Flaps and Slats on the Airbus

[rajflyboy]

How do the flaps and slats work on the Airbus and how was the crew able to deploy them prior to touchdown in the river ??

Thanks!!

 

[Donsa320]

How do the flaps and slats work on the Airbus and how was the crew able to deploy them prior to touchdown in the river ??

Thanks!!

Lever selection, Flaps 1,2,3,4, and slats extend automatically in 3 steps at flaps 1,2,and 4. With loss of both engine driven generators the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) should extend and run the blue hydraulic system giving them flight controls and also a small alterrnator for emergency electrical power and the battery. They would have had some instrumentation and communications as well as the PA. It all works well in the Simulator and apparently in real life too.

 

[Volasl]

As said RAT will energize the BLue hyd system enabling the following

Emerg generator
Slats
Rudder
L+R Flaps wtb
L+R Slats wtb
L+R Elev
L+R Spoilers 3
L+R Ailerons
Blue Accum

You need 140 min to keep rat . If engines not running book suggests flaps 3 and pitch to 11 degrees

 

[rajflyboy]

Thanks

I think getting the flaps and slats out was huge. Hitting the water as slow as possible was key to the aircraft not breaking apart.

Engines I guess are built to shear off and not take the wing off with them. Another important factor here.

 

[pipe]

Just because the engines weren't producing enough thrust to continue flying, doesn't mean they weren't putting out enough N2 RPM that hydraulic and electric systems were still normal.

PIPE

 

[rajflyboy]

Just because the engines weren't producing enough thrust to continue flying, doesn't mean they weren't putting out enough N2 RPM that hydraulic and electric systems were still normal.

PIPE

True

We won't know all the facts until the NTSB report comes out.

Having flaps and slats available really helps for a bad day like this!!

 

[clickclickboom]

Approximately 9% N2 will provide sufficient hydraulic pressure. Easily obtained windmilling at 150kts

 

[kaki]

I believe that the flaps were never fully retracted after takeoff. Doing a Flaps 3 takeoff out of LGA is not uncommon in the A320. So they might have retracted them to position 1+F just before they hit the birds and then just left them there until impact. As someone mentioned before the book calls for Flaps 3 and 11 degree nose up for ditching. Obviously they didn't have time to look in the book... and that is probably a good thing. I can't wait until the NTSB releases some of the facts! Amazing job these pilots did!

 

[Bringupthebird]

Approximately 9% N2 will provide sufficient hydraulic pressure. Easily obtained windmilling at 150kts

How does the engine windmill if it's clogged with pate'?

 

[ttuite]

How does the engine windmill if it's clogged with pate'?

The fan is not connected to the compressor section. As long as some air is entering the front of the engine it may be enough to spin the N2 section. Who knows?