Why cant I line up with the runway?? Am i missing something?

I know how to land but I have a really hard time approaching the runways. Is there somethin ghtat tells you what direction to go or do you just use the map or gps?

exactly same here but i also find the atc give you no time to correct your postion before touchdown. they are useless. Anyone know any help/ seperate ways for an accurate landing?

Hi
There are different ways to be lined up with the runway. One way is to use the GPS, just type in the destination airport and click PROC to choose your approach. Put it on autopilot and press NAV, making sure that the switch is set to GPS and not NAV. The plane should then follow the course and you can descend at your leisure 😀 . Make sure you turn autopilot off at around 500ft as you can't land with it.
You can also use ILS to land as this controls the descent as well as the actual lining up to the runway. FEM has a nice post that explains it clearly 😀

Fun flying 🙂

THIS IS FOR IFR FLIGHT!

1. When ATC says something liek "WifeBeater 767, you are 32 Miles away. Turn right heading 105, descend and mantain 2,500 feet, cleared ILS runway 36R Approach". You have to click on your MAP icon in your cockipt. Then, move your mouse over the destination airport. Mind you, the airport MUST have the ILS feathers (thes are the green things that point to the runway). Double click on the airport. A list will show up. Scroll down the list untill you see a chart that shows Runway numbers. FInd 36R, or whatever your runway is. You look to the right and see a radio frequency. We'll use 100.100 because its easy to remember. Don't forget the frequency.

2. Open up your Radio Stack, and enter in 100.100 in the NAV1 Radio, usually the righmost radio number is the one that can be messed with. After you enter it 100.100, using the mouse wheel or clickin it. Press the button that looks like thsi somewhat, its in the middle of the 2 radio displays <-----> That changes the NAV1 Radio frequency from whatever it was, to what it is now (100.100)

3.Turn on the NAV1 Radio by clicking the switch at the bottom of the radio stack, unless its already on, like with the LearJet.

4. If you have Autopilot, and you are using GPS to follow waypoints, switch the NAV/GPS button back to NAV!!!! YOU CANT FORGET TO DO THAT!!! YOU'LL BURN AND DIE IF YOU DONT!!

5. Follow ATC directions to approach. Now, when you approach the Runway, you will see the pink arrows near your attitude indicator move...usually Heading first, then Altitude. Simply fly in the directon and atitude of the pink arrows intull they center themselves, that means you're on the glideslope!

6. If you wanna use the autopilot to fly the approach, simply follow steps 1-4, then click the APPR button on the autopilot panel.

That is FEM's post above

First of all I would strongly suggest that you get yourself a Joystick (its much cheaper than the flight yoke and pedals) I use the Microsoft Force feedback pro joystick whitch works very good in the simulator.

To answer your topic.

Speed is everything in controlling an aircraft.
airplanes have 3 axis of control.

Lateral Axis: whitch controls the pitch of the aircraft using your elevators.
Longitudal Axis: whitch controls the rolling of the aircraft using your ailerons.
and last but not least the Vertical Axis: whitch controls the yaw of the aircraft using your pedals.

A good joystick will let you control all 3 axis easily.

At high speeds pilots seldom use their pedals to control the heading of the aircraft they rely on their ailerons to do the job.

At low speeds (specially on big birds) the ailerons are quiet useless for precition handling like landing. I would suggest that you practice with the 737 first and once your on short final at low speeds control your heading with the pedals.

Hope it works out.

Oscar Aranguren
Flight Simulator Instructor
flightsiminstructor@yahoo.com

GET A JOY STICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Logitech WingMan Strike Force 3D is the best one ever!

Great landings?!!! HA! Look at the screenshots posted!!! You may see words like - All over the runway. One of my shots shows my plane WAYYyyy in the grass!
Anyway, Joystick? Right!!! Mine is a Wingman force feedback with rudder in the twist grip.

I am now able to ace landings. I use a combination of rudder and diff braking. Works for me REAL well.

Getting lined up with the runway takes a lot of practice in real life. It was one of the harder things to do as I was getting my pilots license. I would recommend practicing with the slower planes first i.e. the 172 for instance. Just work at it, and with time it will become easy.

Rockingbasser wrote:

Hey,Also does it matter I fly with keyboard not joystick I mean does it make a big difference ❓ 😞

Yes, it matters. If you fly with a keyboard, get used to the taste of grass 😂

Rockingbasser wrote:

Hey,
Just wondering how I look in the gallerys and see all these perfect 747/777/737 landings. How do you get them centered on the runway, I always land on the grass verge or wonkey and swerve everywhere because I have to make big ajustments in direction right next to the runway! The ATC never line you up very well with the runway (VFR) is there a tecnique or am I just crap ❓

Also does it matter I fly with keyboard not joystick I mean does it make a big difference ❓ 😞

make sure you set up your approach early enough and don't always start with the massive aircraft just a little cessna. Plus yes it's better to fly with a joystick ➡

I do ALL my flying with the keyboard. I've never landed on the grass because if it. I've also never had any trouble with my sim because of an incompatable joystick driver or some other problem with the joystick.

Leadfoot - If you can "fly" with the keyboard you should be made up to chief pilot NOW!
What do you think...next version of Airbus does away with the meal tray/desk and sidestick on the flight deck and replaces it with........a keyboard!

Make the bad even worse huh?

just kidding, Airbust is fine..lol...airbust...lol...Hooters...lol...chicken wings...lol

Dear PH, I started with FS 5.0 clear back in "93---- with the keyboard! I just got used to it I guess. I've done all of my flying since then with the keyboard, except of course when I fly a real cessna 172. I just did a flight from Kansas City to Columbus Ohio on the sim, ILS and all by hand with nary a problem. I do use the A/P for cruise climb, enroute, and descent phases of the flight. That's standard procedure anyway. I do all ILS's by hand though. I like your comment about the promotion, I ought to put in for one.lol 😎