B767-300 and 300 ER
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation - Speed All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem
Aircraft
We were performing the BIBTI3G RNAV departure from EDDF. The FO was flying the aircraft and the Captain was monitoring. We had programmed the VNAV climb to maintain V2+20 (approximately 180 KTS) to 1;500 FT AGL. A normal reduced power takeoff was performed and at 400 FT AGL RNAV was selected and at 500 FT AGL the right autopilot was engaged. At that time the airspeed was a few knots above V2. The autopilot pulled the nose up to maintain V2 and shortly afterwards VNAV was engaged which selected climb power. At that point I observed the airspeed bleeding down and I told the FO to watch the airspeed and he immediately pushed the yoke forward overriding the autopilot and the airspeed began increasing. The rest of the departure went normally. I think the airspeed went down to approximately 160 KTS. We did not get down to stick shaker speed. I am writing this narrative to alert other 767/757 pilots to this situation. I have learned that this is not something new to the 767/757 fleet. Be careful and alert when engaging the autopilot near the time of selecting climb power.
On departure; FO selected autopilot at approximately 180 KTS and approximately 10-15 KTS above V2 +20. Seconds later FO selected VNAV at 1;900 FT MSL. Aircraft proceeded to pitch nose up to catch V2+ 20 airspeed set in the FMC as well as having the reduction in power going to climb power. Airspeed bled off to approximately 150 KTS. FO pushed forward on the yoke as the Captain and FO noticed the degradation of the airspeed. All systems worked normally after this and we proceeded on to [destination]. I felt that we were in complete control of the aircraft at all times and took strong corrective action to re-establish climb airspeed. Pilot flying and pilot monitoring should be extremely attentive to all facets of transitioning from hand flying to autopilot and reduction in power going from takeoff power to climb power and not relying solely on automation.
A B767 flight crew had a low airspeed condition during initial climb when VNAV is selected shortly after the autopilot is engaged. The autopilot engagement had caused the aircraft to pitch up to maintain V2 and VNAV had caused a power reduction at the same time. Autopilot was overridden to regain airspeed.