by Boomervet » Thu Mar 06, 2008 4:47 pm
There was a time, when aircraft such as the 727, and 737/100/200/300 did not have a truely functional reliable autopilot with autoland capability. Pilots handflew approaches past the Initial Approach fix.
However it is very easy to replicate modern procedures.
First and foremost know your landing fields elevation in Height above mean Sea.
Second. ALWAYS listen to your detination airports ATIS frequency a minimum of 25 miles from entering the Class B,C, or D airspace.
ALWAYS set your altimeter to the ATIS Altimeter setting of your destination airport.
Third, Set your Autopilot functions up as followed for the 737. each airplane type is going to be different, and you must know your airplanes BUG speeds for approaches. I typically approach the airport to the Outermarker at 195 Knots. this must be set on autopilot. IAS window, with A/P on and Autothrottle engaged. and IAS selected on AP. Set your Field elevation plus 1800-2000 feet in the Altitude window. your coarse Window should be set to the final approach course. your heading window can be set to the final approach course as well. Yaw Damper on is SOP. at the Outermarker dial down your airspeed to your approach speed which in 737 I typically use 152 knots at at max landing weight. as weight decreases this speed must be lowered to nothing less than 138 knots. between 145 knots and 156knots works fine, depending on runway length. SHorter runways, require advanced techniques I am not going to go into here. allow autopilot to fly the airplane down past Outermarker to the Middle Marker or 400 feet AGL. Then disengage Autopilot, and autothrottlew..and hand fly the approach to the touchdown zone. reducing power to flight idle crossing the threshold. and raising the nose to a 4 degree pitch reference on flight director, holding it there until the airplane trouches down. Auto breaking can be set to level 1 or 2 at the Outermarker is desired...
This procedure most closely approcimates the Standard procedures in use by all Airlines today. Standard cockpit resource management these days requires the use of the autopilot for all post climbout tasks, including climb to assigned cruising flight level, and descents. todays aircraft are equipped with modern Flight management Systems, that program the autopilot throughout the entire flight profile. climbs descents and appraoches. in simplistic terms.
you can closely approcimate these types of approaches by learning to use the autopilot as professionally as possible..Go to your local airport and any FBO, and ask them if you can purchase expired NOAA Approach Plates, sectionals and other charts. If not you can buy standard Sectional Terminal Charts and Approach Plates for use with Flight sim. They work just fine..and are as "real world" as you are going to get. I have flown hundreds of real approaches with flight sim, and when I owned my own airplane, would often fly the real approach on flight sim, prior to taking the trip and flying the real one, just to get familiar with the approach plate procedures, and data on the plate..Hope this helps
