¡Attention! This article is under construction.
Information here can be consulted but must not be taken as a preparation
material for any exam or training.
¶ INTRODUCTION
A flight must always be performed within the normal operational envelope
of the aircraft.
Pilots should know by hard the most important limitations which must
never be violated with a few exceptions when the situations demands it.
In this document you'll find helpful information with some of the most
important limitations applicable to Airbus 320-214 with CFM/IAE
engines (well know as CEOs) and A320-271 with PW engines (well known as
NEOs)
Bear in mind that there could be some differences among the A320s, and
they may vary depending on several factors such as, for example, type of
engine. Check your own aircraft manuals for actual and more accurate
information.
¶ AIRCRAFT GENERAL
¶ LOAD FACTOR LIMITS
- Clean Configuration: -1g to +2.5g
- Other configurations: 0g to +2g
¶ ENVIRONMENTAL ENVELOPE
- Max Pressure Altitude: 39800ft
- Max rwy elevation: 9200ft
- Min rwy elevation: -1000ft (-2000 NEOs)
- RWY slope: +-2%
¶ AIRPORT OPERATIONS AND WIND LIMITATIONS
-
Max RWY altitude: 9200ft
-
Nominal RWY width: 45mt
-
Minimal RWY width: 30mt
-
Max demonstrated Take-Off/Landing crosswind: 38kt including gust
Note: this is not an AFM limitation. It's the maximum experienced
crosswind during certification. -
Max Take-off/Landing tailwind: 10kt (15kt in some aircrafts.
See your manual for more accurate info) -
Max recommended crosswind component on contaminated RWY: 15kt
(Braking action Poor) -
Take-off limitations on contaminated RWY:
Not recommended on RWYs covered with Wet ice, Water on top of
Compacted Snow, Dry Snow or Wet Snow over Ice.
¶ SPEEDS
- Cockpit window opened Max speed (Applicable to all
series):''' 200kt
¶ Max Flaps/Slats speeds
Flap Lever Position Indication on Upper ECAM Max Speed Flight Phase
0 VMO/MMO Cruise
1 1 230kt Holding
1 1+F 215kt Take-off
2 2 200kt Take-off
3 3 185kt Landing
FULL FULL 177kt Landing
¶ Max Operating Speeds (Applicable to all series)
- VMO: 350kt
- MMO: Mach 0.82
¶ Landing Gear Operating Speeds (Applicable to all series)
- Max speed with L/G extended (Vle)= 280kt/M 0.67
- Max speed for L/G extension (Vlo extension): 250kt/M 0.60
- Max speed for L/G retraction (Vlo retraction): 220kt/M 0.54)
¶ Max tire speed (Applicable to all series)
- Max ground speed: 195kt
¶ Max taxi speed
- When taxy weight greater than 76 tons, don't exceed 20kt
during turn.
¶ Wipers operating speed
- Max speed: 230kt
¶ WEIGHT LIMITATIONS
Limitations here may very depending on the operators configurations.
'''These are applicable to Weight Variant 010 (WV010) mostly for
CEOs, and WV052 mostly for NEOs '''.
Weight and Aircraft variant Max Taxi Weight Max T/O weight (MTOW) Max Landing Weight (MLW) Max Zero Fuel Weight (MZFW) Minimum Weight
CEOs (WV010) 77400kg 77000kg 64500kg 61000 37230
NEOs (WV052) 77400kg 77000kg 66300kg 62800 40300
In some exceptional cases (immediate inflight return or diversion),
landing can be performed above MLW provided pilots follow the OVERWEIGHT
LADING PROCEDURE
Note: The Table above is just a reference for many A320s. Check your
manual for more accurate information
¶ AIR BLEED/COND/PRESS/VENT
¶ APU BLEED USE WITH HIGHT POWER AIR START UNIT
Don't use APU bleed with HP air start unit at the same time. This may
cause an adverse effect in the Bleed Air System
¶ AVIONICS VENTILATION
On ground, limit the use of electrical power supply according to table
below:
OAT IN oC TIME
OAT �?� 49 °C NO LIMITATION
49 °C < OAT �?� 55 °C 2 hours
55 °C < OAT �?� 60 °C 1 hour
60 °C < OAT �?� 64 °C 1/2 hour
¶ CABIN PRESSURE
- Max Positive Differential Pressure: 9 PSI
- Max Negative Differential Pressure: -1 PSI
- Safety Relief Valve setting: 8.6 PSI (at this value, safety
relief valve will start operating)
¶ PACKS USE WITH LOW PRESSURE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT
Do not use conditioned air from the packs and from the LP Air
Conditioning Unit at the same time. This may cause adverse effects on
the Air Conditioning system.
¶ AUTO FLIGHT
¶ AUTOPILOT FUNCTION
The autopilot can be used with the following minimum values:
- At take-off: 100ft or 5 seconds after lift off
- In None Precision Approach using FINAL APP, FPA or V/S modes:
250ftAGL - In circling approach: 500ft AGL (600ft if A321 as Cat D)
- ILS if Cat1 displayed on FMA: 160ft
- ILS if Cat2 or CAT3 (single or dual) displayed in FMA: 0ft AGL
if autoland - In all other phases: 500ft AGL
¶ USE OF NAV MODE
¶ AFTER TAKE OFF
May be used after take-off if:
- GMS Primary is available or,
- Pilot checked the FMGS take-off updating
¶ IN TERMINAL AREA
May be used in terminal areas if:
- GPS Primary is available or,
- '''RPM value is checked or enter in the MCDU and Hight Accuracy
is displayed ''' or, - '''FMS navigation is cross checked with navaid raw data '''
¶ APPROACH BASED ON RADIO NAVAIDS
NAVAIDS approaches can be performed in NAV, APP NAV of FINAL APP with
A/P or F/D engaged if:
- '''With GPS PRIMARY is available, the navaid required for the
approach may be out of service or the airborne equipment inoperative
or not installed ''', if approved. - Without GPS PRIMARY, the airborne equipment as well as the
required navaid must be operative, tuned and monitored during the
approach.
¶ RNAV APPROACH
RNAV RNP approaches different from GNSS can be performed without GPS
primary, only if:
- the radio navaid coverage supports the RNP value.
- Hight accuracy is displayed on the MCDU with the specified RNP.
- Operational approval is obtained.
RNAV GNSS approaches may be performed only if GPS PRIMAY is
available (Refer to Perform a LNAV/VNAV approach
(A320)).
¶ AUTOMATIC APPROACH, LAND AND ROLL OUT
¶ ILS CAT II
- Min DH: 100ft
- At least 1 A/P engaged in APPR mode and FMA displaying CAT 2, CAT 3
SINGLE or CAT 3 DUAL. - Min height for A/P disconnection if manual: 80ft RA
¶ ILS CAT III FAIL PASSIVE
- Min DH: 50ft
- Auto thrust must be used in managed or selected speed.
- At least 1 A/P engaged in APPR mode and FMA displaying CAT 3 SINGLE
¶ ILS CAT III FAIL OPERATIONAL
- Alert Height: 100ft
- Auto thrust must be used in managed or selected speed.
- Both A/Ps must be engaged in APPR mode and FMA displaying CAT
3 DUAL - Min RVR: 75mt (without DH)
¶ ENGINE OUT
Approved, for CAT II and CAT III fail passive autoland, typically in
configuration 3 and FULL, and if engine-out procedures are completed
before reaching 1 000 ft in approach.
¶ WIND CONDITIONS FOR ILS CAT II/III
These are the most typical values. Check your manual for more accurate
info
A320 VARIANT HEADWIND CROSSWIND TAILWIND
CEO 30kt 20kt 10kt
CEO + Sharklets 30kt 20kt (15kt for automatic rollout) 10kt
NEO 30kt 20kt (15kt for automatic rollout with one engine inop) 10kt
If ATC reports wind conditions that are beyond limitations,
only CAT I automatic approach without Autoland can be performed.
Note: Automatic Rollout is approved only in dry or wet runways. It
has not been demonstrated on contaminated runways.
Autoland is not permitted above maximum landing weight.
¶ AUXILIAR POWER UNIT
¶ GENERAL
¶ APU START
After three consecutive APU start attempts, pilots must wait 60 min
before a new start attempt.
¶ ROTOR SPEED
- Max N speed: 107%
¶ EXHAUST GAS TEMPERATURE
- Max EGT for start (below 25000ft): 900oC
- Max EGT for start (above 25000ft): 982oC
- Maximum EGT for APU running (with 5 seconds confirmation for
shutdown): 682oC - Maximum EGT for APU running (for immediate shutdown): 700oC to
742 oC
Note: these are the most common EGT limits. Check your manual for more
accurate info.
¶ OPERATIONAL ENVELOPE
- Max alt
¶
Reference
- A320 FCOM/FCTM/AFM
¶
Author
- VID 109661 - Creation