Known limitations

Flight management and autoflight.

Uneven managed descent

• What you see: the vertical deviation on the PFD jumps by several hundred feet, often when passing a waypoint, and the descent rate varies. On a steep arrival the speed may reach the upper limit of the range; with the flaps retracted the aircraft then reverts to OP DES, and the MCDU may show EXTEND SPD BRK.
• When: in managed descent (DES). The default FMS recalculates the descent path every few seconds.
• What to do: monitor the speed; use the speedbrake or OP DES. If the jumps are a problem, use selected V/S or FPA.

Descent started in Mach

• What you see: for about 3 minutes the speed target may alternate and the vertical reference may jump by about 800 ft.
• When: a descent started at high altitude, in Mach.
• What to do: accept it, or use selected speed until the Mach/IAS crossover.

Cruise phase at a low altitude

• What you see: after a DIR TO or a level-off below the cruise level, the FMA shows MACH and ALT CRZ, and the managed target becomes a Mach number (about 270 kt at 5,000 ft).
• When: the default FMS sometimes switches to the cruise phase at a low altitude.
• What to do: below 10,000 ft nothing: the speed stays managed and the aircraft holds 250 kt with the thrust (it may pass 250 by up to 10 kt while the thrust settles). Above 10,000 ft, use selected speed if the target is not what you want.

LNAV turns at high altitude

• What you see: turns start late, overshoot the new track by 6 to 10 degrees and come back with a small counter-bank.
• When: in cruise, in NAV.
• What to do: nothing. Use HDG if you need a tighter turn.

Autothrust

• What you see: a second short thrust dip after the change from FLX/TOGA to CL; the speed may overshoot the target by 10 to 20 kt when levelling off in the climb; in level flight with managed Mach the thrust levers keep moving, while the speed stays within 1 to 2 kt.
• When: climb and cruise.
• What to do: nothing.

FMA after a FLEX take-off

• What you see: after 2,500 ft the FMA shows "MAN FLX +00".
• When: FLEX take-off.
• What to do: nothing. The thrust is correct.

Thrust slightly above MCT in the MCT detent

• What you see: N1 a little above the MCT limit.
• When: thrust levers in the MCT detent.
• What to do: nothing in normal operation.

Pitch after restoring a flight in the air

• What you see: a short pitch movement.
• When: the first seconds after FLIGHT RESTORED. The autopilot and autothrust re-engage by themselves and X-Plane's autopilot needs a few seconds to settle.
• What to do: monitor pitch for the first few seconds.

FMS predictions

• What you see: fuel and time predictions differ from SimBrief.
• When: always. The FMS uses the default performance tables (except the descent path). They have not been checked against airline data.
• What to do: plan with the OFP. Keep FUEL BIAS at 0. If the predicted EFOB falls below FINAL RESERVE + ALTN, divert.

Take-off and landing.

Automatic landing

• What you see: the aircraft may weave slightly left and right of the centreline on the rollout; thrust goes to idle at the start of the flare (earlier than the RETARD call of the real aircraft), and the aircraft may float and land long; only CAT 1 and CAT 3 DUAL are shown (no CAT 2 or CAT 3 SINGLE); the AUTO LAND light does not come on in flight.
• When: automatic landings.
• What to do: use both autopilots. Monitor the rollout and correct with the rudder pedals if needed. Wind, visibility and decision height are not checked by the aircraft: apply the limitations yourself.

Indications and panels.

Engine display

The E/WD is the same for the three engine types (Trent layout). No action.

Engine types

Thrust, fuel burn and performance are the same for the three engine types; only the model, the sound and the names change.

ND on the ground

With NAV armed, the green track line shows on the ground. No action.

Radios

Only VHF 1 and VHF 2 tune a radio. VHF 3, HF 1 and HF 2 light but have no radio behind them.

CALL buttons

Only MECH and ALL do something. The other CALL buttons only light.

TURB DAMP

Switches X-Plane's yaw damper only.

Transponder AUTO

On the ground it answers in ground Mode S unless the TCAS is in STBY.

Fuel.

Trim tank

Fuel does not move aft into the trim tank; it only feeds forward. No action.

Transfer rates

Trim, outer and centre transfers run at estimated rates; no published data was available.

ZFW on INIT B

The FMS does not accept a ZFW below 129.0 t ("ENTRY OUT OF RANGE"). With a lighter flight, enter 129.0.

Other systems.

Pressurization

Only AUTO is simulated: the LDG ELEV selector and the manual mode (MODE SEL MAN) have no effect. With no air coming in (packs or bleeds off), the cabin climbs at about 500 ft/min; this rate is an estimate.

Ice detection

The detector has no failure (no A.ICE DETECT FAULT). Ice is not shown on the wiper or on the visual ice indicator.

APU cooling

During the cooling time after shutdown the APU runs at 100 % instead of 82 %, and the air intake flap closes only after the APU stops. After the APU FIRE pb, push it back in and cycle the MASTER SW to restart.

Engine start

The start sequence of the real aircraft runs only with ENG MODE at IGN/START. MAN START has no function.

Failures

Only tire failures can be set on the tablet. X-Plane's own failures may not show as on the real aircraft.

Flight planning and tablet.

SimBrief route

INIT REQUEST loads the route without SID and STAR. Select them on the F-PLN page.

CRUISE FL ABOVE MAX FL

After INIT REQUEST this is only an advisory; the cruise level is entered.

Approach charts

The tablet has the airport map and the route map, but no approach charts.

A330-300 liveries

They do not fit the -200 fuselage. Use the paint kit.

Without the plugin

If the "A330-200 Systems" plugin does not load, the aircraft flies, but our functions are missing and the A/C STATUS page shows the default text. See the install guide.

This page is the latest list. The same list is on the tablet (Options > Support > Known limitations) and in the Documentation folder of the aircraft. Release news goes out on Discord. To report something that is not here, see the FAQ.