A320 KNOWLEDGE BASE

SYSTEMS USAGE REMINDER

- APU: Little engine on the tail. Provides electricity and bleed air (for packs, ENG start).

- ELEC: Uses BATT, GPU, and APU/ENG generators.

- HYD: 3 pumps (YELLOW, GREEN, BLUE). Uses electricity. Used for flight surfaces, LDG gear, brakes.

- PNEUMATIC: Uses bleed air (from engines/APU/ground unit). Used for ENG start, packs, anti-ice, presurization.

- A/C & PRESURIZATION: Uses hot bleed air from engines (or ground unit). Packs cool it for cabin temp. Outflow valve used for cabin pressure.

- RAT: Provides ELEC and HYD on emergencies.


AIRCRAFT LIMITATIONS

Environmental Limits:

- MAX RWY ALT = 9200 ft

- MAX OPERATING ALT = 39100 ft

- MAX CROSSWIND = 38 kts (decreases with RWY COND: good to medium 29 kts, medium 25 kts, medium to poor 20 kts, poor 15 kts)

- Takeoff not recommended if some of the following are observed: wet ice, water on top of compacted snow, snow over ice

- MAX TAILWIND = 15 kts

- MAX WIND for Pax doors and Cargo doors = 65 kts and 40 kts respectively.

Maximum Operational Speed (VMO): 350 KIAS

Minimum Control Speed: 115 kts

(Minimum calibrated airspeed at which the aircraft can be controlled)

Max Flaps Speeds:

- FLAPS 1 = 230 kts

- FLAPS 1+F = 215 kts

- FLAPS 2 = 200 kts

- FLAPS 3 = 185 kts

- FLAPS FULL = 117 kts

- MAX ALT for slats/flaps = 20000 ft

Maximum Gear Speeds:

- Extended = 280 kts

- Extension and Retraction = 250 kts and 220 kts respectively

- MAX TYRE SPEED = 195 kts GS

- MAX TAXI SPEED = 20 kts (if TOW > 76000 kg)

Wipers and windows:

- MAX WIPER USAGE SPEED = 230 kts

- MAX COCKPIT WINDOW OPEN SPEED = 200 kts

About Pressurization, ventilation, conditioning:

- Do not exceed 20 minutes without AIR COND when passengers on board.

- Do not use HP Ground Unit at the same time with APU BLEED, nor ACU at the same time with Packs.

APU and Engines Limitations:

- MAX ALT for APU usage = 20000 ft (eng start and single pack), 15000 ft (dual pack), wing anti-ice from APU not permitted.

- If APU LOW OIL, it may still be used, but maintenance action is required within next 10 h of APU operation.

- MAX APU N = 105%

- MAX APU EGT = 1090ºC (start below 35000 ft), 1120ºC (start above 35000 ft), 675ºC (APU running)

- MAX ENG EGT = 950ºC for 5 mins on TOGA or FLEX (10 mins if 1 Eng Out), 915ºC for MCT, 725ºC for Eng Start

- MAX ENG N = 105% on N2, 104% on N1 (may be limited by ambient conditions or bleed config)

- MAX OIL TEMP = 140ºC, 155ºC for 15 mins transients

- MIN OIL TEMP = -40ºC for start, -10ºC for tkof

Temperature Limitations:

- JET A1 = between -43ºC and 54ºC

- Icing conditions expected if: TAT/OAT < 10ºC, or visible moisture (fog and clouds included)

Braking System Limitations:

- MAX BRAKES TEMP for TKOF = 300ºC (fans off)

Autopilot Limitations:

- MAX TAILWIND for AUTOLAND and ROLLOUT = 10 kt


WEIGHTS AND FUEL BASICS

- OEW / DOW: Operating Empty Weight / Dry Operating Weight = aircraft + equipment + crew.

- ZFW: Zero Fuel Weight = OEW + Payload (passengers, baggage, freight).

- ZFWCG: Zero Fuel Weight Center of Gravity = Center of gravity when aircraft fully loaded, except fuel. Appears as %MAC.

- GW: Gross Weight = Real time aircraft total mass.


BLOCK FUEL: Total fuel before pushback/engine start.

Includes = TAXI OUT + TRIP + contingency + ALTN + final reserve + any extra.


- TOW: Takeoff Weight = Weight at takeoff (OEW + payload + Takeoff fuel (TRIP+CONT+ALTN+FINRES+EXTRA))

- LW: Landing Weight = Weight at landing (OEW + payload + fuel at landing)


ZFW, TOW and LW have also MAXIMUM VALUES that cannot be exceeded in order to protect aircraft's performance or structure (wings, landing gear).
These are MZFW, MTOW, MLW.

You can easily obtain info for PAYLOAD & BLOCK FUEL on Simbrief.
Make sure OEW, MZFW, MTOW, MLW, Max Fuel & Pax Capacity are stated correctly! (check addon/sim documentation)


AUTOPILOT MODES

Push the knob towards the aircraft to give it control (managed).

- Managed CLB/DES: The autopilot will follow FMS Vertical Profile.

- Managed SPD/HDG: The autopilot will follow FMS Lateral Profile (programmed route) and speed computations.

These are the most preferable modes, as the FMS will take care about energy management & constraints.

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Pull the knob towards you to take control (selected).

- Selected SPD/HDG: The autopilot will NOT follow FMS indications.

- Open CLB/DES: The autopilot will take you straight to the desired altitud, adjusting rate depending on your speed (*), and will not follow altitude constraints.

- Vertical Speed mode: fine tunning for the climb/descent rate.

We will use OP CLB/DES when "we are not following the green line on the ND", or in other words, Vectors from ATC.
V/S Mode is the least preferable mode, since we have to be very careful with overspeed/stall. Note that sometimes we will have to use it (ATC asks for a descend rate)


OTHER BASIC VOCABULARY

Block time: time from chocks out to chocks in.

Taxi in/out: time taxiing.

Airborne time: time from takeoff to landing (remember to start chrono on takeoff).


TA: QNH -> STD

TL: STD -> QNH

MSA (Minimum Safe Altitude), MDA (Minimum Descent Altitude), DA (Decision Altitude), DH (Decision Height)


HDG vs TRK: Track is the "line" connecting point A to B on the ground. Heading is that same line with wind compensation.


RESOURCES USED TO CREATE THIS SOP

- A320 NORMAL PROCEDURES FROM TheAirlinePilots (version 20 march 2026)


YouTube Channels:

- FSClips

- A330 Driver

- Airbus Cockpit Coach

- Sami_aviation