Wilco A330 Slowing down issue

[John Graham 1036677]

Hi everyone,

 

I am getting ready for CTP and this year i am going to try fly the wilco A330. I am having a few issues with the aircraft though, and all of which are during the approach portion of the flight.

 

My first problem is slowing down. Usually if i have about a 15 nm final i will try to be at 170-200, which is all fine. The problem begins when i intercept the G/S, and the aircraft begins descending for the runway. I will put the gear down early and put the spoilers up, and still the aircraft wont be able to slow down to Vref of about 130 kts but instead climb, making the landing very unrealistic and far too fast. Is there a patch to rectify this issue, or is there a specific approach technique required in order to slow the aircraft on final.

 

My second question; is there an update or patch that fixes the auto ILS? Right now when i put it into APPR mode the plane will have great trouble lining itself up with the LOC, instead flying back and forth somewhat drunkenly.

 

Hope someone can offer some help. Thanks in advance.

[Ian Oliver]

I find all the Wilco Airbii very "slippery" and prone to not slowing down at all. The only advice I have is to change the cd_ds value in the .air file to something higher, eg: 250. This just increases the effectiveness of the speed brakes - not the best compromise but a) it at least makes the speed brakes work and b) helps you to slow down.

 

Note: I haven't tried this on the 330/340 just on the 320/19/21/18, but I guess it might work.

 

As to your second point, manage your ascent and descent speeds manually (VNAV is broken). I find that LOC works on the vol.1 but I too have had little success with LOC and APPR on both the vol.1 and vol.2 aircraft. My advice is to manage everything yourself using autopilot and HDN or to fly the thing manually - believe it or not, they actually do fly quite well manually as long as you fly them sort of like an Airbus and not like a Cessna - minor, brief inputs to the control stick. Just be aware that the 330/340 do fly the approch in rather a nose-up position so that you can drop them straight onto the runway without flare,

 

t.

 

Ian

[Ian Oliver]

I find all the Wilco Airbii very "slippery" and prone to not slowing down at all. The only advice I have is to change the cd_ds value in the .air file to something higher, eg: 250. This just increases the effectiveness of the speed brakes - not the best compromise but a) it at least makes the speed brakes work and b) helps you to slow down.

 

Note: I haven't tried this on the 330/340 just on the 320/19/21/18, but I guess it might work.

 

As to your second point, manage your ascent and descent speeds manually (VNAV is broken). I find that LOC works on the vol.1 but I too have had little success with LOC and APPR on both the vol.1 and vol.2 aircraft. My advice is to manage everything yourself using autopilot and HDN or to fly the thing manually - believe it or not, they actually do fly quite well manually as long as you fly them sort of like an Airbus and not like a Cessna - minor, brief inputs to the control stick. Just be aware that the 330/340 do fly the approch in rather a nose-up position so that you can drop them straight onto the runway without flare,

 

t.

 

Ian

[John Graham 1036677]

Thanks for the reply Ian.

 

I cant believe that Wilco themselves havent fixed these problems. Well, hearing the plane is so disfunctional, i may reconsider flying it. I was also looking at the PSS 777 and level D 767 which are both really good planes. I didnt realize the VNAV doesnt work because it seemed to work fine for me.

 

Thanks again for the help. Hopefully if Wilco eventually fixes the problems then i may look at the airplane again, because although there are a few issues, it still is a really good airplane.

[Randy Tyndall 1087023]

John,

 

Although I never would presume to put words in someone's mouth, what I believe Ian meant here...

 

As to your second point, manage your ascent and descent speeds manually (VNAV is broken).

 

...was to fly the plane manually as if VNAV were inoperable. I don't think he meant it was really broken.

 

Of course, I've been wrong before, but that is how I took his statement.

 

Cheers...