Hello everyone,

I have a request, and I hope this is possible. I hope it's ok to include screenshots in this forum...

I have enclosed two pics of a landing pattern I did using the Twin Bonanza aircraft in FS9.

Could you give me an idea how well I did. I did two attempts.

I have been doing the pattern practice in the FS9 learning center, but Rod doesn't tell me how well I did when I land (in fact, he doesn't say anything to me even before I take off, lol). 

Any tips would be appreciated. I tried to stay at an altitude of 1300 ft. (I hope the pics show up), I am wondering if I am too far from the airport, whether my legs are too long short? And in real life if a pilot were to do a few patterns around the airport, would the go arounds be similiar in shape and size? Just wondering

Thanks...very much
John

That's PDG (pretty damn good) for FS my friend! Patterns are much easier in real life as beefhole said.

I usually fly an elliptical pattern in real life and FS, with the occaisonal level off and bank in the other direction to check for traffic.

Hello Everyone,
   
  Thanks for all the replys and info! I appreciate it.  I will note the correct definition of "go around" .

  Thanks for the suggestions, and I will put them into practice. I will also and try to find out, how far out I was from the airport.

I will also try to make my turns sooner, so I will not fly so far out from the airport. I tried to keep my airspeed around 140 knots. Maybe I should try to get that speed down also, so I can get a tighter pattern. Thanks again :-0)

This is such a great site, with helpful people!

John

Hi Rottydaddy,

I just finished two patterns. I got the speed down a bit-- to about 100-110 knots or so ( I believe; I was very focused on preparing to turn sooner to make a tighter pattern, and focusing on make smooth turns, as well as, keeping the plane from losing (or gaining) too much altitude while turning).

I have a reference sheet and a checklist for this airplane, but have been flying these patterns without checking them.   I will look them over tonight.

Here's a pic of the two patterns. One after another. The outer circle is the second time around.

Thanks,
  John

Had a hard time finding numbers for that Beech, but basically you rotate at about 80 kts, climb at 110-115, approach not higher than 100, and touch down at 75.
This is a pretty powerful, slippery airplane, so it's gonna reach TPA quickly. So I guess when I tried this at KACY, I went out a bit more than half a mile. I managed to hit TPA (1100 ft) just at a good place to turn downwind...

Kept the speed around 100 kts... just about at gear&flaps down point, the view looked like this.



Turning to base just after crossing that road south of the field worked pretty well. Another notch of flaps, and slowing up to maintain 100 kts...



Rolled out a little late, but looking good here with less than 100 kts and 500 fpm sink rate...



I managed to touch down here, before the first taxiway.



Here's my shape: not too clean (was distracted by my climb rate there at the turn to downwind), but pretty close...


In retrospect, I'd have been better off turning crosswind closer to the end of the runway- I'd have had an easier time making a nice turn to downwind, as things would have been more stable. And I extended the downwind a little too much- I think turning just before that road would've worked fine, with that long runway.
This sure is a nice twin- i should fly it more often!

From the looks of it, looks like you got the circuit pretty well.  Its nice and square.  Only thing I might mention is maybe your final leg seems a little bit long.  But thats ok, especially in a twin bonanza

Yeah, I'm normally on crosswind and base for about two seconds max (base a little longer since you're slower), and that's in a put-put 172, not a twin.

Hello Secondrule; great so see the excellent advice being given here! And great to see people asking as well; that's how you learn.

One point I'd like to make:

Look closely at the vertical graphs of your circuits. Just before your descent at the base leg; see that little hump that appears in most of them?

Most likely; that's where you're dropping your flaps, am I correct in that?

If so; there's something you can work on.
In R/L; dropping flaps is a nonissue. The aircraft just sort of 'mushes' its way into the new attitude. (Not a technical description; that's how it feels. )
In FS however; the flaps suddenly produce both lift and drag; so there's a sharp increase in altitude combined with an equally sharp decrease in airspeed.
Practicing to control that will help your virtual flying immensely; since it calls for proper setting of your throttle and good elevator control. When you drop flaps; try to keep the VSI rock-steady on '0' and the speed constant. Hint - if you have to drop more than one notch; drop flaps one notch at a time; letting the aircraft stabilize before lowering the flaps further.
Descend only when your aircraft is properly trimmed to the new settings.
Try that - it's good practice.

Another point - looking at the vertical graphs again; your altitude changes have a fairly distinctive 'sawtooth' shape (up a bit, down a bit, up a bit, down a bit). That's usually a result of using the elevators to descend - i.e. pointing the nose down with the stick. Get into the habit of using the throttle to control altitude. Remember the old pilot's maxim: Throttle controls altitude, elevators control airspeed.

Great job!

Hi Secondrule - sorry to hear you're having stick problems - there's lots of folks here who'll be able to help you on that score. I've a FF2 myself; best stick ever IMO.
Question - is it just on the Twin Bonanza, or on all aircraft?

Now; about the plane:

The Twin Bonanza is easily one of my absolute fave addon planes - the guy that built it ought to get an award; IMO. Man; what a lovely plane. Looks great, flies even better.
BUT - it's most definitely not the aircraft to learn circuits in. The TB is a big, monstrously powerful twin. Aerodynamically, it's also clean as hell - very slick. It's easy to fly; but not easy to fly precisely for beginners.

Secondrule; all this is very much in credit to you - to be able to fly an excellent series of circuits like you did with this plane proves you're no beginner; at least to flight sim, IMO.

Like all aircraft, the TB must be properly trimmed for all aspects of flight. Takeoff; trim for the climb. Cruise; trim to hands-off flight. Descent; retrim again. Drop flaps and gear; retrim, etc.
In real-life flight everything you do is followed by a retrim.
In FS; pilots often ignore the trim and just turn on the AP - a waste of valuable simming fun; IMO. In a hot plane like the TB; flying like this can bite hard - the Bonanza can be real cranky at slow speeds (i.e. on approach) if it's not trimmed out.

Just a general rant on flight-sim trim.

In your case; you could really benefit in the areas you're asking about by practicing good trim habits.

Try this drill:
The TB cruises nicely (without fiddling with the prop) at 190kias @ 2000ASL. (A nice GA altitude. You can fly lots jigher but there's not much point - you miss a lot of scenery that way. )
Take off and head out from the airport; set a 500fpm. climb to 2000ft. Once there; level out and set throttle for 190kias (about 90% throttle). Use the stick to keep the VSI centered; then set trim until the aircraft flies handsoff. (The mnemonic pilots use for this is APT - Attitude, Power, Trim.)
Once the aircraft is flying hands off; do just that. Take your hand off the stick; you won't be using it for a while.
Now: Climb to 3000`just using the throttle. Add just a crack of power. The aircraft will climb gently to its new altitude. At 3000` throttle back to the old setting and let the plane settle to level flight again.
Now reverse it - use the throttle to descend back to 2000`.

Once you've got that down; start using sharper climbs and dives. Climb to 10,000 ft. @1000fpm. Use APT to set your climb properly. Descend in the same way; back to 2000`. Use PAT for descent. (Power, Attitude, Trim).

Now evolve to 'lazy eights'.  Make a 3-minute turn to the left; followed by a three-minute turn to the right. Work to keep your turn rate constant and your VSI nailed on 0. If you can do all that; you've got this flying thing down cold.

Finally; apply all this to landing. Throttle back to flaps range - the white arc on the ASI. This is what's so tricky about flying a clean plane - the Bonanza takes forever to slow down; and you have to throttle back practically to idle to get it into flaps range at all.
Now; when you drop flaps you know it's going to A) add a lot of lift and B) add a lot of drag; so be ready. As you drop your first notch of flaps, add power to compensate for the extra drag. At the same time; lower the nose slightly to keep the VSI centered. It's not hard at all if you can do the drills described above.

As in real life; never start a final descent until your plane is properly trimmed for landing. Base/Final is not the place to be fiddling with secondary controls; that's what the downwind is for.

Try the above - hope it'll help you in your sim practice.

Cheers!