Drift On Approach

[Bubblehead]

I have a problem straightening up on approach just before touch down. Often times I would come in beautifully, lined up  with the runway, correct altitude and speed but then just before touchdown (half a mile to a mile from the runway) my aircraft would start to drift and/or yaw a bit causing me to land on the dirt or on an adjacent runway. This happens often when flying large civil jets as opposed to commuter, private  or military jets.  Anyone got any ideas what I'm doing  wrong?

Bubblehead

[Moach]

it's probably the wind that's pushing you to the sides...

when approaching you don't necessarily point your nose straight at the runway centerline... you have to compensate for the wind... this is called 'crabbing',  you will approach pointing slightly to the side and when you get close to touchdown,  set it straight and land.....

with some practice, you'll get the hang of it...

also, check the FS2004 learning center, i think there's some stuff there about this

hope this helps...

c ya

Moach

[Pegase]

This talk to me, I had exactly the same problem (and still by time get it).

1/2 mile before the runway is when the best approach can end into a depressive crap landing. So as you are busy with the aispeed,  aircraft configuration etc. A slow drift can be unnoticed  for a while.


It is easy to correct with a light aircraft but, wiith an heavy airliner, it take time for your correction to get the effect, so it becomes an overcorrection, repeated from side to side.

If, like me you use a rotativr joystick, by stress, it is possible that you apply an unwished rotation on the joystick , especially when beginning to pull the nose up for flare. hold it as lightly as possible like a tea spoon. very light and short action an the opposite side are then enough to keep the alignment..

Last tip :
Far from the runway, it is like a line giving an acurate reference. when getting closer, it bcomes a larger and larger area making your reference less and less acurate.
So, don't focus on the absolute position of the runway behind your panel. it can vary depending on wind, panel, aircraft. watch rather how the runway edges look. they must be symetric. As long as you see this /\   it's OK, before it changes to that /|, tap slightly left or that |\  slightly right.

A detail far away in the runway alignment like a building or a cloud can also help

A good training, fly at low speed following runways in various wind direction WITHOUT ACTUALLY LANDING, just flying above.  Without the landing stress, you will be more relax and find more easyly your marks how to keep the wished alignment.

[Nav]

Bubblehead, lots of good advice there. Couple more things.

1. Save an approach - well out, say five miles - and use it for practice. You can introduce different winds etc. as you wish, by just going to 'User-Defined Weather.

2. As you come in, relax as much as you can. A touch of extra power will often help - save you worrying about losing too much speed. If the nose tends to pitch up, just correct it with trim.

3. Look at the WHOLE runway, not just the threshold; and especially the far end. That will give you a much better idea of the line you need to achieve.

4. Turn by gentle banking only - and give the aeroplane time to respond. To correct to the right, just drop the starboard wing a touch, and be patient. But then remember to correct; don't just level out, bank to port a touch until you're exactly on line; you need to follow an S-shaped path, otherwise you'll go off line the other way.

5. Don't be too worried about 'landing on the numbers'. Float along the runway a bit if necessary, there's usually plenty left. That way, even if you're not dead straight crossing the threshold, you should still have time to correct the line and land straight.

[Bubblehead]

Thanks for the tip guys. I will practice on it. My default airport is San Diego which is known to be one of the toughest airports  to land according to airline pilots. I'll shift to the Miramar Marine Air Station whereby I'm able to practice my  shallow approaches.

By the way, which buttons do I press on the keyboard to move  seaplanes  (P5M, or Spruce Goose)  which has no landing gears, from the runway over to the water?

Bubblehead

[rajiv2]

is it better to use auto rudder when landing big jets like the 744?

[beefhole]

By the way, which buttons do I press on the keyboard to move  seaplanes  (P5M, or Spruce Goose)  which has no landing gears, from the runway over to the water?

You can press "Y", which will enter you into slew mode.  With a joy stick, you can move the aircraft around.  But be careful, if you lift her even a couple of feet off the ground and then hit "Y" again (to exit slew mode), she'll start flying at a fairly fast speed, even if you had the engine off.

Don't quote me, but I believe the altitude increase/decrease buttons for slew mode are a/s (or a/d? a is definitely in there)

[Chris E]

yeah, i had this happen when doing the flight training landing it started me out directly on the path and as i got closer I had to slide over

[Moach]

is it better to use auto rudder when landing big jets like the 744?

i would only use autorudder if my joystick didn't have the rudder axis... that's what it's there for. so you don't have to use the keyboard to man the rudder...

other than that, i would always keep autorudder turned off, as this feature doesn't exist in real life, and is only there to compensate for a Sim limitation...

about the landings... one other thing:

don't set an area of the cockpit or 2d panel as the 'center' of the plane, assuming that's where the plane will fly to... usually the wind is pushing some to the side and this technique becomes useless... try to find out where the plane is flying to based on its movement, not on a fixed point inside the plane

c ya

Moach

(PS: Only 50 more posts to residency!! woohoo!!!!)