AI planes making hard landings

[stevewilson]

Can anyone tell me why some of the smaller planes, Cessna's, make a hard landing and bounce several times befor finnaly landing. This is happening at my new airport that I built with AFCAD, and used Ttools. Not all of the small planes do this.

[garymbuska]

sounds like you might need to adjust the angle of the glide slope. look at one of the default airports to see what they use for the angle. this can make a difference. Also make sure that the ils does not go past the thresh hold for the runway.
Remember the ils system is not designed to actually land a aircraft but to put it just above the thresh hold.

[f-16]

Hmmmm... So THATS why my PAI planes are landing without flaring and hitting hard. They are following the ILS "beam" down to the pavement. There is no consideration for "flare" with AI. Hmmm...

[stevewilson]

Gary   I check the glide slope and it is at 3*, the same as others in my area. However I'm not sure what you mean by the ils going past the thresh hold for the runway.  I noticed that the ils beacons for each end of the runway are at the opposate ends, ie ils for runway 18 is at the end of runway 36 and visa versa. Is this correct? Also the feather does extend aways down the runway. So I'm a bit in the dark, do you or anyone else have some runway lighting

[garymbuska]

Steve I wont swear to it but when I was looking at an airport yesterday I seem to rember them ending just short of the threshold for that runway. In other words the ils for run way 7 would end just past the threshold of runway 7. While in FS turn on the virtual ILS guide and look at it you will notice that the last box you see is just short of the runway not at the other end.
  I will check on this when I get home to make sure what I am telling you is correct. But it just does not sound right. GUT FEELING.

[garymbuska]

 Ok steve I have looked at AFCAD and I  found out that it does not give you a choice of where to put an ILS  it puts it where it needs to be. I think you are seeing at the opposite end of each runway with an ILS is the backcourse for that runway a small arrow at the opposite end.  As far as to why AI aircraft are landing hard check the follwoing.
If this is a new airport that you made make sure you have your elevation correct for the area YOU ARE IN. When at your aiport go to the end of a runway press shift z and check the altitude there then check this with the actual elevation in the AFCAD. This is about the only thing that I can think of that might cause this.

[stevewilson]

Ok Gary    Checked the elevations and in FS the runway is at 202 msl, in AFCAD I had it set at 199.5, also while typing this I thought about flattening switch in the scenery.cfg file, and sure enought I had it set for199 msl. I've changed everything to 202 msl but haven't had time yet to sit and watch to see what happens. Will do that Tuesday after work as it takes about an hour befor the planes start coming back.

Thanks for the 222 file. Unzipped it and looked at the read me file. Its the same version as the one I'm using, 2.21.

Now that I've got the airport mostly built and AI's coming and going I need to find out how to put some buildings and other things at the airport. Bombergirl could even land that B52 on one of my runways  ;D

Thanks gain Gary for all the help.

[garymbuska]

Steve I don not know if there is any differanc between version 2.22 and version 2.21.
  Also one quick way to make time fly is to alter your time rate from 1 to 4x if you go past 4x it will reload the scenery when you return to 4x. but you change this to be really fast I have used 16x. One word of warning is dont use this while flying IFR flight plans, or your ILS flight plan will be cancelled because you did not respond to a request. Just sit at the end of the runway on the grass and change your time rate this will speed up the AI in the area. Make sure you are clear of all taxi ways as you might get ran over by an AI plane taxing to take off.

[stevewilson]

Gary  Tried the sim rate 4x, sure makes thangs move, ATC comms is cut short a lot.  

Watched the cessnas landing and they still bounce quite hard, on one landing I counted 6 hopes befor it finally was down. This doesn't seem to happen with the big boys, and this is after I reset the elevation to patch.

If there is any differanc between the two versions, it is most likely minor as I couldn't really see any.

[garymbuska]

Steve one last thought if you can find out what planes are being used you might be able to tune them a bit so they do not come in so hard. But I have also noticed that light aircraft often bounce a bit when landing.
You might not be able to fix it. You know the old saying any landing you can walk away from is a good one.
 See you in the posts.

[stevewilson]

Gary  I've got some 20 defferante A/C landing/departing, and only the small cessnas seem to do the bunny hop. Tweeking them is a bit over my head and as long as they don't crash, like the two 747 did, then I think I'll leave them alone for now and consintrate on adding scenery.

Thanks for everything. Look forward to reading your responces.