Airbus Alpha Floor Protection

The alpha floor function is not available below 100 feet ra or during single engine operation with flaps at conf 1 or greater.

Airbus alpha floor protection.

The flight controls on the airbus a330 for example are all electronically controlled and hydraulically activated. A low energy warning alerts pilots when airplane energy is insufficient to achieve a climbing flight path through pitch control alone. When alpha exceeds alpha prot elevator control switches to alpha protection mode in which angle of attack is proportional to sidestick deflection. Alpha floor protection is inhibited in some cases.

On 26 june 1988 it crashed while making a low pass over mulhouse habsheim airport icao airport code lfgb as part of the habsheim air show. These newer aircraft including the a320 a330 a340 a350 and a380 operate under airbus flight control laws. The system automatically increases the thrust of the aircraft when speed is predicted to reach or exceed the critical angle of attack. Airbus aircraft designs after the a300 a310 are almost completely controlled by fly by wire equipment.

Air france flight 296 was a chartered flight of a new airbus a320 111 operated by air france for air charter. The alpha protection officially called the high angle of attack protection is not only a feature of the a330 but also a320 a340 a350 and a380 and it s one of the five main protections that airbus introduced to keep the flight safely insid. If alpha prot is reached and the pilot still maintains aft sidestick alpha floor protection set between alpha prot and alpha max will be reached. From the airbus fast magazine 20 refer to flight manuals for latest info.

High angle of attack protection alpha. Alpha floor is also triggered if the pilot applies a large aft stick input while either pitch attitude or angle of attack protection is active. Alpha max will not be exceeded even if the pilot applies full aft deflection. As the aircraft decelerates into the alpha protection range the alpha floor is activated even if the autothrust is disengaged.

Alpha floor protection a system designed to prevent an aircraft from reaching very near its critical angle of attack because of slowing down too much. When activated it provides toga thrust. The speed speed speed voice alert repeats every 5 seconds while the condition exists. Most of the crash sequence which occurred in front of several thousand spectators was caught on video.