes undone later, the coach says: “Caution. Auto brake is no longer at max.”
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BRIEFING · 7 OF 23
Fly by wire: what the sidestick really does
There are no cables from the sidestick to the control surfaces. The stick sends a request to flight control computers, and they move the surfaces with hydraulics. In normal law the stick does not command a surface position but a result: push and the aircraft changes its flight path, let go and it holds what it has. The computers also protect the aircraft: you cannot stall it, overstress it or bank it too far, however hard you pull.
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Step 8: Flight control check: sidestick full travel in every direction, then the rudder. Follow the movements on the ECAM F/CTL page
WHERE Sidestick and pedals. ECAM F/CTL page
You confirm this one
WHY
Because everything goes through computers and hydraulics, this is your proof that the whole chain works: stick, computers, hydraulic systems and every surface, each moving the right way and the full distance. A surface that does not move on the ground will not move in the air.
The coach says: “Flight control check. Sidestick full travel in every direction, then the rudder. Watch the flight control page.”
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BRIEFING · 9 OF 23
Thrust levers and the FMA
Airbus thrust levers do not move by themselves. They have fixed positions, called detents: TOGA for maximum, FLX for the reduced takeoff thrust, CL for climb, and idle. The autothrust works between idle and CL. The flight mode annunciator, the FMA, at the top of the primary flight display, tells you what every system is doing. Green means active. Blue means armed, waiting to take over. Read it aloud every time it changes. After take-off, at the thrust reduction altitude, lever climb flashes: that is the aircraft asking you to pull the levers back to C L, and from there the autothrust controls the thrust. At the acceleration altitude, often the same height, the F M A changes from S R S to climb and the speed target jumps up, so the nose lowers and the aircraft accelerates to the speeds for retracting the flaps.
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Step 10: NOSE light to TAXI
WHERE Overhead panel, EXT LT
Read from the sim: TAXI ON
WHY
The taxi light lights up the taxiway centreline ahead of the nose wheel. It also tells other traffic and the ground crew that this aircraft is moving.
The coach says: “Nose light, taxi.”
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Step 11: Release the parking brake and start taxiing. Keep below 30 kt straight ahead and below 10 kt in turns
WHERE PARK BRK on the pedestal. Tiller on the side console
Read from the sim: PARK BRK released · Ground speed ≥ 3 kt
WHY
Idle thrust alone is often enough to move the aircraft, and it accelerates steadily on a straight taxiway. You steer with the tiller, a small wheel by your knee, because the pedals only turn the nose wheel a little. Keep an eye on ground speed on the navigation display: the aircraft is heavy, and a turn taken too fast puts huge side loads on the tyres.
The coach says: “Release the parking brake and start taxiing. Below thirty knots straight ahead, below ten in turns.”
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Step 12: Press T.O CONFIG. Check T.O CONFIG NORMAL and the six T.O memo lines green: AUTO BRK MAX, SIGNS ON, CABIN READY, SPLRS ARM, FLAPS T.O, T.O CONFIG NORM
WHERE ECAM control panel on the pedestal
You confirm this one
WHY
The test makes the aircraft believe you have pushed the thrust levers forward. Every system that would warn you on the take-off roll checks itself now instead: flaps, slats, spoilers, pitch trim and brakes. Finding a wrong setting at the holding point is far better than finding it at a hundred knots. If cabin ready stays blue, press the forward call button on the overhead panel.
The coach says: “Press take-off config. The take-off memo should show six green lines: auto brake max, signs on, cabin ready, spoilers armed, flaps take-off, and take-off config normal.”
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Step 13: Lining up: STROBE ON. Check this is runway 27R
WHERE Overhead panel, EXT LT
Read from the sim: STROBE ON
WHY
A runway is the one place where you must be seen from far away. The strobes flash brightly in every direction, so an aircraft on final approach sees that someone is on the runway. And say the runway's name as you line up: lining up on the wrong one is a classic mistake at a big airport.
The coach says: “Lining up. Strobes on. Check this is runway two seven right.”
CAUTION If this comes undone later, the coach says: “Caution. The strobes are off again.”
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Step 14: Transponder and TCAS to TA/RA
WHERE Pedestal, ATC/TCAS panel
Read from the sim: XPDR ON
WHY
The transponder answers radar so air traffic control sees your identity and altitude. T CAS listens to other aircraft's transponders. In T A R A mode it first gives a traffic advisory, and if a collision is near, a resolution advisory. A resolution advisory only ever says climb, descend or adjust your vertical speed. It never tells you to turn. When both aircraft have T CAS, they agree on opposite directions.
The coach says: “Transponder and TCAS to TA/RA.”
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Step 15: Cleared for take-off: LAND ON, NOSE T.O. Sidestick half forward. Thrust levers to about 50% N1, let both engines stabilise, then FLX/MCT. Check the FMA: MAN FLX, SRS, RWY. Stick back to neutral by 100 kt
WHERE Thrust levers. FMA at the top of the PFD
Read from the sim: On ground · IAS ≥ 100 kt
WHY
Letting both engines settle at the same thrust first means they accelerate together, so the aircraft does not swing. Man flex means the engines give the reduced take-off thrust. S R S is the pitch guidance: after liftoff the flight director commands the attitude that holds V 2 plus ten knots, the safest climb even if an engine fails. Runway means the flight director keeps you on the centreline using the localizer, which runway two seven right has.
The coach says: “Cleared for take-off: landing lights on, nose light take-off. Sidestick half forward. Fifty percent N 1, let them settle, then flex. Check man flex, SRS, runway. Stick neutral by one hundred knots.”
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Step 16: At VR: rotate smoothly to about 15° nose up and follow the flight director
WHERE Sidestick
Read from the sim: Airborne
WHY
A rotation of about three degrees per second lets the wing build up lift as the nose comes up. Too fast and the tail hits the runway before the wheels leave it. Too slow and you use up runway. The aircraft lifts off on its own as the attitude increases.
The coach says: “At VR, rotate smoothly to about fifteen degrees and follow the flight director.”
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Step 17: Positive climb: gear UP
WHERE Landing gear lever on the centre panel
Read from the sim: Airborne · Gear UP
Called when vertical speed > 300 ft/min
WHY
Positive climb means both the altimeter and the vertical speed show you going up, so you will not touch the runway again. The gear is a large source of drag, and if an engine failed now you would want every bit of climb performance.
The coach says: “Gear up.”
CAUTION If this comes undone later, the coach says: “Caution. The gear is down again.”
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Step 18: Above 100 ft: engage AP1
WHERE FCU, AP1 pushbutton
Read from the sim: Height above ground ≥ 100 ft · AP ON
WHY
The autopilot can be engaged from a hundred feet and at least five seconds after take-off. It flies exactly what the flight director was showing you, so nothing changes in the aircraft's path. Engaging it early frees you to monitor, talk to air traffic control and run the after take-off items.
The coach says: “Above one hundred feet, autopilot one on.”
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Step 19: When LVR CLB flashes: thrust levers to CL. At S speed: flaps 0
WHERE Thrust levers and FMA. FLAPS lever, with S on the PFD speed tape
Read from the sim: Airborne · FLAPS 0
WHY
We took off with flaps one plus F, so the speed tape shows only S. If we are still in one plus F at two hundred and ten knots, the flaps retract by themselves and leave the slats out. At S, the clean wing makes enough lift, so flaps zero. Retract too early and you lose lift. Too late and you overspeed the slats.
The coach says: “When lever climb flashes, thrust levers to climb. At S speed, flaps zero.”
CAUTION If this comes undone later, the coach says: “Caution. The flaps are out again.”
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Step 20: Speed brake lever: push down (disarm)
WHERE Pedestal, SPEED BRAKE lever
Read from the sim: Spoilers DISARMED
WHY
The ground spoilers were armed only in case of a rejected takeoff. In flight they have no job until the landing, so they are disarmed now and armed again on the approach.
The coach says: “Ground spoilers, disarm.”
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Step 21: ATCclimb FL100. Set 10000 on the FCU and push the altitude knob. Check the FMA: CLB and NAV
WHERE FCU, altitude knob. FMA at the top of the PFD
Read from the sim: FCU ALT ≥ 10,000 ft
WHY
Pushing keeps the climb managed: the aircraft still obeys the altitude restrictions on the departure, and levels off at a restriction if it has to. Pulling gives open climb, which ignores those restrictions and climbs straight to the F C U altitude. Only pull when air traffic control has cancelled the restrictions.
The coach says: “Air traffic control clears us to flight level one hundred. Set ten thousand on the FCU and push the altitude knob. Check the FMA shows climb and nav.”
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Step 22: Cleared to a flight level: STD on both sides, then cross-check the altimeters
WHERE EFIS control panels on the left and right of the glareshield
Read from the sim: Captain's baro STD · First officer's baro STD
WHY
Near the ground the altimeter uses the local pressure, Q N H, so it shows height above sea level and you clear terrain. Higher up, everyone uses the same standard setting of ten thirteen, so all aircraft measure altitude the same way and stay separated. In the U K you change to standard as soon as you are cleared to a flight level, and always before you climb through the transition altitude: six thousand feet at Heathrow, five thousand at Manchester. It is printed on the departure chart and on the take-off performance page. In most other countries you change at the transition altitude itself.
The coach says: “Cleared to a flight level: set standard on both sides and cross-check.”
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Step 23: At FL100: LAND lights OFF
WHERE Overhead panel, EXT LT
Read from the sim: Flight level ≥ 9,900 ft · LAND OFF
Called when flight level ≥ 9,900 ft
WHY
Below flight level one hundred the speed limit is two hundred and fifty knots, because that is where most traffic and birds are. When air traffic control clears you higher, the limit no longer applies and the aircraft accelerates to its climb speed. The landing lights are switched off because their job, being seen near airports, is done.
The coach says: “Flight level one hundred. Landing lights off.”