Ensures pilots can manage the aircraft safely if autothrust or autopilot fails.
A major hydraulic system loss (e.g., Green + Yellow system low pressure).
Simultaneously, the PF commands GEAR DOWN and FLAPS 3 . sierra pattern a320
It is a maneuver designed by test pilots in a simulator at Toulouse, validated by engineers who calculated the exact phugoid frequency of a swept-wing transport category aircraft. It works—on paper. In the real world, it buys time. And in a dual-engine flameout, time is the only currency that matters.
The Sierra Pattern uses (the natural tendency of an aircraft to exchange airspeed for altitude). You descend slightly faster to gain 250 knots, then pitch up to convert that speed back to altitude, slowing to 200 knots. This cyclical "pumping" keeps the engine cores spinning 5-8% faster than a steady-state glide. Ensures pilots can manage the aircraft safely if
: Level off at 1,500 ft AGL. Configure to Flaps 1 and set Sierra pitch (~ 5∘5 raised to the composed with power ) and thrust (~55% N1). Abeam Threshold : Extend Landing Gear and Flaps 2.
The climax of the pattern requires the crew to configure the aircraft for a non-precision approach (such as a VOR or LOC-only approach) under manual flight conditions, often with one engine inoperative or in a degraded flight control law. The maneuver concludes with a manual landing or a mandatory go-around depending on the specific lesson plan. Core Learning Objectives and Training Pillars It is a maneuver designed by test pilots
Executing the Sierra Pattern leads to one of three outcomes:
The is one of the most critical, high-stakes flight training maneuvers executed by Airbus A320 pilots. Performed exclusively in full-flight simulators during initial type ratings and recurrent training, this structured sequence packs a series of complex emergencies, automation transitions, and manual flying challenges into a single continuous profile.
There is a lighter side to the pattern. If ATC cannot spot an A320 on a crowded radar scope, they will ask the pilots to "Squawk Ident." The pilot presses a button marked on the console.