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.

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 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