The Airbus a321

[ZK-Brock]

I tried a mission where you fly the A321 in Italy on a domestic route. What I want to know is, how the **** do you control the thing? It had late responses to control movements, and had an incredibly cryptic AP system. Does anyone here know how to fly this ****er?

[Jimmy]

easy mate!

I did that mission, I think it handles like any other really, I had no difficliuties.

Do remember with the Autopilot you set your alt speed or whatever and then hover mouse over noob untill its neither + or - and click, this is like pushing the noob in and it will turn the function on I think thats all were it differs from the boeing MCPs.

I still wish M$ had included a A320 instead of the 21 witch is less coman and rather ugly....

James

[ZK-Brock]

Yeah, the a321 seems sorta like a hi-tech clone of the 737-800. They should've added something different, like an a330 or a340, or even an a318.

[Zöltuger]

i totally agree. after departure, it took a good 10 minutes to completely figure out the AP. you can almost tell it has been designed by some madcap flamboyant frenchman

[ardypilot]

Can someone post a shot of the a321 panel?

I never have any trouble with trouble with the iFDG a320 in fs2004, so I would be interested to know what all the fuss is about

[Alex]

...you can almost tell it has been designed by some madcap flamboyant frenchman

Summed up Airbus in a nutshell.

Jokes, I find Airbus' can be interesting once you get the hang of them.

Alex

[Jimmy]

To be honest I quite like flying the A320 and A340 B)

Heres some screenies for ya trolly.



The 2d panel with some of the windows open. (2d flying is not much fun with the defualt ac in fsx, the fps are worse and the perspective is a bit odd.)



3D panel from Captians side.

And of course the extrieor:




I don't actuly think MS did to bad with the A321, theres many differnt options for what the EICAS displays too. If only they hadn't made the mistake of doing a A321 instead of 320 IMO it handles like any other A320, like the IFDG.

James

[brownbox]

i want fsx so much...
no! I must restrain myself! I am saving up my money for a video card

and they say money doesnt bring happyness...

[FlyingKiwi]

I haven't really tried the A321 yet, but you are far from the only person who's had trouble getting to grips with the autopilot system believe me!

[JonARNZ]

I have flown the same mission, because of the head movement during turbulence in the VC I found the AP to take a few moments to sort out, and some of the switches were a little weird but I got it sorted quickly enough. My biggest problem was when I landed in Italy, I forgot to turn autothrottle off so wondered why I couldnt stop, had to fly the whole mission again!

The 321 was a strange choice by MS given the 320's popularity.

[omitchell]

Yeah that A321 mission is something else... The slightly backwards (or drunk) co-pilot told me I was too high and way off course after we were told to descend and turn for the visual, then refused to talk to me. My response to this was... "b*gger you I have the runway in sight and am going in"... So I line up and am heading in, landing configs ok, speeds good, gear down and locked.. crossing threshold I cut throttle to idle and start flaring a bit, then the damn autopilot (or my drunken partner in the cockpit) kicks in by itself and the plane decides it's taking off again and up we go.... Kinda sounds like an A321 during an airshow a few years back doesnt it?

It is a b*gger to fly IMO but I'm sure after some abuse I'll get it... BTW does anyone know where that blasted yacht is? I flown that mission twice now for well over an hour and can't find the thing. Is it actually near Piha or kaipara heads?

[Zöltuger]

its off piha somewhere- bring up the mission pointer (U key) and follow the search pattern instructions

as for the A321, i hate it's ultra responsive engines- it seems that you increase the throttle slightly and all of a sudden you're heading past 200kts. and all the systems which are overidden by the aircraft! the rudder doesn't work above 200kts, the autothrottle kicks in on approach and you CANNOT override it. you get the impression that airbus would rather the computer fly the aircraft the whole way rather than you.

[JonARNZ]

BTW does anyone know where that blasted yacht is? I flown that mission twice now for well over an hour and can't find the thing. Is it actually near Piha or kaipara heads?

The yacht?

[towerguy]

as the saying goes...........

If it ain't Boeing - I ain't going!

I spit on all Airbus

the radar controllers don't seem to have too much problem with them but on the ground and around the Airport they are PIGS, they don't climb - the earth falls away beneath them due to curvature of the earth!

[Alex]

And you've heard that the A340 gets bird strikes from behind.

Alex

[JonARNZ]

And you've heard that the A340 gets bird strikes from behind.

they don't climb - the earth falls away beneath them due to curvature of the earth!

You guys are great, I have to remember both these lines..

[Zöltuger]

come to think of it, the only time i've ever been on an airbus was flying SYD-BNE on Ansett- and it was the scariest flight i've ever had.
this was at night, while we were taxiing, the cabin lights kept flicking on and off. and that tiny winglet was scary. (mind you i was about 9 or 10 at the time)

[Airtrainer]

I love the sound of the engines on the A320s over the 737s.

[Jimmy]

It only takes one man and a dag to fly a airbus. The man to watch the instruments and the dog to bite the man if he touchs anything

[JonARNZ]

good one Jimmy.

I was talking to a mate in England last night about the airbus control systems, he gave me a 30 minute tech review of how it works, what it can and can't do, and more importantly what it will and wont let the pilot do. I don't like airbus personally, but I have to say I have a new respect for the way the aircraft works to ensure a 'stable' flight. I wont mention that I think the 320 is a turbulence magnet, damn things always find every 'pot hole' in the sky, least thats my experience.