Landing on auto-pilot.
Naturally enough, one of the skills I need to practice, is landing.
Sometimes, when I fly airliners, I wish to use auto-pilot to land - primarily so I can watch and improve my manual technique, which, frankly, is pretty hit and miss at the moment.
I find doing a 3 or 4 hour (or more) flight can be 'ruined' by shoddy landing skills!
Has anyone got time to give a brief 'muppets guide' to landing using auto-pilot?
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It requires a auto land feature that you have to download or a panel with the auto land feature built in. None of the default FS aircraft come with auto land. I've seen the auto land feature at www.avism.com but it's for FS9, unsure if it would work in FSX.
*The auto pilot alone is not designed to land the aircraft, it should be off before 200 feet AGL.
There's a nice guide on this that is a sticky in the FS 2004 General Section. It applies to FSX as well.
Don't go on 3-4 hour flights. Just practice: Take off, hook a 180, get about 20 miles away, intercept the localizer for the ILS. All you have to hone is your decision as to when to take over from the autopilot, cut throttles, and bring your nose up.
You'll have to monitor your speed target for the autopilot, and your initial altitude for intercepting the glide slope, but that's about it.
A complete flight I do quite often when I want to do a bit more than touch & goes is Princess Juliana (TNCM) to San Juan ((TJSJ). It's a short flight, long enough to get to a crusing altitude, descend with instructions from ATC and do an ILS approach. TJSJ has the ILS, TNCM does not.
Three weeks ago I was asking this very question myself. I've not become an expert in that time, but those instructions and some repetitive practice have helped get set up for the autopilot to be able to take over.
mdaskalos
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Have bad landing skills? Use slew mode to place your aircraft safely on the ground. Problem solved!
I have use the auto-pilot for my landing.
I do not use any add-on.
I make sure I got the right number for the ILS.
When I use a 737 I set my speed as 157 knts, Flaps 30 and click APP and it lines up with the runway.
Brilliant advice by mdaskalos, I wholeheatedly agree, also with his choice of airports.
MonsoonMally wrote:
- primarily so I can watch and improve my manual technique, which, frankly, is pretty hit and miss at the moment...
For the purpose you are stating above, I would highly recommend FS Recorder. Resource-friendly and easy to use. See this recent topic:
➡ https://forum.flyawaysimulation.com/forum/topic/25427/fsx-replay/
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