Won't level out on autopilot

[vololiberista]

If your very worried (which u shouldnt be) my friend has a trick that if u put a degree or two down in flaps, then the plane will level. The only problem is that your engines might work harder and u might burn more fuel...

Nick

The French Caravelles were one of the first clean wing a/c. The wings had not been designed for low speed flying and consequently the ony way to slow down the a/c at altitude for descent was to extend the flaps. The consequence of this procedure was to rip off the wings. I believe at least 4 Caravelles were lost in this manner until the wings were strengthened in later models.

Above FL10 AND above 180kts IAS DO NOT USE the flaps. Use only your speed brakes / spoilers to reduce and hold speed for and during descent.

PS a good way of demonstrating angle of attack is to try an ILS in a light a/c (say a TB9 for example) at a busy international airport. The ATC (in real life) will want you to get down the glide slope as quickly as possible which will mean "flying down" on full throttle. (I had to do this at Gatwick once!!!)
You will be "very" nose down!!!
Vololiberista

[NDSP]

I have a question though,

right above the landing gear there is a little list in the b744 of flap limits. I think it says that u can put 1 degree down at 280 IAS. So is it safe to put 1-10 degree of flaps down on decent when still coming in over 200? Im just curious.

Nick

PS: Theres no FL10

[NDSP]

FL400?? That's quit high!

I always fly my 737 at FL270 because over it you have to slow down.

@vololiberista: Why do I have to use the mach above FL240? I always asked myself why it is there. My general airspeed on FL270 is about 330 KIAS. Is KIAS the same as knots?

I think I have to fly more... :-/ :-/

It is easier to use IAS, but i have actually found that in a b744 (yes i do fly them alot in sim) u can go up to FL390

[pepper_airborne]

Your GS always is your IAS + (FL/2).

[vololiberista]

I have a question though,

..
PS: Theres no FL10

In the USA no, but almost everywhere else the transition altitude is much much lower
typically 3,000ft except of course where the terrain itself requires a higher transition altitude.

In the sim one can muck about with wrong flap settings but in real life you must adhere to the placarded values because if you don't and the sellotape comes undone during flight you will have quite a large number of lawsuits against you.
This is an idea for on line flying!!!!!!!! having your bank account automatically debited with fines every time you bend the sim a/c or ignore the checklist.. In fact some of the virtual airlines like BA for instance name and shame their bad pilots even for forgetting to put on the seat belt / no smoking sign!!!!!
Learn your speeds both during and after take off, cruise, descent and landing.
Learn which airports allow a gradual descent or those like Venezia Tessera that require you to loose height rapidly. Observe the basic rules and you will find all the a/c much easier to handle and therefore more enjoyable allowing you to practise cockpit drills and feel you are doing it for real.
Though I have to say that being a real pilot beats simming hands down!!!!!!!!!!! It concentrates the mind like nothing else not even sex!!!!!!!!  :D
Vololiberista

[vololiberista]

Why use the mach meter above FL240
That is the altitude where MNE = VNE

It is a possible reason why the a/c crashed in the Amazon recently after the mid air collision.
In a crash dive sittuation like for example a depressurisation say at 35,000ft, one basically aims the a/c at the ground to loose height as quickly as possible but if you don't start to pull out of the dive by 24,000ft the a/c will exceed VNE in seconds and will break up. I have to say FS9 doesn't model that very well. Perhaps someone can try it in FSX (following the plackarded speeds and crash dive technique for the a/c type) and let us know in how many pieces they were when they hit the ground!!!!
Vololiberista

[vololiberista]

I saw above a reccomendation to "Make sure you use true airspeed" Don't!!!!!!
Use only KIAS or IAS the K stands for knots IAS is indicated airspeed. To find out your ground speed just check the GPS. IAS becomes less accurate with altitude because of the air being less dense. It is also affected by heat and humidity.
below FL240 it is perfectly safe to fly according to IAS.
In the sim I fly the VC10 and frequently cruise at mach 0.92 as does the real a/c. When I start my descent from say FL450 I have to bring the mach right back to about 0.68 otherwise i'm going too fast and risk overshooting the correct heights for the SIDS when I get to lower altitudes.
Vololiberista

[NDSP]

I saw above a reccomendation to "Make sure you use true airspeed" Don't!!!!!!
Use only KIAS or IAS the K stands for knots IAS is indicated airspeed. To find out your ground speed just check the GPS. IAS becomes less accurate with altitude because of the air being less dense. It is also affected by heat and humidity.
below FL240 it is perfectly safe to fly according to IAS.
In the sim I fly the VC10 and frequently cruise at mach 0.92 as does the real a/c. When I start my descent from say FL450 I have to bring the mach right back to about 0.68 otherwise i'm going too fast and risk overshooting the correct heights for the SIDS when I get to lower altitudes.
Vololiberista

My suggestion was to use true airspeed so that u could see it on the speedometer in the cockpit, but then i also said to hit shift+Z so that u can see your KIAS on the top of your screen. I fly by IAS when i am landing or taking off, but i also noticed that if u have IAS on when cruising, the sim will not let u reach Mach .85 or whatever your flying at.  Its just easier to go up to FL390 (or whatever ur cruising alt is)  and the just set the mach hold at .85 Ur engines only work at about 65% and u are running the route ontime.

For me it just doesnt seem  right to set ur mach hold at .40 IAS or something like that, when u wanna go .85 True Airspeed.

I'm sorry and take back my comment about the transition altitude. I didnt know :-/

[vololiberista]

I saw above a reccomendation to "Make sure you use true airspeed" Don't!!!!!!
Use only KIAS or IAS the K stands for knots IAS is indicated airspeed. To find out your ground speed just check the GPS. IAS becomes less accurate with altitude because of the air being less dense. It is also affected by heat and humidity.
below FL240 it is perfectly safe to fly according to IAS.
In the sim I fly the VC10 and frequently cruise at mach 0.92 as does the real a/c. When I start my descent from say FL450 I have to bring the mach right back to about 0.68 otherwise i'm going too fast and risk overshooting the correct heights for the SIDS when I get to lower altitudes.
Vololiberista

My suggestion was to use true airspeed so that u could see it on the speedometer in the cockpit, but then i also said to hit shift+Z so that u can see your KIAS on the top of your screen. I fly by IAS when i am landing or taking off, but i also noticed that if u have IAS on when cruising, the sim will not let u reach Mach .85 or whatever your flying at.  Its just easier to go up to FL390 (or whatever ur cruising alt is)  and the just set the mach hold at .85 Ur engines only work at about 65% and u are running the route ontime.

For me it just doesnt seem  right to set ur mach hold at .40 IAS or something like that, when u wanna go .85 True Airspeed.

I'm sorry and take back my comment about the transition altitude. I didnt know :-/

As for flying using the mach meter there should be a switch on your AP to toggle between IAS or MACH
to allow the AP to follow which setting you have declared.
Vololiberista