Frustrated by landings

[Nasder]

Oooh, I just made a nice landing using the autoland function in the PMDG 747, I'm quite amazed, but I could probably smoothen it out even more then
the auto-landing

Gonna be sweet!

Well, I'm off again, I got a flight to Tokyo (RJTT) to take care of...

[Dhrystone]

Feel and 3d is nice to have! It's easier to trim an airplane for instance when you can feel the pressure or lack of it in the controls. And it's
a real pain just to look around in the sim...it's like flying with a neck brace and a set of rearview mirrors. In the Cessna I can use the hat
switch when I'm on downwind to look back and see when I should turn base, but say in the DC-3 I can't even look back because of the
way the virtual cockpit is configured (in RL I'd just crane my neck over there and look).

But once I'm lined up on final, things seem pretty normal for me. The view, the runway angle when I'm high or low, crosswind technique,
etc.

It's interesting how different people approach the same job of flying an airplane isn't it? I had three different instructors when I was a
student pilot, and in a couple of cases what was gospel to one was nearly nonsense to another. I think people use different cues when
landing, some go more by feel and others by visuals, others partly by what's going on in their peripherial vision. Those latter ones are
really going to find the sim hard to land with!

[RonMac]

TonyH wrote:
Are you enjoying your gliding RonMac ? Landings are fun, winch launches are even more exciting. Have you tried closing your airbrakes
on the flare and seen how far you can float in ground effect yet ?

You can do some real greasers in gliders, when you hear the tailskid whistling through the grass just before you touch down you know
it's going to be a good one.

On the other hand if you mess up there's no going around

Tony,

Inded to all that...float effect is amazing...been some years now since I flew anything other than as a passenger, but my gliding days were
near Perth in Scotland.

Still holds the record I think for longest glider flight in UK to Northern Ireland!! Also the field where the tug pilot and passenger lost their
lives when glider failed to disengage, and was above tug when they did.

I think the whole perspective thing is the issue, gliders welcome cliff faces for lift, engine aircraft avoid!! It took me meny many flights to
feel comforatible going into Cliff face believing I could touch the cliff with my hand!

Winch launches are brilliant, best buzz around anywhere. Just think for a minute anout the 'maths' , and you see yourself on an elastic
band getting shorter by the nanosecond being flung into the air!

Great experience to have had. You are with the birds.

R

[SWAFO]

DBE wrote:

Jetflyer wrote:
...You should be looking for about 150ft/min...

I think you're being a tad optimistic there JF; especially considering the average TD speed reported on the VA is -292.78ft/mn!

All you guys are bringing down my average! Damn! Help me out here

[TonyH]

my gliding days were near Perth in Scotland.

So did you get to fly in wave, Ron ? If so how high ? I never did, maybe one day. At my club we have a reasonable ridge which you can
soar up and down at 800 feet as long as a wind of 25 knots plus is blowing straight onto it.

Anyway back on topic, from my experience of landings in Bulldogs and gliders, real life is much easier than FS9, in fact flying in general is
easier in real life - spatial awareness, feel, and easier trimming make a big difference. I don't fly gliders at all in FS9, soaring is very
much seat of the pants flying, you feel the lift and sink and learn to react instinctively. It can't be simulated.

[SWAFO]

I completely agree. I have much more awareness of the aircraft and it's systems in reality. This is the one area FS truely lacks behind,
and won't be able to ever duplicate (unless everyone get's the multi-monitor/projection systems).

It really doesn't detract from my enjoyment of the simulator though. Actually, it adds to it! I wouldn't enjoy having a full motion (RL) aircraft
or simulator all the time! That's what FS is for!

[samiranks]

HA? "APPLAUSE?" In Fsp? for perfect landing? oh well i guess my landing have not been perfect perfect. Oh well like Brad said practice
practice... OH Brad im starting my pilot training at delta connection academy january 5,2005 are you up to some flight lessons with me
Brad?

[SWAFO]

Am I up to some flight lessons? You want me to take out a 737?

[samiranks]

that sounds good to me brad. or maybe i can send you my log book and you log me a few hundred hours and sign?