HELP with KDCA!!!

[YodaNYC]

Decided to fly shuttle route from KLGA to KDCA.  Weather was great in DC so opted for the Visual 1 RWY approach.  Was perfectly lined up with the runway and then at about 2 miles my aircraft veered wildly to the left and then to the right.  I didn't have time to recover so had to bring the plane down on the taxiway.  At least I didn't crash.

For confirmation, I had saved the approach and it did the exact same thing the two subsequent times that I tried.  I know that FS2K has incorrect settings for the ILS approach to RWY 1, but why would my plane react that way on a visual.  VERY Frustrating!

I was flying a 737 as usual, so Nexus, if you are out there, HELP!!!

[jrpilot]

Does that place have an ILS....if so use that...could it have been a wind breeze???

[Nexus]

I don't think this is an aircraft issue.  :)
Sounds like you have real world weather selected? That tend to happen sometimes...Just some 1000feet above ground the weather suddenly changes, and FAST! I know what you're talking about, and it's quite annoying sometimes

listen to the ATIS before you set up for your approach, that will at leastgive you information regarding current weather and what to expect

[YodaNYC]

Nexus:

You're right.  I turned off the real world weather and landed on the numbers.  That's really annoying...is it a glitch within the weather programming?

As always, thanks

[Northwest 102]

DCA is one of my jump off points, right along with MSP being I live in MSP.  Ironic I'm taking off from DCA headed for MSP tonight too.  I find that the easiest way to land at KDCA is to just visually land, No matter what aircraft you land there.  Carefull you don't come in too under/over powered cause you'll be headed for a swim.

MIKE

[YodaNYC]

Mike:

Agree with you on DCA...it is always an interesting place to land whether on the Visual RWY 1 or 19.  My home airport in KLGA so I am used to coming in over the water on RWY's 22, 13 and the infamous Expressway visual approach on RWY 31.

I have been slowly weaning myself off the autopilot and ILS for my landings...makes the flying experience much more fun and allows access to airports with don't have instrument approaches (especially in the Caribbean).  I'm a 737 guy and starting to feel very comfortable with the aircraft.

Happy flying!

[Northwest 102]

I'm used to flying the Lear 45 into KDCA from KMSP so my landings are I suppose a lot easier.  I do keep an BBJ there though but I don't fly it very much.  The range is not as good as I thought so its only used on medium runs around the states.  I've really probably only landed a 737 there about 7 or 8 times I think.  Do you fly the BBJ or do you fly commercial ships?  What type of 737 do you fly in there if you fly commercialy?  Back to flying in with the instruments and systems, I have never really unstood how you work them to land for you.  My biggest aircraft is my 747-100, painted in boeing house colors, I normally use that for flying to Hawaii and other areas to far for my smalled ultra long range aircraft.  However, my point being, if you really want a challenge try landing that with out the use of your instruments!  I have had many close calls with it after flying 10 hours.  Taking off can be just as big a challenge too.  What flap setting is best, how longs the runway, do you power up to full or save on fuel...so many questions, only one way to find out.

Have fun,

MIKE

[YodaNYC]

I fly only commercial...the default 737-400 repainted in a slew of liveries ncluding the delta shuttle for my hops from KLGA to KDCA and KBOS.  Also have an A320 that I toy around with from time to time, but I prefer the Boeing.

I'm impressed with you Lear 45 skills...I have always found it difficult to manually control the pitch and descent rate on that aircraft.  Perhaps I'll see you criss-crosing the sky.

Yoda

[chomp_rock]

That weather glitch is really annoying! Me, I'm a light plane pilot and I fly real weather 75% of the time and extreme IFR the other 25% (Extreme IFR as in 12kt wind with 35kt gust severe turbulence and wind shear and 1/2 mile visibility in a cessna T210 or T182) so when I fly real weather I want real weather not an unpredictable, gusty environment. Too bad there is no fix .