General FS2004 help please?

horrgakx wrote:

Am fairly new to FS2004 and wondered if anyone may be able to help with these quesions I have?;

1) Can anyone explain the "Back Course" and "Approach" buttons on the Autopilot?

--Before explaining back course you have to understand Approach. The Approach button,,when activated, will lock on the ILS beam of the runway you are approaching. Thus it is called approach. Back Course will lock onto the beam of the runway opposite the one you are approaching if no ILS beam is available for that runway. Unlike an ILS beam, the back course beam will not lower your altitude to the runway, but will just keep you on course. You will have to bring the plane down yourself on back course.

2) How do I find out the ILS frequencies of a runway?

-You can access them by double clicking your mouse over the airport symbol displayed in the World Map view. Scroll down to the runway you want and it will give you not only the frequency, but the heading as well.
3) I've worked out the basics of selecting an airport on the GPS system and setting the plane to fly to it. However does anyone have step-by-step guides to using it more effectively?

-Don't quite know what you are asking, but if the GPS is flying you there, that's pretty effective.

3a) Can the GPS system land the plane for me or does it HAVE to be ILS?

-GPS will only keep you on course, you will have to lower the altitude and land yourself.
3b) What's the difference between an ILS and GPS approach when selecting the vectors on the GPS system?

They may have different waypoints. That's about it.

4) The 'Virtual Cockpit' view - is it possible to use the mouse to look around it?

The best way to learn is to take the lessons in the program and cruise the internet for written tutorials on various navigation techniques. Happy flying!

Don't think so, but not sure.

Phew! Thanks guys.

Dave
http://www.mivec.co.uk

Thanks for the reply, I'll have a play with the ILS etc.

D.

Just tried using the ILS to land at miami, first in a Learjet, second time in a 747. The learjet's front gear collapsed and the autopilot flew the 747 HARD into the ground which registered a crash.

On the way down the plane seemed to "bounce" between altitudes, pitching the nose up, then down, then up, like an oscillation - especially with the 747. My speed was right for the landing but it simply didn't bring me down smoothly...

Any ideas what's wrong?

horrgakx wrote:

Just tried using the ILS to land at miami, first in a Learjet, second time in a 747. The learjet's front gear collapsed and the autopilot flew the 747 HARD into the ground which registered a crash.

On the way down the plane seemed to "bounce" between altitudes, pitching the nose up, then down, then up, like an oscillation - especially with the 747. My speed was right for the landing but it simply didn't bring me down smoothly...

Any ideas what's wrong?

ILS is not Auto land. It will bring you down to the runway, but you have to take over and land it yourself at some point. You are jumping up and down because of crosswind and other wind variables. this is assuming your graphic card is keeping up with the action.

Use the ILS to bring you to the runway threshold. Then turn off the autopilot and auto speed control and do what real pilots do: land it yourself. Flare out and bring it down slowly. then hit the F2 to activate the engine breaks and bring it to a stop.

I think the big problem here is you re confusing Autoland with ILS. There is not autoland feature in FS9. Ultimately you have to land it yourself and that really is what it is all about!! Keep experimenting. You will catch it. 😎

Thanks for that 😀