How do I find the correct landing weight and approach speed for the Fenix A320 in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

In the Fenix A320, the correct landing weight for approach planning is the aircraft's predicted weight at landing, not the weight you had at take-off or earlier in the descent. In practice, the easiest method is to use the aircraft's EFB or performance pages to get the computed VAPP; if you need to work it out yourself, use landing weight = current gross weight - fuel expected to burn before touchdown.

What the correct landing weight actually means

When pilots talk about landing weight in the A320, they mean the aeroplane's weight when it reaches the runway. That is the figure used for approach-speed calculations and landing performance.

So the correct landing weight is not:

• Your take-off weight
• Your current cruise weight if you still have a lot of flight left
• A guessed number based on a typical flight

It is the weight you expect to have at the time of landing.

Best way to find it in the Fenix A320

In most Fenix A320 workflows, we do not need to manually convert weight into a speed from memory. The aircraft's own tools usually do that for us.

1. Set up the landing properly
   

   Before reading any speed data, make sure your arrival assumptions are sensible: expected runway, landing flap setting, wind, and normal approach configuration. If those inputs change, the final approach speed can change too.

2. Open the performance or landing page
   

   Look in the Fenix EFB or the aircraft's approach-performance pages for items such as landing weight, VLS, VAPP, or wind additive. Exact page names can vary with updates, so we recommend looking for the performance, approach, or landing section rather than relying on a fixed menu path.

3. Read the predicted landing weight
   

   If the aircraft shows a predicted or calculated landing weight, that is the figure you want. It may be shown directly, or it may be used in the background to generate your approach speeds.

4. Use the computed VAPP
   

   For the actual approach, VAPP is normally the speed to fly on final. If the Fenix gives you VAPP, that matters more than manually deriving a speed from a chart.

If the aircraft already gives you a valid VAPP, you usually do not need to do separate maths unless you are checking the result.

If you need to calculate landing weight manually

If you cannot immediately see a landing-weight figure, you can still find it accurately enough for sim use.

1. Find your current gross weight
   

   Use the aircraft's weight readout, system display, or EFB. The exact location can vary, but you are looking for the aeroplane's current total weight.

2. Estimate how much fuel you will burn before landing
   

   Use the route prediction, destination fuel estimate, or your own flight-planning estimate. The key is to work out how much fuel will be gone between now and touchdown.

3. Subtract that fuel burn from current gross weight
   

   The formula is:

   Predicted landing weight = current gross weight - fuel to be burned before landing

4. Cross-check with remaining fuel at landing
   

   If you know your zero fuel weight and expected fuel at landing, you can also use:

   Landing weight = zero fuel weight + fuel remaining at landing

Simple example

For example, if your current gross weight is 62.0 tonnes and you expect to burn 1.6 tonnes before touchdown, your predicted landing weight is 60.4 tonnes. That is the number the aircraft would use to derive the correct landing speeds for your chosen flap setting and conditions.

Which speed should you actually fly: VLS or VAPP?

This is where many sim pilots get caught out. The Fenix may show more than one useful speed, but they do not all mean the same thing.

• VLS: the lowest selectable speed. Treat this as a protection reference, not your normal target all the way down final.
• VAPP: the final approach target speed. This is usually the number you want to hold on short final.
• Wind additive: extra speed added when needed for wind. If the aircraft already calculates VAPP for you, be careful not to add wind correction a second time.

In other words, if the Fenix shows both VLS and VAPP, we would normally fly VAPP on the approach.

Why landing weight matters for the A320

A heavier A320 needs a higher approach speed than a lighter one, all else being equal. That is why using a random fixed speed can lead to poor landings:

• Too fast and you will float, land long, or struggle to settle
• Too slow and you risk excessive sink or an unstable approach
• Wrong flap assumption and the computed speeds may no longer match the aircraft configuration

The best landing technique starts with the right numbers. If the speed is wrong, the flare often feels wrong too.

Common mistakes when finding landing weight in the Fenix A320

• Using take-off weight instead of predicted landing weight
• Checking current weight too early and forgetting you still have fuel to burn
• Using online rules of thumb instead of the aircraft's own computed speeds
• Ignoring flap choice, because Flaps 3 and FULL can produce different targets
• Double-adding wind correction when VAPP already includes it
• Chasing the speed late instead of getting stabilised early

Quick step-by-step workflow we recommend

1. Decide the landing configuration you will actually use.
2. Check the destination wind and runway so the performance calculation matches your approach.
3. Read the predicted landing weight from the EFB or calculate it from current weight minus expected fuel burn.
4. Read VLS and VAPP, then use VAPP as your final approach target.
5. Stabilise early with the correct speed, correct thrust, and only small corrections.

The short answer

If you only need the rule to remember, it is this: the correct landing weight in the Fenix A320 is your predicted touchdown weight. Use the Fenix performance tools to get that figure and then fly the displayed VAPP, rather than guessing a speed from memory.