2 questions...

[DiveBomber189]

1. In real life, do commercial airliners really go around? I've flown(as a passenger ) 4 times and I've never had to do a missed approach and go around, but in this game(with many DLed airliners from PAI), I have to go around almost every time.

2. How are you supposed to navigate intersections? They don't have any signal so I can't use the navigational systems in the plane, so I have to use the GPS, which is fine, but I'm just wondering if there's an alternative.

[eno]

There are more GO AROUNDS than people expect, even so it's unlikely in many years of flying that you will be involved in one. A recent documentary on air safety reckoned that at major airports such as Heathrow there is at least one go around/missed approach a day. Check out the Discovery Channel websites thats where I saw the documentary.

As for your second question have you set up a flight plan?... If so then the aircraft will fly via way points and intersections when on autopilot. To make this more realistic download FSNavigator... I'm sure someone will put the URL in for you as I cant remember it.

hope this helps
cheers
eno

[Georf]

You have to go around in the real world too
If the pilots mess up on final or if low visibilty or somthing
I always go around in my little cessna

[DiveBomber189]

OK, thanks a lot
I'll search on google for FSNavigator

[logjam]

There are lots of reasons to go around. Weather changes on final are the most common. Then you get systems failures and Air Traffic conflicts. Today pilot error is rare but happens. Worth while practising missed approach procedures among the many practises one should do to keep current. It's not recommended to do assymetric missed approach IRL, so practise these on the sim.

[yunaderis]

www.fsnavigator.com

awesome little program

[jordonj]

www.fsnavigator.com

awesome little program

Isn't it though?

Use the Database builder, and any airports you install will show up there (such as hanks, Margarita Air Club bases, etc.)

I rarely, if ever use the Flight Planner anymore (Unless I'm flying ILS)

[codered]

I have been involved in one go around on an airliner, and many go arounds doing my IFR training.  Go arounds are like ****, it happens.

As far as intersections, you can use GPS as you found to get to them, or you can use VOR to navigate between two waypoints, or you can use the good ole' compass.  If you use VORs it is a good idea to have two of them.  One for the tracking to and the other to give you a cross hair when you reach your way point.

[Dan]

FS Nav is great..... One of my favoutrite tools. My Dad was on an airliner that did a go around. This was around 20 years ago, apparently a lot of the passengers thought they where going to crash!!!!  :D  :-/ They didn't.... lol.
Dan

[beefhole]

Intersections are meant for the big boys-if you've ever plotted a flight using VOR to VOR or High Altitude Airways and been very observant you'll notice that your flight plan actually follows these little faint gray lines.  These are called airways.  Most intersections aren't formed on purpose (like VORs or NDBs), but simply appear when two airways cross eachother forming an "intersection", hence the name.  Sometimes, mainly on trans-atlantic and pacific routes that dump planes off into highly traveled airports, you'll notice deliberate placement of intersections that funnel traffic into a highly traveled airport.  But normally they are completely random and are only used as a tool of navigation by the big guys(I think).

Someone with commercial flight experience may be able to correct my all-knowing smartassness  8) but I'm pretty sure I've got it down.

HEY MY 100th POST!  GO BEEFHOLE, HIS GOLD MEMBER (dude, wait a minute.. gold member? haha) STATUS RISES ABOVE YOU ALL!

[warren_landis]

Go arounds a fact of life, weather, bad approach and just like FS every now and again someone slow exiting runway.

Intersections are used real world for a multitude of reasons (all IFR rating usages - no matter the size aircraft or pilot certificate level atp, commercial or private)

1. In the IFR environment for better location info when DME and GPS is not available
2. Location that on the airway would require a different minimum altitude (VOR reception or terrain issues) or time to change which VOR one is traking (dog leg)
3. Hold location coming into or through a congested area
4. A point from which an instrument approach might begin (enroute to approach feeder routes)
5. Non percision approach (no glideslope) step down locations
6. If radar died for some reason then the controllers would need to know when you passed points in space so they could allow more aircraft in the system
7. Controller can give Altitude and/or speed restiction locations for entering higher traffic volume areas for approach/landing seperation

In FS they are not very useful unless you are using charts and fly non percision approaches with low ceilings. In the real world usually only use them to keep an eye on the GPS reciever when on airways (verification of accuracy) and ATC request direct intersection and approach step down locations.

Warren

[beefhole]

I hate when my know-it-allness authoritah is questioned!  >:(

jk  ;D

[chomp_rock]

I've been through 6 go arounds in commercial airliners (real life).

[codered]

I don't think way points, intersections or airways are random at all.  They are placed there for a reason, to give pilots a way to get from point A to point B.  Airways, intersections and way points work just like the highway system  you drive on.  It is intended to get planes to their destinations in the most efficient manner.  If we didn't have airways, we would have thousands of planes criss-crossing the skies and ATC would be useless to keep planes from hitting eachother.

Granted the only time I use airways and intersections in FS is when I have a IFR chart available.  This makes it easier to plot your route using actual airways and navaids.  You can still use them without the charts, but they do make it easier.