What must be redundant in A320 and B737 cockpit?

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Detlef
Posts: 303
Joined: Mon Nov 16, 2020 9:43 am
Location: Bavaria

What must be redundant in A320 and B737 cockpit?

#1 Post by Detlef »

Hi pilots,

I wonder if someone can help me here. I have some space still to fill in my hardware panel. I want to have the main FCU and EFIS functions for an A320 aircraft there. But at the same time the cockpit shall be suited to fly B737-800. So I studied some documentation.

I understand that I must activate AP1 and AP2 for automatic landings in bad visual conditions. That is so for Airbus and Boeing. Now, the Airbus also has FD1 and FD2 and also two times the LS button on the pilot and first officer side. Similarly the Boeing has AP A and B, FD A and B and CWS A and B.

I am not sure if I am correct. My impression is, only the autopilot redundancy is really needed. Flight director, landing system and control wheel steering (B737) are redundant to switch sides, but are not really needed in a one-man cockpit. Is that right?

Thank you
Detlef

JackZ
Posts: 2262
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2016 1:02 pm

Re: What must be redundant in A320 and B737 cockpit?

#2 Post by JackZ »

Perfectly correct, even if IRL it is slightly more complicated than that.
I will talk about the A320 that I fly for a living.
- Flight directors are independent and are driven each by their FMGS side. The behavior is different when only one or both FDs are disengaged
- LS only displays the Glide and Loc scale on their respective PFD side.

Jacques
My YouTube Chanel on the A320 (Real SOPs by an Airline Pilot IRL):
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... 0Q6SBASRqJ

Detlef
Posts: 303
Joined: Mon Nov 16, 2020 9:43 am
Location: Bavaria

Re: What must be redundant in A320 and B737 cockpit?

#3 Post by Detlef »

Jacques,

thank you. Great information, as always.
JackZ wrote: Mon Jul 12, 2021 8:34 pm even if IRL it is slightly more complicated than that.
Yes I guess so. I am simplifying this very much.

Detlef

JackZ
Posts: 2262
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2016 1:02 pm

Re: What must be redundant in A320 and B737 cockpit?

#4 Post by JackZ »

So to sum it up and take into account the single pilot cockpit configuration, for the A320 i would simply make sure that when pressed, the FD push button activates/deactivates both sides simultaneously (talking about an AM instrument of course).

That way you wouldn’t have weird FMA displays such as -FD2 when only the captain’s side FD is disconnected, as an example.

I am not familiar enough of the B737 to be assertive on its MCP.

Jacques
My YouTube Chanel on the A320 (Real SOPs by an Airline Pilot IRL):
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... 0Q6SBASRqJ

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