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We will now look at how the Flight Guidance achieves

its automatic thrust control function: the Auto THRust
system, or A/THR.

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 Autothrust

SPEED mode THR mode

Thrust adjusted to
maintain target Steady Thrust
speed/Mach

e.g. Cruise & e.g. MAX CLB &

Approach IDLE

The A/THR can work in two different modes:

- SPEED mode: The A/THR continuously adjusts the
thrust in order to maintain a target speed or Mach, e.g.
during cruise or approach.
- THRust mode: The A/THR sets a given thrust e.g.
MAX CLB or IDLE.

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 Autothrust

TRAJECTORY SPD/MACH TARGET

SPEED mode THR mode

The A/THR modes are automatically linked to AP/FD

vertical modes:
- When AP/FD vertical mode controls a trajectory, e.g.
altitude hold, V/S ,G\S…, the ATHR is in SPEED mode.
- When AP/FD vertical mode adjusts the A/C pitch in
order to keep a target speed or Mach, e.g. climb,
descent…, the A/THR is in THR mode.

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 The main pilot controls to the A/THR are the THRUST LEVERS.
On the A320, the A/THR does not backdrive the thrust levers
while it adjusts the thrust.
Let’s have a closer look at them.

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AUTOFLIGHT MENU A/THR 6/33
 IDLE

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 CLIMB

IDLE

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 FLEX/MCT
CLIMB

IDLE

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 TO/GA

FLEX/MCT
CLIMB

IDLE

When the A/THR is OFF, the crew controls the thrust, as usual,
by moving the thrust levers over a quadrant.
For forward thrust this quadrant carries four physical detents
or stops which are:
- IDLE
- CL for Max Climb Thrust,
- FLEX/MCT for FLEX thrust at TO or Max Continuous Thrust,
- TO GA for Max Take Off or Go Around thrust

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 The A/THR can only work when the thrust levers are set
forward of the IDLE detent.

If the thrust levers are set by the pilot in the reverser segment,
the A/THR can not operate.

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 Thrust lever position

A/THR
Available thrust

“Thrust” gage

When A/THR is ON, the thrust lever position determines the

maximum thrust which can be commanded by the autothrust. For
example, to accelerate in SPEED mode.
On the “thrust” gage, that we will talk about in the engine
chapter, the thrust lever position is shown, indicating the thrust
available to the A/THR for normal operation.

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 DISCONNECTED

ARMED
ACTIVE

The A/THR has three states. It can be either:

- Disconnected, or OFF,
- Armed, ready to be set to ON by a specific pilot
action on the thrust levers, or,
- Active, or ON.
Let’s see these states in more detail.

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 We are taxiing to the runway...

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 Because we are on the ground the A/THR is necessarily disconnected.
This is confirmed by the absence of any A/THR related indications on the FMA
and by the extinguished A/THR pb on the FCU. Thrust is manually adjusted
by the crew as required to taxy the aircraft.

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 You are cleared for takeoff.
The Pilot Flying must manually set the thrust levers to
FLEX or TOGA to initiate the take off roll.

Click on the thrust levers to initiate the TO

roll.

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 You are cleared for takeoff.
The Pilot Flying must manually set the thrust levers to
FLEX or TOGA to initiate the takeoff roll.

No. Click on the thrust levers to initiate the TO roll.

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 You are cleared for takeoff.
The Pilot Flying must manually set the thrust levers to
FLEX or TOGA to initiate the takeoff roll.

No. Click on the thrust levers to initiate the TO roll.

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 As soon as the thrust levers are set in the TOGA detent the FMA
shows:
A/THR blue - indicating that A/THR is armed,
MAN TOGA white - indicating that the pilot manually controls the
thrust via the thrust levers set in TOGA.
Note: TOGA is the maximum thrust available for TO.

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 At the same time, on the FCU, the A/THR pb light illuminates in green.

The fact that the A/THR is armed means that it is ready to be turned
ON by a pilot action on the thrust levers.
Note that when the A/THR is armed the pilot has manual control on the
thrust with the thrust levers

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 Crossing the Thrust Reduction Altitude (THR RED
ALT) the pilot must manually set the thrust levers to
CL detent. On the FMA a flashing “LVR CLB” prompts
the pilot to set the thrust levers back into CL detent.
Set climb thrust now.
Click on thrust levers to set CLB thrust.

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 Crossing the Thrust Reduction Altitude (THR RED
ALT) the pilot must manually set the thrust levers to
CL detent. On the FMA a flashing “LVR CLB” prompts
the pilot to set the thrust levers back into CL detent.
Set climb thrust now.
No. Click on thrust levers to set CLB thrust.

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 Crossing the Thrust Reduction Altitude (THR RED
ALT) the pilot must manually set the thrust levers to
CL detent. On the FMA a flashing “LVR CLB” prompts
the pilot to set the thrust levers back into CL detent.
Set climb thrust now.
No. Click on thrust levers to set CLB thrust.

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 Notice that on the FMA:
 A/THR white - indicates that the A/THR is ON.
 THR CLB green - indicates that the A/THR is in THRrust mode. Since the thrust levers are set in the
CL detent, and the AP commands a climb mode, the A/THR commands THRUST CLIMB.
The white boxes around the modes highlight the fact that a mode change has occurred on the FMA.
NOTE: The AP1 vertical mode adjusts the pitch to maintain the target speed which is V2+10.

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 In normal operation when A/THR is ON, the levers are left in the CL detent throughout the flight until the
flare. The A/THR adjusts the thrust, as required, between IDLE and MAX CLB; note that the thrust levers
are not backdriven by the A/THR and stay in the CL detent.

If, at any moment, the pilot needs some additional thrust, he will push the thrust levers forward from CL
detent. He will then manually control the thrust.

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 When the aircraft reaches the target altitude, AP/FD gets in ALT mode; the
A/THR switches to SPEED mode, as indicated on the FMA. In this mode the A/THR
continuously adjusts the thrust to maintain the target speed.
A/THR is also in SPEED mode when AP/FD vertical modes are V/S or FPA, G/S
and generally during the approach.

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 We are now in approach, just before flare. You
handfly the aircraft with the Autothrust engaged.

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 Note that the A/THR is in SPEED mode. During a hand flown FLARE, the
pilot has to reduce the thrust for landing. He will do so by bringing the thrust
levers back to IDLE at about 20ft.
Note: if he does not do so, the A/THR will increase thrust to maintain the speed. A
“RETARD” auto call out comes up at about 20ft as a reminder to retard the thrust
levers. Click on the thrust levers to set them to idle.

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 Note that the A/THR is in SPEED mode. During a hand flown FLARE, the
pilot has to reduce the thrust for landing. He will do so by bringing the thrust
levers back to IDLE at about 20ft.
Note: if he does not do so, the A/THR will increase thrust to maintain the speed. A
“RETARD” auto call out comes up at about 20ft as a reminder to retard the thrust
levers. No. Click on the thrust levers to set them to idle.

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 Note that the A/THR is in SPEED mode. During a hand flown FLARE, the
pilot has to reduce the thrust for landing. He will do so by bringing the thrust
levers back to IDLE at about 20ft.
Note: if he does not do so, the A/THR will increase thrust to maintain the speed. A
“RETARD” auto call out comes up at about 20ft as a reminder to retard the thrust
levers. No. Click on the thrust levers to set them to idle.

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 Thrust levers are now set to idle. This turns the A/THR OFF.
Note that:
 On the FMA, A/THR white is not displayed any more.
 The FMA A/THR column is blank.
 On the FCU, the A/THR pb is now extinguished.

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 We have just seen one way to turn the A/THR OFF, by
setting the thrust levers back to IDLE. The other way to turn
the A/THR OFF is to press either one of the two A/THR
instinctive disconnect pbs located on the thrust levers.
You will be shown the procedure to turn the A/THR ON and
OFF in the simulator.
NOTE: Pressing at least one pb for more than 15 seconds will
inhibit the A/THR for the remainder of the flight.

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 When the A/THR is OFF during flight, in order to turn it
ON again, press the A/THR pb on the FCU with the thrust
levers in or below CL detent.
NOTE: You can disconnect the A/THR by pressing the
A/THR pb on the FCU. This is NOT the standard recommended
procedure.

Module completed

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 LIST
LIST OF
OF SUBJECTS
PRESENTATION
THRUST LEVERS
MODES OF OPERATION
DISCONNECTION/REACTIVATION

AUDIO GLOSSARY FCOM

RETURN EXIT

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