It is normal for airliners to fly IFR...They do not fly VFR AFAIK...It's best to be in touch with ATC when you're rushing along at 30K+ feet...Much safer don't ya think?

As far as IFR, thats been answered. For the gear and flaps, you just need to learn what speeds you can extend them at. There are alot of factors involved in makeing a real flight. Are you useing the correct deparure routes? Useing correct arrival routes? the right jetways? ect...  tis fun

BAW0343 wrote on Dec 18^th, 2006 at 6:45pm:



I think departure and arrival routes are my problem, I just listen to the ATC and fly a GPS course, I dont really know how to find the right routes or jetways.  And the speed thing works, I just dont know when to be at a certain speed

Oh, and by the way, thanks for all the replies so far.

Subferro wrote on Dec 19^th, 2006 at 11:12am:


One site: www.airnav.com Search any airport, scroll down and it has charts for the airport. Very usefull site

I can sort of do VORs, Im still practicing with those, but can't seem to get the autopilot to work with them. Im having trouble getting good with the VORs in the lesson, because when I get on the right heading, but am not lined up on the VOR, if I turn to line up, Rob gets mad because Im off heading and ends the lesson. Also, I have no idea what intersections are when I do a flight planner and it adds those.

But yeah, Ill start flying VOR courses instead of GPS.

Oh, and PS, I cant ever seem to get those markers to light up, even when I do the ATC's approach, no beacons. I finally figured out where to find ILS frequencies.  I will fire it back up and try your suggestions, thanks.

In real life, ATCs sole responsibility is the separation of traffic. When you're the PIC (pilot in command) it's your responsibility to fly the plane and know how to land (how to enter a pattern, when to turn your legs, and when to start your descent) when flying VFR. when flying IFR< ATC expects you to comply with IFR rules and to follow the correct procedues all the way down to the runway.

Flying VFR ATC will typically give you specific directions like how to enter a pattern, but when to turn certain legs, when to start your descent, etc., for the most part is up to the PIC.

an NDB isn't going to help you unless it's located on the field. i don't know of many that are. usually NDBs located close to a field is used as a compass locator for an instrument approach. using this and/ or an approach plate isn't going to help you with a VFR "pattern". trying to learn how to fly an instrument approach is like learning how to swim in the deep end before you've ever gotten your feet wet in  the kiddie pool.

a standard VFR pattern will have 3 legs when entering from a cross country. you enter on the downwind leg (parallel to the landing runway and opposite of the direction you'll be landing). you'll enter the downind leg on a 45 degree angle in the middle of the runway at traffic pattern altitude. try to keep your plane within guiding distance of the runway in case you have an engine failure at pattern altitude. pull your carburator heat out if your plane requires it and announce your entry in the pattern if the tower requires it.

as you fly downwind, compensate for any crosswinds by crabbing the nose into the wind so you parallel the runway. when you pass the end of the runway pull your power out to roughly 1700rpms for most GA aircraft, let the plane slow down into the white arc for flaps, and then put in your first notch. you can let the nose settle down into a 500fpm descent while keeping your airspeed in the white arc. if above the white arc, pull some more power out. once the end of the runway is roughly 45 degrees off your shoulder behind you, then it's time to turn your base leg.

once you turn your base leg, add in your second notch of flaps if you're flying a cessna. remember to compensate for crosswinds with a crab angle and keep your 500fpm descent. use your judgement when to turn final.

on final approach, add in your last notch of flaps. remember to compensate for that pesky crosswind with a crab! when you get close to the runway, start pulling power out to idle while adding back pressure to raise the nose. your mains should be skimming over the runway within inches. you want to hold the wheels off the ground by keeping your nose up until it stalls onto the runway. remember, you should be within inches of the runway. as the wheels make contact, keep the backpressure to allow the nosewheel to settle to the ground by itself. also keep that crosswind correction in to keep from getting blown across the runway.