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The Five Quiet Computers: Why SECs and FACs Finish A320 Oral Exams

The Five Quiet Computers: Why SECs and FACs Finish A320 Oral Exams The ELACs take the architectural spotlight. The questions that finish orals come from the other five. By Paul Toensing | Custom GPT Solutions | June 2026 | ~12 min read Type rating candidates spend most of their flight-control study time on the ELACs. […]

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A320 EGPWS Mode 2 vs Mode 4: The Configuration Trap Pilots Miss
A320 Dual Hydraulic Failure: The PTU Mirage That Catches Every Crew
A320 TCAS RA: The Procedure Most Pilots Get Almost Right
A320 Pressurization Man Mode Trap
The Five Quiet Computers: Why SECs and FACs Finish A320 Oral Exams

A320 EGPWS Mode 2 vs Mode 4: The Configuration Trap Pilots Miss
A320 Dual Hydraulic Failure: The PTU Mirage That Catches Every Crew
A320 TCAS RA: The Procedure Most Pilots Get Almost Right
A320 Pressurization Man Mode Trap
The Five Quiet Computers: Why SECs and FACs Finish A320 Oral Exams

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Aviation Knowledge Quiz

Welcome to the Aviation Knowledge Quiz

Put your aviation knowledge and decision-making skills to the test. Complete all 5 questions to receive your discount coupon.

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A reactive windshear starts on the takeoff roll. What is the core decision logic before V1 versus after V1?

Before V1, the crew may reject only if airspeed drops below V1 minus 10 knots and the runway remaining exceeds the accelerate-stop distance. After V1, set TOGA, rotate at VR plus 10 knots to build a margin, and retract gear immediately to reduce drag through the shear.

Before V1, set TOGA and continue the takeoff because rejecting in a windshear is more hazardous than flying through it. After V1, level off at the published acceleration altitude, retract gear and flaps to clean configuration, then climb at green dot speed.

Before V1, the decision is captain’s discretion, with no specific airspeed-trend criterion published. After V1, set TOGA, hold the current pitch attitude until the shear is exited, and avoid backstick inputs because aggressive rotation reduces lift in a downburst.

Before V1, if there are significant airspeed and airspeed-trend variations and there is sufficient runway to stop, reject the takeoff. After V1, set TOGA, rotate at VR, follow SRS, and if necessary use full backstick to minimize height loss.

None

During a CAT II approach, alpha floor activates below 1 000 ft. What is the meaningful pilot question, and what is the answer?

The meaningful question is “Is the aircraft still in normal law?” If alpha floor activates, normal law is by definition still engaged, so the protections will recover the energy state and the approach can be continued to a normal landing.

The meaningful question is “Am I above the published decision height?” If alpha floor occurs above DH, continue to DH and apply normal CAT II rules; if alpha floor occurs below DH, the autopilot will execute an automatic go-around without crew action.

The meaningful question is “Has TOGA LK engaged?” If TOGA LK has engaged, the thrust will hold automatically through the rest of the approach, so the crew can continue to a landing once the angle of attack returns to normal values.

The meaningful question is not “Can I salvage this?” but “Do I have sufficient visual references?” If alpha floor occurs below 1 000 ft and visual references are not sufficient, go around.

None

If you deselect GPS on the FMS, what have you actually fixed, and what may still keep using GPS behind the scenes?

GPS deselection only affects FMS position computation; other aircraft systems may still use GPS data, including the aircraft clock, TAWS, and ADS-B out.

GPS deselection commands the IRS to begin an in-flight alignment using last-known GPS position, after which the FMS, clock, TAWS, and ADS-B out all operate on IRS-derived position until a new GPS lock is acquired.

GPS deselection only affects ADS-B out; FMS position, TAWS, and the aircraft clock continue to use GPS data unless the GPSSEL pushbutton is held for more than five seconds.

GPS deselection removes GPS data from every aircraft system that relies on it, including the FMS, the aircraft clock, TAWS, and ADS-B out, which all revert to internal sources.

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You manually tune an ILS while a non-precision approach remains selected in the F-PLN, and the airplane tells you CHECK APPR SELECTION. What is the real lesson?

The lesson is that raw tuning automatically updates the F-PLN to match the tuned ILS frequency, but only if the ILS is in the navigation database. The CHECK APPR SELECTION message confirms the update has been accepted. The crew can therefore continue the approach without further F-PLN modification.

The lesson is that the F-PLN approach selection always overrides any raw-tuned navaid, so the displayed guidance will follow the non-precision profile regardless of the manually tuned ILS frequency. The message is advisory and does not require crew action. APP arming will engage the F-PLN approach when conditions are met.

The lesson is that raw tuning and FMGS intent are not the same thing. That message is a reminder that the tuned landing system does not match the selected approach, so the crew must verify which guidance modes will actually arm or engage. This is exactly the sort of automation mismatch that catches confident pilots.

The lesson is that the ILS receiver fails to lock when an FMGS approach is already active, because the receivers default to the F-PLN-selected approach type. The CHECK APPR SELECTION message indicates that no localizer or glideslope signal is being received. The crew must deselect the F-PLN approach to allow the ILS to capture.

None

What is the practical difference between ALPHA FLOOR and TOGA LK?

ALPHA FLOOR is the crew action of moving the thrust levers to the TOGA detent in response to a low-speed warning. TOGA LK is the autoflight logic that follows, holding thrust at TOGA until the crew moves the levers back to CL. The subtle point is that ALPHA FLOOR is a procedure and TOGA LK is an automatic response.

ALPHA FLOOR is the automatic protection that commands TOGA thrust when angle of attack exceeds the threshold, regardless of thrust lever position. TOGA LK is what follows after the angle of attack reduces again: the TOGA thrust remains locked until the crew disconnects A/THR with the instinctive disconnect. The subtle point is that recovering from the low-speed event is not the same as recovering the thrust logic.

ALPHA FLOOR is the predictive protection that commands TOGA thrust when angle-of-attack trend exceeds the threshold, regardless of current AoA. TOGA LK is the reactive protection that engages only after AoA has actually exceeded the threshold. The subtle point is that ALPHA FLOOR may engage before TOGA LK in dynamic maneuvers.

ALPHA FLOOR and TOGA LK are the same event labelled differently depending on whether the aircraft is in normal or abnormal law. Both command TOGA thrust automatically and both release thrust automatically once the angle of attack returns below the threshold. The subtle point is that the crew need not intervene in either case.

None

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