ACARS RTOW
An Operational Guide Presentation…
Performance Calculation-
Differences Between Paper And
ACARS Computation
By Ops Eng, FOP
flight crew training @ air Hongkong
ACARS Mechanism
Crew
input
Calling program:
ACARS RTOW
(by CX Flight Ops Engineering)
----------------------------------------
Airbus Takeoff Module ATOW 90.0 ( 90.0 - 90.9)
(Certified Data)
V1 121 (VMIN 121) 07
VR 127 SHIFT ---- FT
V2 133 FLAP 0 (ZERO)
FLEX 64 (F64)
EO ACC 1500 AAL
----------------------------------------
SUPPLEMENTARY :
RTOW 143.4 FLAP 0 TOGA
Output
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Output Differences
• RTOW Difference
• FLX Temp Difference
• V Speeds Difference
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RTOW Differences
Two different Airbus programs
• Paper uses ‘TLC’ – Takeoff and
Landing Chart Computation Program
• ACARS uses ‘ATAM’- Airbus Takeoff
Analysis Module
Identical or slight difference
– ACARS provides higher RTOW
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FLEX TEMP Differences
• ACARS RTOW has a pad built in, in terms of Runway
Length computation for the take-off performance
- Only 95% of TORA / TODA / ASDA used for Takeoff
Calculation and hence a little more conservative
9500 ft 10000 ft 500 ft
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FLEX TEMP Differences
Maximum Certified Flex Temp is ISA + 50ºC = 65ºC,
independent of all corrections. (FCOM 2)
Paper RTOW starting point is PACKS OFF, ANTI-ICE OFF.
Max FLX is 65ºC. Corrections for PACKS and ANTI-ICE will
result in FLX TEMP < 65ºC.
ACARS RTOW Max TEMP is 65ºC taking into account the
status of PACKS and ANTI-ICE.
OVERALL, ACARS RTOW will produce a slightly
better FLX TEMP (Lower Thrust)
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V Speed Differences
Max V2 Non-Regulatory A300 V2
HKG 07L DRY 0KT F0
190
MAX V2
185
PAPER
180
175 ACARS
SPD(KT)
170
MIN V2
165
160 Regulatory
155
150
135000 140000 145000 150000 155000 160000 165000 170000 175000
TOW(KG)
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V Speed Differences
• Both paper & ACARS methods are correct:
– RANGE OF V2:
min V2/VS = 1.2 (JAR/FAR 25.107)
max V2/VS= 1.35 (manufacturer database – non regulatory)
– Within certified data
• Paper V speeds has 5 to 7 knots higher than ACARS
V Speeds
• Papers V speeds are always around Max V2
• ACARS V speeds are around average of Min and Max V2
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Reasons
• Properties of Airbus takeoff module
• Optimize the maximum weight
under given conditions
– ‘TLC’ and ‘ATAM’
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Paper Method Logic
INPUT OUTPUT
RTOW
Max Wt defined in Airbus (<175T)
Aircraft Database Takeoff
(175T for A300) Module
(TLC) Corresponding
Takeoff speeds
The program will try to overspeed to obtain RTOW,
where V2 is near 1.35 Vs (Max V2)
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Paper Method
-10 -5 0 5
175.0 DWT T
V1/VR/V2
High takeoff speeds
172.5 As high as Max V2
Use Act Wt to lookup the speeds,
The Speeds found are high
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ACARS Method to Find V Speed
INPUT OUTPUT
Ambient Conditions
(OAT, W/C, QNH)
Act Wt
Aircraft Configurations
Airbus
Flaps, Packs, Anti-Ice
Takeoff
Module
Corresponding
(ATAM)
Takeoff Speeds
Act Wt
Act Wt is used to compute the V Speeds, hence
not much Overspeed is required.
flight crew training @ air Hongkong
Summary
ACARS RTOW Differences:
5-7 knots lower V speeds
Slightly Higher FLX TEMP
(Lower Thrust)
HIGHER RTOW
By Ops Eng, FOP flight crew training @ air Hongkong
Summary
Rubbish-In, Rubbish-Out :
ACARS RTOW is fully-automated, all inputs
should be cross-checked by the crews to
make sure the real conditions are reflected.
The returned result should similarly be cross
checked by both crews for any errors.
By Ops Eng, FOP
flight crew training @ air Hongkong
Example
A single crew request
will call the ATAM twice.
Firstly it will compute
the RTOW and
secondly the V speeds
based on ATOW
By Ops Eng, FOP flight crew training @ air Hongkong
Example
By Ops Eng, FOP flight crew training @ air Hongkong
Example
Output with “RTOW < ATOW, TAKE-OFF NOT ALLOWED”.
ATOW is greater than RTOW,
take-off is not possible unless ATOW is reduced to RTOW.
By Ops Eng, FOP flight crew training @ air Hongkong
THE END. THANK YOU !!!
By Ops Eng, FOP flight crew training @ air Hongkong
