So I landed the A350 the other day and I got a hot brakes light. Which brought a question to my mind. Do I use toe brakes or just spoilers and reverse thrust when landing?
My current procedure is once the nose wheel hits the ground I go reverse thrust and hit the toe brakes.
Definitely use brakes. I would be surprised if the A350 didn’t have an auto-brake setting. Usually auto-brakes are set to the minimal setting. If you are not using auto-brakes, you should at least get on the brakes moderately a couple of seconds after touchdown to ensure they are actually working. Spoilers and reverse thrust definitely help, but as I’m sure you’ve felt on any commercial airliner, wheel brakes are the primary stopping tool.
As well, Airbus has been a pioneer in their “Brake to Vacate” technology. This tool allows the pilots to set an exit point off the runway and the braking software moderates the braking in order to make that taxiway (if possible). Why would one do that? Well, if you have an 11,000’ strip and your terminal is at the far end, there is no sense using up the brakes and wasting the free energy of the rollout to make an early exit (unless ATC requires it). As well, if your taxiway to the ramp is at mid-field, then it might be a bit of a time saver to brake a bit more heavily to make that taxiway as opposed to passing it, having to taxi a further few thousand feet, then reverse taxi down the parallel. Brake to Vacate is pretty cool…
http://www.propilotmag.com/archives/2011/May%2011/A3_Land-brake_p1.html
BeachAV8R
It has one. But its like the brake to vacate but not quite implemented in the sim. I thing I’m using auto brake wrong. Ill try hitting the brakes when I land and letting off and let the auto brake work. I was landing at TXKF on runway 30. So I had to go the full distance to get to the terminal.
With auto-brakes I believe you keep your feet off the pedals. It may be that if you even tap the brakes once you disarm the auto-brakes (sort of like the cruise control in your car)…
Does auto brake work like the RTO feature? Where the auto brakes work once the throttle is in idle?
I would guess that RTO would result in near maximum braking. I’m not exactly sure how RTO is plumbed into the flight control logic with regards to manual brake application. If RTO is on and you close the throttles and RTO engages, I don’t know if it then disengages with manual application of the brakes. I would imagine RTO does not even arm until the aircraft exceeds a certain speed (60 or 80 knots or something). Once past that speed, reducing the throttle to idle would engage the RTO mode. I’m not an airliner driver though…so this could all be wrong… LOL
BeachAV8R
I don’t know anything about Airbus systems.
Normally in my prior experience, you land (nose gear touches down) and extend speed brakes right away. Then you wait for a small bit and test the brakes to make sure they still work. Finally you wait until calculated speed to apply brakes while looking at landmarks to your taxi way and airspeed.
Awesome info guys! Thank you.
Can’t speak for the 350 but in the 320 family Beach is right. Activating manual braking at any time will disengage the auto brake. So if you manually brake upon landing, you have removed autobraking for the rest of landing roll.
Again for the 320 family not sure if it crosses over to the 350, depending on the braking mode (low/medium) autobrakes will engage after a set amount of time after touchdown. Max brake selection is used only for take off for rto purposes which will only engage after a set speed is achieved.
As for brake temps. Hot brakes are a common occurance on 320 family and brake fans are often fitted to alleviate the symptoms. Hot brakes indication is an advisory not an emergency item and well within acceptable limits. You just may have to delay your next take off until brakes cool down. Brake fans work well in dissipating heat.
Not sure if this translates to 350 but hopefully the philosophy remains constant
I come in sideways and hope to heck that the tires last to the end of the runway
Good idea!
