George, I had this problem for a long time too... The answer is that you don't align yourself with the centerline from any great distance away, unless your using navigational radios that help you outside of visual range. The goal is to get into the traffic pattern, and then "fly the numbers," as my instructor puts it. Just overfly the airport, and follow Dave's tutorial. (http://www.flightgear.org/Docs/Tutorials/circuit/)
The key is to repetitively approach the same way. You'll learn what it looks like to do it properly, and eventually, you'll instinctively know that you're too high, too low, too close, too far out, too fast, too slow, etc., and how to correct it. Generally, traffic pattern altitude (TPA) is 1000 ft above ground level (AGL), and you'll want to see the runway along side you about half way up the wing strut (assuming a highwing Cessna...). If that's about a 45 degree angle below you, then you're also about 1000' from the runway. Turn base when the threshold is 45 degrees behind you, again roughly 1000' past the threshold, etc. Fact is, you don't need to line up with the runway 10 miles out. For a straight in approach (which most people seem to think is more difficult, after practicing hundreds of touch-and-go's in the standard traffic pattern) you still need to make constant corrections, and don't need to be right on the centerline until you're real close. Good luck! -Matt George Patterson wrote: > I think that is a great idea. I can land but I suspect that the idea is > to land on a runway and not overshoot it into a residential. How do you > line up a for a landing when you can't quite see the runway?? Then again > in real life i didn't spot the runway when I went on a joy flight. yes, > I am not a pilot!! :-D > > Perhaps a menu option would be most appropriate for this idea?? > > George Patterson > > On Wed, 16 Jul 2003 10:34:32 -0400 > "Jim Howarth" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > David, > > > > This brings me to an idea.. :) It would be cool if flightgear had > > some sort of a training database on the website with descriptions of > > things that you can practice with screenshots. It may be out of the > > scope of flightgear's reach, but I think it could be something to make > > FG a lot more popular with prospective pilots, even flight schools on > > a budjet who can't afford the big systems. We could also include > > command line parimeters to put the user into the position needed for > > the manoever.. ie, altitude, direction and speed for an approach on > > specific airports etc. > > > > Anyone think that is a good idea and is willing to help? > > > > Jim > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Flightgear-users mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://mail.flightgear.org/mailman/listinfo/flightgear-users _______________________________________________ Flightgear-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.flightgear.org/mailman/listinfo/flightgear-users
