A320 Normal Procedures: Descent, Approach and Landing
The A320 descent, approach and landing procedures are the Airbus standard operating procedures, with their task sharing and callouts, that take the crew from preparing the arrival before top of descent, through the approach and the landing or go-around, to parking and securing the aircraft.
The A320's descent, approach and landing procedures are the part of the Airbus standard operating procedures (SOPs) that runs from preparing the arrival in cruise to leaving a secured aircraft at the gate. The pilot flying (PF) orders and the pilot monitoring (PM) selects, checks and announces, so that "flaps 1" is an order from one pilot and an action by the other. The procedures are built around the decelerated approach, Airbus's standard technique, and use the ECAM memos and the flight mode annunciator (FMA) as checks along the way.
The autopilot modes and autoland are described in A320 auto flight: approach, landing and go-around, the earlier part of the flight in A320 normal procedures: taxi, takeoff and climb.
Descent preparation and approach briefing
Crews obtain the latest landing information, weather, runway state and braking action, at the latest 15 minutes before descent. The landing performance is computed with the LDG PERF application, with a 15 % margin added to the unfactored landing distance, the factored in-flight landing distance (FILD), except in an emergency. Runway reports use the runway condition assessment matrix (RCAM): six braking performance levels, from 6, dry, to 1, poor, then code 0, less than poor.
The FMS computes the approach speed VAPP as VLS of the landing configuration plus the greater of 5 kt and one third of the tower headwind component, the wind correction being capped at 15 kt. VAPP may not be less than VLS + 5 kt with autothrust on, for an autoland, with ice accretion or in a gusty crosswind above 20 kt, and in a strong or gusty crosswind the crew may raise the increment up to 15 kt.
LO or MED autobrake is used for landing, and LO is preferred when the performance allows, because repeated brake temperatures above 400 °C are the main cause of carbon brake oxidation, which can rupture a disk. A CONF 3 landing is prepared by setting the LDG FLAP 3 pushbutton on the GPWS panel, which inhibits the flap mode alert and makes the landing memo ask for FLAPS 3.
The approach briefing follows before descent; as in any two-pilot crew it covers weather and runway, chart, minima and missed approach, automation, speeds and configuration, threats, and what will make the crew go around (see crew coordination, briefings and callouts).
Descent and initial approach
The FMGS computes the top of descent backward from a point 1,000 ft above the runway on final approach at VAPP, respecting the constraints. When ATC allows the aircraft to follow that profile, the preferred mode is DES, managed descent; if the aircraft must stay level beyond the top of descent or leave the profile, OP DES is preferred. A descent started early in DES gives 1,000 ft/min until the profile is regained. At the transition level the flashing barometric setting prompts both pilots to set QNH, standby altimeter included, and crosscheck.
Speedbrakes steepen the descent or slow the aircraft, but raise VLS. The crew check the speed margin before extending them and before turning with them out, so as not to trigger alpha floor; in the clean configuration VLS with full speedbrakes can exceed green dot or the VFE of flaps 1.
The FMS approach phase activates automatically over the DECEL pseudo-waypoint with NAV engaged; with HDG or TRK the crew activate it on the PERF DES page about 15 NM from touchdown. Without GPS PRIMARY, the PM checks the navigation accuracy on the PROG page, and if it is LOW at least one navigation display must be in ROSE LS or ROSE VOR.
To decelerate smoothly the crew select the next configuration at the maneuvering speed of the current one plus 10 kt, if below VFE of the next: at green dot + 10 kt, CONF 1. In level flight this gives about 10 kt per NM, twice that with speedbrakes. Flaps 1 should be selected more than 3 NM before the final descent point (FDP).
Final approach: ILS, non-precision and RNAV
The decelerated approach, flown with FD or AP/FD guidance, is the standard technique for ILS, MLS and GLS approaches and for approaches flown with FLS, SLS or FINAL APP guidance. In most cases the aircraft reaches the FDP in CONF 1 at S speed. It must be established on the final descent with flaps 1 and S speed at or above 2,000 ft AGL, and it decelerates on the descent to reach 1,000 ft in the landing configuration at VAPP.
The APPR pushbutton is pressed once the aircraft is cleared for the approach and on an intercept trajectory, with localizer deviation available for an ILS, and both autopilots should then be engaged. On a non-precision approach in FINAL APP the autopilot may be used down to 250 ft AGL, and DES or OP DES only with the FCU altitude at or above the higher of the MDA (or MDH) and 500 ft AGL. The configuration follows a fixed sequence:
| When | PF | PM |
|---|---|---|
| By 2,000 ft AGL, or one dot below an ILS, GLS, MLS, SLS or FLS path intercepted lower | Orders flaps 2 | Selects flaps 2 |
| Flaps at 2 | Orders gear down | Selects gear down, confirms the autobrake, arms the ground spoilers, sets the nose light to T.O and the runway turn-off lights on |
| Gear down | Orders flaps 3, then flaps full | Selects them; checks the WHEEL page |
| Landing checklist | Receives the cabin report | Checks the landing memo shows no blue; receives the cabin report |
On the WHEEL page one green triangle per gear confirms it downlocked, as does LDG GEAR DN in the landing memo. The speedbrakes are retracted before flaps full, because their automatic retraction would pitch the nose down. CABIN READY on the E/WD, or the purser's report, confirms the cabin is secured.
Stabilization criteria and landing callouts
The approach must be stabilized at the stabilization height: 1,000 ft above the airfield in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), 500 ft in visual conditions (VMC), or another height set by the operator. At that point:
- the aircraft is on the correct lateral and vertical flight path;
- it is in the desired landing configuration;
- the thrust is stabilized, usually above idle, at the target approach speed;
- the crew detect no excessive flight parameter deviation.
In IMC an operator may accept a later stabilization of speed and thrust, provided the aircraft is decelerating toward the target speed and both are stable by 500 ft. If any condition is not met, the crew go around, unless only small corrections are needed (see stabilized approach). A PF who intends to land with manual thrust disconnects the autothrust by 1,000 ft above the airfield at the latest.
The PM calls out any excessive deviation on final:
| Parameter | Callout when |
|---|---|
| Speed | Below the target −5 kt or above the target +10 kt |
| Pitch attitude | Below −2.5° or above +10° nose-up |
| Bank angle | Above 7° |
| Descent rate | Above 1,000 ft/min |
| Localizer or glideslope | Half a dot |
Synthetic voices announce the radio altitude from 2,500 ft down to 5 ft, HUNDRED ABOVE 100 ft above the minimum and MINIMUM at it. From 400 ft radio altitude the PFD shows the tail strike pitch limit indicator. During the landing the PM calls "PITCH, PITCH" if the pitch attitude reaches 10° or approaches that limit, and "BANK, BANK" at 7° of bank.
Flare, touchdown and rollout
From a stabilized approach the flare begins at about 30 ft radio altitude. The PF brings the thrust levers to idle, which disconnects the autothrust, and makes a gentle pitch increase of about 4°, giving a flight path of about −1° and a speed loss of 10 kt, without letting the aircraft float. At 20 ft the automatic RETARD callout reminds the PF to close the levers; in an automatic landing with autothrust active it comes at 10 ft. Normal law helps: at 50 ft radio altitude the trimmable horizontal stabilizer freezes and the flare mode memorizes the pitch attitude, then from 30 ft lowers the reference toward 2° nose-down over 8 seconds, so a gentle nose-up input is needed. In a strong crosswind a residual crab of up to about 5° is accepted rather than a bank that could strike a wing tip or engine.
The ground spoilers do not extend at touchdown while any thrust lever is above idle; if they were not armed, they extend when reverse is selected. At main gear touchdown the PF lowers the nose and selects REV MAX or REV IDLE. Maximum reverse is mandatory in an emergency, when the deceleration is not as expected, after a failure affecting landing performance, after a long flare or touchdown, and with an unexpected tailwind. Once reverse is selected the crew are committed to a full stop. The PM checks and announces the ground spoilers; if none extend, neither will the autobrake work, so the crew check the levers at idle, select maximum reverse and brake fully with the pedals.
The autobrake starts with the ground spoiler extension command. MED applies pressure 2 seconds later for 3 m/s² (9.8 ft/s²), LO after 4 seconds for 1.7 m/s² (5.6 ft/s²). The green DECEL light comes on when the deceleration reaches 80 % of the selected rate; on a slippery runway it may stay off while the autobrake keeps working. The autobrake needs at least two SECs, deactivates if the ground spoilers retract and disarms when a pilot presses a brake pedal far enough. MAX, the takeoff setting, cannot be armed in flight (see anti-skid and autobrake).
At 70 kt the PM calls "SEVENTY KNOTS" and the PF selects idle reverse, high reverse at low speed being kept for emergencies. Before 20 kt the PF disengages the autobrake with the pedals, and the reversers are stowed at taxi speed, before leaving the runway. After an autoland the autopilot is disengaged at the end of the rollout, or at touchdown after a nosewheel steering or anti-skid failure.
Go-around
The PF sets the thrust levers to TOGA, rotates toward 15° of pitch (about 12.5° with one engine out), then follows the SRS orders, and announces "GO AROUND"; the PM retracts the flaps one step. With the flaps lever not at 0, TOGA engages SRS and GA TRK or NAV, activates the FMS go-around phase and retracts the speedbrakes; with the lever at 0 the guidance stays in its approach modes. The PF announces the FMA, MAN TOGA, SRS, GA TRK or NAV, and A/THR, and orders the gear up after the PM's "POSITIVE CLIMB". The PM calls "BANK" beyond 7°, "PITCH" above 20° or below 10° nose-up, and "SINK RATE" without a climb rate. At the go-around thrust reduction altitude LVR CLB flashes and the levers go to CL.
At or above the FCU altitude the crew may instead discontinue the approach, announcing "CANCEL APPROACH" and disarming the approach modes with APPR or LOC; below it, the go-around is mandatory. After a manual go-around the autopilot may be engaged from 100 ft AGL, and ECAM read-and-do actions wait until 400 ft AGL unless the flight path is safe earlier. If the aircraft stays below 2,200 ft radio altitude, the landing memo reappears on the next approach only below 800 ft.
Exam tip: the sequence in numbers: flaps 1 more than 3 NM before the FDP, flaps 1 and S speed by 2,000 ft AGL, landing configuration at VAPP by 1,000 ft, flare at about 30 ft, RETARD at 20 ft (10 ft in autoland), idle reverse at 70 kt, autobrake off before 20 kt.
After landing, parking and securing
The after landing procedure starts with the runway vacated: the PF disarms the ground spoilers, and the PM sets the ENG MODE selector to NORM, retracts the flaps and switches off the weather radar and predictive windshear system. After an approach in icing conditions or a landing on slush or snow the flaps stay down until the ground crew confirm, after shutdown, that ice does not obstruct them. With an OAT above 30 °C the slats may be kept at CONF 1 to avoid AIR L (R) WING LEAK alerts. The after landing checklist is completed once clear of the runway.
The brake fans are used at once after a short turnaround or if a brake is likely to exceed 500 °C, otherwise 5 minutes after landing or approaching the gate, whichever comes first. One brake above 900 °C, or a 200 °C difference between the left and right gear averages, are among the triggers for maintenance action.
In the parking procedure the PF checks the ACCU PRESS indication in the green band; if it is low, chocks are needed before engine 1 is shut down. The PM selects APU BLEED ON just before shutdown, to keep exhaust fumes out of the air conditioning, and the engines run at or near idle for 3 minutes after any high-thrust use before the ENG MASTER levers go OFF; the beacon goes off once they have spooled down. With chocks in place the parking brake is released if a brake is above 300 °C, or 150 °C with the fans on, unless the apron is slippery. The PF checks on the DOOR/OXY page that the slides are disarmed, and the PM that fuel on board plus fuel used agrees with the departure fuel.
To secure the aircraft the crew keep the parking brake on, to reduce the brake accumulator's leak rate, and switch off the crew oxygen. After setting the IRs OFF they wait at least 10 seconds before removing power, so that the ADIRS store their latest data. The APU is shut down once the passengers have left, and the batteries only when its air intake flap has closed, about 2 minutes after AVAIL goes out; switching them off earlier may cause smoke in the cabin on the next flight, and with the APU still running it removes APU fire extinguishing.
Frequently asked questions
What are the A320 stabilized approach criteria?
At the stabilization height, 1,000 ft above the airfield in IMC or 500 ft in VMC unless the operator sets another, the aircraft must be on the correct lateral and vertical path, in the landing configuration, at the target speed with the thrust stabilized, usually above idle, and with no excessive deviation. In IMC an operator may let speed and thrust stabilize later, but not below 500 ft. Otherwise the crew go around, unless only small corrections are needed.
At what height does the A320 flare and when is RETARD called?
From a stabilized approach the flare starts at about 30 ft radio altitude, with a pitch increase of about 4 degrees, and the thrust levers are brought to idle. The RETARD callout sounds at 20 ft in a manual landing and at 10 ft in an automatic landing with autothrust. In normal law the flare mode memorizes the pitch attitude at 50 ft and from 30 ft lowers it toward 2 degrees nose-down, so the pilot must ease the stick back.
Which autobrake mode is used for landing on the A320?
LO or MED, LO being preferred when the landing performance allows it. MAX is the takeoff setting and cannot be armed in flight. After touchdown the autobrake starts with the ground spoiler extension command: MED applies pressure after 2 seconds for 3 m/s², LO after 4 seconds for 1.7 m/s². The green DECEL light comes on at 80 percent of the selected rate; on a slippery runway it may stay off although the autobrake is working.
What is the A320 go-around procedure?
The pilot flying sets the thrust levers to TOGA, rotates toward 15 degrees of pitch, about 12.5 degrees with one engine out, and announces the go-around, while the pilot monitoring retracts the flaps one step. The FMA should read MAN TOGA, SRS, GA TRK or NAV, and A/THR. With a positive climb the gear is raised, and at the go-around thrust reduction altitude LVR CLB flashes and the levers are moved to the CL detent.
What does the pilot monitoring call out on an A320 final approach?
A speed more than 5 kt below or 10 kt above the target, a pitch attitude below minus 2.5 degrees or above 10 degrees nose-up, a bank angle above 7 degrees, a descent rate above 1,000 ft/min, and half a dot of localizer or glideslope deviation. During the landing the pilot monitoring calls PITCH PITCH at 10 degrees of pitch or near the tail strike limit, and BANK BANK at 7 degrees of bank.
Test yourself on A320 Normal Procedures: Descent, Approach and Landing
The v1prep banks cover this topic in the A320 type-rating bank, with a worked explanation for every answer. EASA ATPL, PPL, IR and CPL, the FAA written tests and type ratings for the A320, 737, A220, 787, ATR 72 and E-Jet.
Start practicing →Sources and further reading
- Flight Safety Foundation, ALAR Briefing Note 7.1, Stabilized Approach
- Flight Safety Foundation, Go-Around Decision-Making and Execution Project, Final Report
- FAA Advisory Circular 120-71B, Standard Operating Procedures and Pilot Monitoring Duties for Flight Deck Crewmembers
- FAA AC 91-79B, Aircraft Landing Performance and Runway Excursion Mitigation
- EASA, AMC and GM to Part-CAT (AMC1 CAT.OP.MPA.115, Approach flight technique)
- EASA, Global Reporting Format for runway surface condition (briefing material)
- EASA Type Certificate Data Sheet EASA.A.064, Airbus A318, A319, A320, A321
- JAA Joint Operational Evaluation Board Report A320 (2003), as published by EASA in the A320 OSD transition documents
Library articles are written for study and exam preparation. They do not replace your aircraft's approved documentation, your operator's procedures or the regulations themselves.