RJ's and autothrust
01-30-2008 | 07:04 AM
#51
Line Holder
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,808
Likes: 27
From: 330 B
Mexico would be a wet dream for you, man. DME arcs to an offset VOR approach with stepdowns, hearing "Yetlink...radar service terminated...contacto tower for advisories" at FL200 with thunderstorms in the mountains and an ATC system where 75% of the time your "vector" is a heading to intercept a radial to begin the approach and a request to report your DME every 10 miles because they don't have radar. It's nice to be kept on your toes but sometimes you just wanna hear "intercept the localizer, cleared for the approach"
My $.02 on the original question is that A/T would be nice but on the CRJ power and speed management are about the only things we do manually. And its just very minor tweaks to maintain a mach number at cruise. The best way that I was taught to do it is to select "leg data" in the FMS. Beside each fix, it will show the required fuel flow for the mach number that you have selected. Simply cut that in half and set the FF for each engine. What makes this easier on the 900 is that the FADEC designates the left engine as the master and you can change N1 up to 3% I believe and the right engine will follow along with it without being touched.
Automation is a wonderful thing, but the last capt I flew with this month liked to hand fly alot and so do I. I hand flew and entire trip from DTW-MBS eventhough it was very short at 26 mins or so. You want to have a good feel for manipulating the airplane with just the yoke and power levers in each hand. Your stick and rudder skill will come in handy when ATC leaves you high and fast and clears you for a visual and you try to get down and established with the A/P. I got VERY far behind the A/C once in that scenario coming into MSP on a windy day. The CRJ does not slow down and descend very well simultaneously. It's easier to give George a rest and go back to basics....for me anyway.
Last edited by Tinpusher007; 01-30-2008 at 08:06 AM.
01-30-2008 | 01:39 PM
#52
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,182
Likes: 0
From: M88B
I guess I have to say I am glad I have the option of clicking on the AT. Most of the time I don't see them make more than a .2 - .3 change in N1 values so I can't say I would think that turning them off would save any fuel. I actually land with them on most of the time. I know some guys that think it is easier to turn them off, as they flew the CRJ before....but having as much T-prop time as I have I still find them very helpful. Of course even with them off we still have the fadec to help if you want to just set them in the detent 
