Narrative:

This flight was scheduled to boi. There was an FAA inspector on the jump seat conducting an en route check. Boise was conducting visual approachs to runway 28R&left. The descent and approach went fine until I requested the first officer to select managed speed. We both suddenly realized we had forgotten to activate and confirm the approach phase because the commanded speed went to green DOT (210 KTS) and autothrottle to climb thrust. We immediately corrected, I closed the thrust levers (now manual thrust), but now I had a great deal of excess energy to dissipate. I almost went around, but made a couple of s-turns on the final approach with tower's concurrence. I was stabilized by 500 ft AGL and made a smooth landing in the touchdown zone, on speed. I don't believe any violations occurred, but the inspector was not impressed! I have flown this aircraft almost 34 yrs and this is the first time I have been bitten by this mistake. Why we forgot to activate the approach phase I can't explain. I would hate to say we were distraction by being observed, but maybe. I do believe, however, that this design of the software is very poor and I know of many airbus pilots who have experienced this. I doubt I will forget again.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CAPT FORGOT TO ACTIVATE THE APCH PHASE BEFORE ACTIVATING THE MANAGED SPD AUTOPLT FEATURE DURING A VISUAL APCH RESULTING IN THE ACFT AUTOMATICALLY GOING TO CLB THRUST.

Narrative: THIS FLT WAS SCHEDULED TO BOI. THERE WAS AN FAA INSPECTOR ON THE JUMP SEAT CONDUCTING AN ENRTE CHK. BOISE WAS CONDUCTING VISUAL APCHS TO RWY 28R&L. THE DSCNT AND APCH WENT FINE UNTIL I REQUESTED THE FO TO SELECT MANAGED SPD. WE BOTH SUDDENLY REALIZED WE HAD FORGOTTEN TO ACTIVATE AND CONFIRM THE APCH PHASE BECAUSE THE COMMANDED SPD WENT TO GREEN DOT (210 KTS) AND AUTOTHROTTLE TO CLB THRUST. WE IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED, I CLOSED THE THRUST LEVERS (NOW MANUAL THRUST), BUT NOW I HAD A GREAT DEAL OF EXCESS ENERGY TO DISSIPATE. I ALMOST WENT AROUND, BUT MADE A COUPLE OF S-TURNS ON THE FINAL APCH WITH TWR'S CONCURRENCE. I WAS STABILIZED BY 500 FT AGL AND MADE A SMOOTH LNDG IN THE TOUCHDOWN ZONE, ON SPD. I DON'T BELIEVE ANY VIOLATIONS OCCURRED, BUT THE INSPECTOR WAS NOT IMPRESSED! I HAVE FLOWN THIS ACFT ALMOST 34 YRS AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE BEEN BITTEN BY THIS MISTAKE. WHY WE FORGOT TO ACTIVATE THE APCH PHASE I CAN'T EXPLAIN. I WOULD HATE TO SAY WE WERE DISTR BY BEING OBSERVED, BUT MAYBE. I DO BELIEVE, HOWEVER, THAT THIS DESIGN OF THE SOFTWARE IS VERY POOR AND I KNOW OF MANY AIRBUS PLTS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS. I DOUBT I WILL FORGET AGAIN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.