A320 Normal Procedures: Taxi, Takeoff and Climb

The A320's taxi, takeoff and climb procedures are the part of the Airbus standard operating procedures (SOPs) that runs from the after start checks to the climb. The pilot flying (PF) orders and flies; the pilot monitoring (PM) selects, checks and announces. The flight mode annunciator (FMA), the ECAM memos and a short set of callouts let both pilots confirm at each step what the aircraft is doing.

The figures come from the A320-family FCOM and FCTM, with the variant named where it matters. Engine start is covered in A320 normal procedures: cockpit preparation to engine start, the arrival in A320 normal procedures: descent, approach and landing.

After start and taxi

In the after start procedure the PF sets the APU BLEED pushbutton OFF, so that the air conditioning does not ingest engine exhaust, and the pitch trim is set to the takeoff THS position for the CG. To avoid thermal shock, each engine runs at or near idle for at least 2 minutes before high thrust, taxi time included. The last engine started must have run 2 minutes before the takeoff begins, so that the center tank pump test is complete: takeoff on center tank fuel is prohibited.

For taxi the nose light goes to TAXI and the runway turn-off lights ON; the strobes come on to cross a runway. In the taxi flow the PM arms AUTO BRK MAX. The ENG MODE selector goes to IGN/START for continuous ignition if the runway has standing water, heavy rain is falling, or heavy rain or severe turbulence is expected after takeoff. A heading given by ATC for a radar-vectored departure is preset on the FCU: NAV disarms and RWY TRK holds the runway track after lift-off.

For the flight control check the PF silently applies full sidestick travel while the PM, on the F/CTL page, calls "full up, full down, neutral" and "full left, full right, neutral". The PF then holds the PEDALS DISC pushbutton, so that the nosewheel does not turn, and applies full rudder, the PM following on the pedals and calling the travel.

The taxi technique starts with steering: the rudder pedals turn the nosewheel only ±6° at full deflection, enough for straight lines and shallow turns, while sharper turns need the hand wheel (tiller), which gives up to 75° (see A320 landing gear, brakes and steering). Speed is judged on the ground speed shown on the navigation display:

With the seat correctly adjusted, the eyes in line with the red ball and white light, the cut-off angle is 20° and the ground is hidden for 42 ft (12.5 m) ahead, so turns start before an obstacle reaches that segment.

Brake checks, brake temperature and brake fans

The normal brakes run on the green hydraulic system, yet a quick pedal application at the start of taxi can bring a brief reading on the BRAKES PRESS (triple) indicator; a peak below 2,000 psi needs no maintenance action. Carbon brake wear depends on the number of applications and on brake temperature, not on pressure or duration, so fewer applications mean less wear.

The WHEEL page shows each brake temperature in green, with a green arc over the hottest wheel above 100 °C that turns amber, with an ECAM caution, above 300 °C. The maximum brake temperature for takeoff is 300 °C with the fans off. When an arc appears, the crew switch on the brake fans where fitted; they run whenever their pushbutton is ON and the left main gear is down and locked.

With the fans running the indicated temperature reads low, by about 50 °C at an actual 100 °C and about 150 °C at an actual 300 °C. Before takeoff, therefore:

• with the fans running and any brake indicating 150 °C or more, the takeoff is delayed, or the BRAKES HOT alert would appear as soon as the fans went off;
• with every brake below 150 °C, the PM switches the fans off, since they are not used for takeoff, to avoid foreign object damage.

Before takeoff: T.O CONFIG test and runway checks

The takeoff data crosscheck covers the V-speeds, thrust, flaps, THS and green dot, whose agreement indirectly confirms the gross weight used. Without V2 on the PERF TAKE OFF page SRS does not engage, and V/S engages 5 seconds after lift-off.

The T.O CONFIG test is the last configuration check. The PM presses the T.O CONFIG pushbutton, which simulates takeoff power: a wrong slat, flap, pitch trim, rudder trim or speedbrake setting, an open door, hot brakes or another monitored fault brings up the matching alert; otherwise T.O CONFIG NORMAL joins the takeoff memo, which must show no blue line. Two alerts come only with real takeoff power: CONFIG PARK BRK ON, and ENG THR LEVERS NOT SET, given by levers in FLX/MCT with no FLEX temperature (see A320 ECAM and warning system).

At line-up the crew confirm the runway and intersection from the markings, the lights (in low visibility edge lights can be mistaken for centerline lights), a centered localizer, the runway symbol on the navigation display and, where fitted, the runway awareness and advisory system. TCAS is set to TA/RA; TA ONLY is kept for airports or procedures the operator identifies, such as closely spaced parallel runways. The nose light goes to T.O, and the runway turn-off and landing lights ON. Packs OFF or APU bleed ON improves performance at TOGA and, with FLEX, lowers EGT; APU bleed is not authorized if wing anti-ice will be used.

Takeoff roll, thrust setting and callouts

The PF announces "TAKEOFF", sets about 50 % N1 (1.05 EPR on V2500 engines) for the engines to stabilize, then sets the FLX/MCT or TOGA detent, the only two approved for takeoff (see A320 autothrust and thrust levers), and reads the FMA: MAN FLX or MAN TOGA, SRS, RWY where a localizer is available, and the autothrust armed. The captain keeps a hand on the thrust levers until V1.

Against the nose-up moment of takeoff thrust, the PF holds the sidestick half forward with a crosswind of 20 kt or less and no tailwind, or full forward otherwise, until 80 kt, then releases it to neutral by 100 kt. With a tailwind or a crosswind above 20 kt, thrust goes rapidly to about 70 % N1 (1.15 EPR), then progressively to takeoff thrust by 40 kt ground speed. Steering authority decreases with speed as the rudder gains effect, and the pedal link to the nosewheel goes at 130 kt wheel speed, so a strong crosswind then needs more rudder. The tiller is not used: its high authority can make the aircraft overreact.

The 100-knot crosscheck also marks a change in the rejected takeoff decision: below 100 kt the captain may decide to reject, depending on the circumstances; above it, rejecting is a more serious matter. In a rejection the autobrake, armed in MAX, acts only once the ground spoilers extend, which they do when both levers reach idle with the wheel speed above 72 kt; below 72 kt the crew brake with the pedals (see takeoff procedures and rejected takeoff).

Rotation and initial climb

At VR the PF starts a continuous rotation at about 3° per second toward 15° of pitch, 12.5° with an engine failed, keeping lateral inputs small so that no spoilers extend, and after lift-off follows the SRS pitch bar. Lift-off comes at about 10° of pitch, typically 4 to 5 seconds after rotation begins. A slow or incomplete rotation lengthens the takeoff run and distance and reduces obstacle clearance. The main tail strike factors are early rotation, rotation technique, configuration, trim setting, crosswind takeoffs and oleo inflation; after a tail strike the crew avoid altitudes needing a pressurized cabin and return to the departure airport for a damage assessment.

Airborne, SRS targets V2 + 10 kt, limited to V2 + 15 kt, or after an engine failure the speed at detection, between V2 and V2 + 15 kt (see A320 auto flight: FCU and AP/FD modes). At 30 ft radio altitude NAV engages if armed, otherwise RWY TRK. NAV may be used after takeoff only with GPS PRIMARY or once the FMGS takeoff update has been checked.

When the vertical speed is positive and the radio altitude increasing, the PM calls "POSITIVE CLIMB" and selects the gear up on the PF's order. The autopilot may be engaged from 100 ft AGL and at least 5 seconds after lift-off, and the speed knob cannot be pulled before those 5 seconds.

Thrust reduction and acceleration altitudes

The thrust reduction (THR RED) and acceleration (ACC) altitudes on the PERF TAKE OFF page default to 1,500 ft or a value set by airline policy, and change where a noise abatement procedure applies. The engine-out acceleration altitude must be at least 400 ft above the airport, keep the net flight path 35 ft above obstacles and be reached within the takeoff thrust time limit.

At the thrust reduction altitude LVR CLB flashes on the FMA, and the PF brings the levers back to the CL detent, where the autothrust becomes active in THR CLB. The PM switches PACK 1 on, then PACK 2 at least 10 seconds later for passenger comfort; packs selected before the thrust reduction would raise the EGT.

View full schematic

At the acceleration altitude SRS gives way to CLB, or OP CLB if armed, and the aircraft accelerates. The high-lift devices are retracted with the speed increasing: to 1 at F speed, to 0 at S speed (see A320 characteristic speeds). Three features act meanwhile:

• the automatic retraction system retracts the flaps from CONF 1+F to CONF 1 at 210 kt, below the 215 kt VFE (225 kt on some A321s);
• the alpha lock keeps the slats out when the lever goes from 1 to 0 at high angle of attack or low speed, with A. LOCK pulsing on the E/WD;
• a transient overspeed warning may appear without consequence, being based on the surface position while the PFD's VMAX follows the lever.

The PM then disarms the ground spoilers, checks the gear up and switches off the nose and runway turn-off lights. With an engine out, SRS does not disengage at the engine-out acceleration altitude: the crew select another vertical mode. After a failure in a FLEX takeoff no lever action is needed until green dot, where LVR MCT flashes and the lever goes to TOGA or CL and back to select MCT (see the A320 engine failure after V1).

Climb and FCU/FMA monitoring

The normal climb mode is CLB or OP CLB with managed speed, with the PERF CLB page on the PF's MCDU. CLB, recommended while the aircraft is cleared along the flight plan, is the only mode that observes the flight plan's altitude constraints; OP CLB is for radar vectors or a clearance direct to a level without constraint. Pulling the SPD knob selects a speed; pushing it returns to managed speed.

For a rapid climb requested by ATC, the EXPED pushbutton targets green dot, with THR CLB, EXP CLB and NAV on the FMA; it is a short-term tool, avoided above FL 250. Green dot gives the maximum gradient, while the maximum rate lies between ECON climb speed and green dot.

At the transition altitude the barometric reference flashes on the PFD; both pilots set STD, the standby altimeter included, and crosscheck. The PROG page's MAX REC flight level keeps at least a 0.3 g buffet margin; the FMGS accepts a cruise level up to the 0.2 g margin.

Cold-weather and contaminated-runway variations

For the A320, icing conditions exist at an OAT, or in flight a TAT, of 10 °C or below with visible moisture, including fog with a visibility of 1,600 m (1 SM) or less, and on the ground at 10 °C or below wherever the engines could ingest snow, standing water or slush. Engine anti-ice is then on, except in climb and cruise with the SAT below −40 °C. Selected on the ground, wing anti-ice opens its valves only for a 30-second test.

On the ground in icing conditions at an OAT of 3 °C or below, the crew perform ice shedding where the surface and surroundings allow: holding the aircraft on the brakes, they run the engines up to about 70 % N1 for 30 seconds, at intervals of no more than 30 minutes and again just before takeoff. In freezing rain, freezing drizzle, freezing fog or heavy snow, extra momentary run-ups to 70 % N1, at intervals of no more than 10 minutes, help shed the ice. After takeoff, wing anti-ice must be used at any sign of accretion, such as ice on the visual indicator or the wipers or a SEVERE ICE DETECTED alert.

On a contaminated runway FLEX is not permitted, while a derated takeoff is permitted on any surface. The recommended maximum crosswinds for takeoff and landing fall with the runway condition code (see wet and contaminated runways):

The maximum demonstrated crosswind, 38 kt with gusts, is not a limitation; the tailwind limit for takeoff is 10 kt.

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.