Retard floating

I'm using the FBW A32NX aircraft.

Playing around with RNAV landings. All is going reasonably well.

When I get to retard I'm idling power but I seem to float, If I pull back I get some height.

I'm setting the temp, wind, QNH etc on the approach screen on the MCDU. Speed is same as on this screen, today 137kts

What could I be doing wrong?

See this thread on the official forums:

https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/a32nx-landing-speed/367857/2

The first reply to the question gives this answer:

"Your approach speed in relative to your weight should be automatically calculated by the MCDU. The VLS is your minimum allowed speed before you stall, and the Approach speed or VAPP on full flaps configuration should generally show 5 knots above the VLS. Just follow that speed and you should be good."

That post was in Feb, that Dev version from then is now the stable version

Nevertheless, the MCDU should calculate the correct approach speed so that when you move the throttles to Idle on the "retard" alert, the plane settles onto the runway without floating. If it IS floating after the "retard" alert, the approach speed was too high for some reason. Maybe the payload or fuel weight was incorrect?

Nevertheless, the MCDU should calculate the correct approach speed so that when you move the throttles to Idle on the "retard" alert, the plane settles onto the runway without floating. If it IS floating after the "retard" alert, the approach speed was too high for some reason. Maybe the payload or fuel weight was incorrect?

The setup of the sim makes NO DIFFERENCE: It's the weight and balance and total mass of the aircraft that is relevant.

Obviously, your speed is TOO FAST for your weight, hence the `float`.

Go Slower, adjust speed 5 knots at a time `til you find the `happy spot`.

Basic airmanship!

Basic airmanship!

Basic indeed! That same advice would be given to someone flying a Cub or a Bonanza or a 747, if you're floating down the runway, then your approach speed was too fast and/or you carried a touch of power for too long.

Basic indeed! That same advice would be given to someone flying a Cub or a Bonanza or a 747, if you're floating down the runway, then your approach speed was too fast and/or you carried a touch of power for too long.

I added Basic for a reason. Why are we seeing these kind of question in a flying simulator? Perhaps we are assuming too much bog-basic skills and understanding!

I knew about Aero-Engine management from the days before I flew anything other than gliders!

The setup of the sim makes NO DIFFERENCE: It's the weight and balance and total mass of the aircraft that is relevant.

Who mentioned the setup of the sim? We're talking about programming the A32NX's MCDU with the correct payload & fuel weight as well as current temp, wind, QNH etc.

Who mentioned the setup of the sim? We're talking about programming the A32NX's MCDU with the correct payload & fuel weight as well as current temp, wind, QNH etc.

The OP asks the question: "What could I be doing wrong?"

The answer is carrying too much speed on approach and/or too much power in the flare. It doesn't matter whether the correction is made via programming or manual pilot action, the root cause, which mallcott and I explain, must be addressed. It's, as mallcott said, basic airmanship. It's basic aerodynamics. It's basic flying -- my students have always had to know that before they could solo, and you can't get much more basic than that. Adding electronics to the controls doesn't change the BASIC cause, the reason that the float happens.

HOW that is addressed is, of course, dependent on what/who is doing the controlling, but the REASON remains the same, which answers the OP's question.

This is much like the over-used cliche about giving a man a fish vs teaching him to fish, so the basic understanding goes a LONG ways towards fixing the problem.

Adding electronics to the controls doesn't change the BASIC cause, the reason that the float happens.

If the Airbus MCDU isn't programmed accurately the plane won't fly or land as it should, because Airbuses are fly-by-wire which is always on even when the autopilot is off. The Airbus pilot never has full control. This question has nothing to do with airmanship, it's about how to program the Airbus MCDU accurately so that the fly-by-wire system flies and lands the aircraft correctly.

But when the OP asks "What could I be doing wrong?" although it may be erroneous programming that is wrong, the root cause is still too much speed, simply because too much speed has too much lift (especially once he's in ground effect) thus it floats. So he needs to program it for less speed, if the programming is the error that was made. To correct the program the erroneous input(s) needs to be changed, thus eliminating the root cause.

I'm not disputing that the Airbus may have some quirks, most of which I know nothing about, and I'm not disputing what you say in that regard. All I'm doing is saying what mallcott said above is CORRECT. Note that neither he nor I specified HOW to make the correction, we merely gave the aerodynamic cause of the problem the OP specified.

HOW the correction is made is up to the OP, and perhaps your comments can help him with that, but however it happened, it's still too much speed.

This question has nothing to do with airmanship, it's about how to program the Airbus MCDU accurately so that the fly-by-wire system flies and lands the aircraft correctly.

It has EVERYTHING to do with airmanship, in that an understanding of such a basic thing should give a strong clue about WHAT needs to be changed. Whether it's an autoland or a manual landing is immaterial -- some input needs changing to attain less approach speed. WHAT that change is is where possible program changes might come in, but whatever the change is, it needs to result in less speed in order to avoid the floating.

But when the OP asks "What could I be doing wrong?" although it may be erroneous programming that is wrong, the root cause is still too much speed, simply because too much speed has too much lift (especially once he's in ground effect) thus it floats.

And that question was answered in my second post. Let's grow up about who was first with the right answer.

And that question was answered in my second post. Let's grow up about who was first with the right answer.

No, lets get back to why I replied in the first place:

Who mentioned the setup of the sim? We're talking about programming the A32NX's MCDU with the correct payload & fuel weight as well as current temp, wind, QNH etc.

This question has nothing to do with airmanship, it's about how to program the Airbus MCDU accurately so that the fly-by-wire system flies and lands the aircraft correctly.

It still has everything to do with basic airmanship. Are you telling me that an airplane was certified by the FAA and others that can only be flown safely if the electronics are properly programmed by the pilot (factory programming is something else, of course)?

Anyway, this has more than run its course...