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Hi Captain Lim,
Good morning. Hope your 5 days flight to Zurich was pleasant.
Here is a question on the Microsoft FS 2002. I am trying to make a perfect landing on the airplane. I could capture the localizer and glide slope perfectly and maintain the correct speeds but just before the touch down at about 7-10 secs, I could see that the GS either move up or down. I think this happens when I flare the aircraft. I am never able to touch down on markings nor keep GS at dead center.
I have seen that some aircraft like the Boeing 777 and Boeing 767 flare a lot and make smooth touch down on the markings. Even the smoke from the tires appear to be very minimal.
Do you keep the GS exactly at the center at the time of touch down? Yes or No?
Please explain the key for a nice landing, especially during the last 10 seconds!
Thanks and warmest regards,
Srihari J
Hi Srihari,
Flying a FS 2002 simulator and the real airplane is not the same! I have mentioned in many FAQ that the simulators are good procedural trainers and the feel of the flight controls is totally different. You never manually fly a real Boeing 777 on the instruments until touchdown! It would be too dangerous!
As a general rule, most pilots fly the ILS (Instrument Landing system) up to 200 feet above ground level on a Category 1 ILS and then fly visual below this height with the GS as a reference, but NEVER up to touch down, unless he is doing an Auto Land approach. In an auto land, the landing is executed by the computer. For non auto land approach, he must look out and land the airplane physically (without the help of the autopilot) below 200 feet. I have not flown a FS 2002 simulator yet and therefore I cannot give you any guidance on how to fly it. One of these days, I may consider getting one and see how it flies.
Hi Captain Lim,
Thanks for the reply. Regarding my question above, I was pointing to the FS 2002, but it was with reference to an actual Boeing 777.
As you have said, you have to fly manually after 200 feet agl (above ground level). I have seen many videos where they make the full final approach manually, especially from the point they captured the LOC and GS. Since you have the LOC and GS captured, you could fly the airplane to the DH (decision height). After 200 feet agl, how do you manage to land at the dead center of the runway touchdown markings?
What is the secret to land exactly on the markings even though you cannot see it?
Please let me know.
Thanks and warmest regards,
Srihari J
Hi Srihari,
It is true the ILS can be flown manually from the time the GS and LOC are captured on instrument. If an airfield is approved for a Category 1 ILS, you can legally fly to 200 feet agl only. Thereafter, you must look out and fly visually, NO MORE INSTRUMENT FLYING! If you can't see the Runway, you must go around! You CANNOT fly the GS and LOC on instrument until touch down as you would do in the FS 2002 simulator. I hope you understand this. If you are doing an Auto Land, then it is different altogether. The autopilot would fly the airplane right on the center line until touchdown and even come to a full stop by itself if the Auto-Brake is pre-selected.
Landing on the center manually instead of the auto pilot depends a lot on the pilot's skill. Even though he cannot see the center line under the nose, he fly by feel and look far ahead so as to align himself on the center.
P.S. I have just installed the FS 2002 simulator in my desk top. Itlooked impressive and has many functions similar to the real thing. However, the joystick control is bad and the plane is very unstable at low speeds. It kept on crashing. It flew well on autopilot and on the LNAV and VNAV. Since then, I have no time to experiment on it yet.
Hello Captain Lim,
Thanks for your update. Regarding FS 2002, which airplane did you fly?
Do you have the PSS B777 Add-On? Please let me know. If you do not have one, I can send a copy of it to you.
Regarding the joy stick, just go to the options and calibrate joystick menu, then assignments There you would get a window where a joystick is shown. Just turn the joy stick cyclically about 10 times so that the "+" mark comes fully in touch on all the corners of the square window.
The performance would be better after this. I am attaching an image of the instrument panel of the Boeing 777 from FS 2002 to you.
Warm regards,
Srihari J
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