Tyler Munoz <tmunoz@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>Does anyone know if it is "SOP" on A318/19/20/21 aircraft to deploy the
>slats on approach prior to flaps being deployed or in lieu of spoilers?
>US Airways shuttle aircraft seem to do this all the time when the
>descent begins.
There is normally no separate control to select slat position. The
whole wing flap system is controlled by a single flap handle in the
cockpit. The flaps and slats move together in a predetermined fashion.
I happen to have the slat/flap positions for the Airbus A-320 handy:
Position Slat/Flap angle
1 18/0 Intermediate approach
1+F 18/10 take-off
2 22/15 take-off, approach
3 22/20 take-off, approach, landing
Full 27/35 landing
So indeed, moving the flap handle to position 1, will result in 18 degrees
slat deflection, while the flaps remain retracted. Further movement of the
flap handle will progressively extend the flaps, while also increasing
slat deflection.
The A-321 has the same nominal flap positions, but the actual flap/slat
deflections are slightly different to account for the differing
flap aerodynamics.
Kees de Lezenne Cooulander
C.M. de Lezenne Coulander
Aircraft Development and Systems Engineering B.V.
Hoofddorp, the Netherlands