Visual approach



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Posted Tuesday, December 11, 2007 8:03:29 AM
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I'm playing with the demo version of your product (and I like it a lot). I did run into a problem, though: I have created a non-ILS file for a visual approach to KSBM rwy 21 by slewing to the runway numbers and recording the lat/long in the file name as described in the manual. That works fine, except that I get a landing score of "0" from Mr. Smith every single time I land in the Cessna.

After some frustration I finally figured out that following the PAPI lights down places me so far beyond the runway numbers that Mr. Smith thinks I botched the landing. So I changed the coordinates to the area of the runway where the PAPI leads me to, and now I get landing scores in the 90's every time (no wind, though).

But I don't feel comfortable just changing the rules so I get a better score - after all I want to buy FSFS to become a better sim pilot. What would the real-world Mr. Smith want me to do: Land on the numbers or follow the PAPI lights when visual?

Tom
Post #1101
Posted Tuesday, December 11, 2007 8:41:59 AM


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Tom:

First of all - welcome to the forum and congratulations on scoring in the 90s!
Also -congratulations on a remarkably clear perception of what FSFS is up to and your keen desire to do it right.

There are indeed some subtle points here.

First - I'll grab part of the manual - which reads:

"When flying a visual (non ILS) approach to an airport in FSFlyingSchool, the instructor will expect the pilot to land as close as possible to the runway numbers. FSFlyingSchool uses this technique in order to give the pilot a precise visible target to aim for and we understand that this will not necessarily be the case in real world flying. The distance from the runway numbers to the touch down point is noted in the pilot’s log book. If you can put your aircraft down right on the numbers, you will get the best scores."

As you have noted, in actual fact, the instructor wants you to land at the precise coordinates indicated by the 'NonILS' file. The files we ship with the product are all based on the runway numbers so that you can see something, on any runway, for which you can aim, regardless of whether the runway has lights or one man and a dog waving bits of life raft. You can use this technique to land on grass strips too, so long as you have something to aim for.

In real life, the instructor will want you to follow the lights, if they exist, but FSFlyingSchool does not have access to data on what the lights are up to. It can track the GS and LOC of an ILS signal with microscopic accuracy, but non ILS 'lights' cannot be tracked by FSFS.

So - the result is... the instructor has in mind a mental path (GS or glideslope) leading to the precise spot indicated by the coordinates in the NonILS file. The GS angle is correct for the runway so long as it is indicated correctly in the NonILS file. In practice, the lights will agree nicely with this and will only differ as you get very close to the runway.

You may wish to create NonILS files which point to a location the lights guide you to, as indeed you have. This will work nicely so long as you follow the lights accurately and also perhaps have a handy marker you know at the runway off to the side, such as "touch down parallel to the main hangar".

Just for reference, while we are on this subject... "If FSFlyingSchool has information for a visual approach to the destination airport, but an ILS is detected (because NAV1 is tuned to it), it will use the ILS to evaluate the landing and will not use the visual approach information."

Hope this helps - let me know if you have any questions.

Jeff Preston ('Squadron Leader') - FSFlyingSchool Publisher & Lead Developer


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Post #1102
Posted Thursday, January 03, 2008 2:17:52 AM
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You may wish to create NonILS files which point to a location the lights guide you to, as indeed you have. This will work nicely so long as you follow the lights accurately and also perhaps have a handy marker you know at the runway off to the side, such as "touch down parallel to the main hangar".


I have been landing on the numbers but I have been feeling a bit uncomfortable about it. Maybe we can change the recommendation based on the runway type?

Largish airports are easy. Setup the file to land at the 1000FT mark. That is the thick white blocks next to the arrows and where to aim in real life. If you want to practice precision landings then this is the kind of airport to use! See below.


Smaller aerodromes that don't have the 500ft or 1000ft markings can maybe use the 3rd or 4th runway center line.


For those liking the remote areas then you would have to pick out some feature to line up against or as shown in the example with the question mark you would just have to guess :-)


Steven.
Post #1146
Posted Thursday, January 03, 2008 4:41:55 AM


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Great stuff Steven - you have been busy!

Lots of good, well formed ideas and nicely illustrated - it's good to see a splash of colour here in the Forum.

This is just the sort of thing we treasure - independent feedback and ideas from the FSFS community. 

So hey everyone - let us know what you're thinking!

Jeff Preston ('Squadron Leader') - FSFlyingSchool Publisher & Lead Developer


FSFlyingSchool 2023 for Microsoft Flight Simulator
FSFlyingSchool 2023 for X-Plane 12 & 11
FS Instant Approach 2023 for X-Plane 12 & 11 (Windows)
FSFlyingSchool PRO 2020 Prepar3D v 5
FSFlyingSchool PRO 2019 FSX, FSX-SE, FS2004
FSFlyingSchool USA for Microsoft Flight Simulator
FS Instant Approach 2019 for X-Plane 11 (Mac)
FS Instant Approach for Microsoft Flight Simulator
FS Instant Help for FSX, FS2004


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Post #1147
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