Landing the DC-3

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Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

Any tips on landing the DC-3 nicely? I keep crashing it!
I'm using the Flight Notes from the Learning Center, but it doesn't say how
far AGL you should be on the downwind leg...any suggestions?

Thanks.
 
G

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Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

Each airport will be a little different depending on circumstances. One
sure fire way is to find an approach plate or even an airport directory.
They will have the "Pattern Altitude" listed. That is the altitude you fly
at any point within a certain distance of the airport and on your downwind
leg. At the point of your turn to base...if everything is perfect...you
begin your descent at a steady rate (commonly 300-500 fpm). This should
continue until touchdown with a decrease in speed on the final form the
downwind leg and then decreasing to recommended touchdown speed on final.
This is of course the simplified version but I hope this helps.

Mr. Steve

"Matt B." <none@given> wrote in message news:IZtOe.4124$WO2.1944@fe06.lga...
> Any tips on landing the DC-3 nicely? I keep crashing it!
> I'm using the Flight Notes from the Learning Center, but it doesn't say
> how far AGL you should be on the downwind leg...any suggestions?
>
> Thanks.
>
 
G

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Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

"Mr. Steve" <surveyorsteve@cox.net> wrote in message
news:CPwOe.31137$Ji4.25013@fed1read03...
> Each airport will be a little different depending on circumstances. One
> sure fire way is to find an approach plate or even an airport directory.
> They will have the "Pattern Altitude" listed. That is the altitude you
> fly at any point within a certain distance of the airport and on your
> downwind leg. At the point of your turn to base...if everything is
> perfect...you begin your descent at a steady rate (commonly 300-500 fpm).
> This should continue until touchdown with a decrease in speed on the final
> form the downwind leg and then decreasing to recommended touchdown speed
> on final. This is of course the simplified version but I hope this helps.
>
> Mr. Steve
>

Actually, the better source for pattern altitude information are the Airport
and Facility Directories (A/FD) that are available for each of six regions
covering the US and are available at just about any FBO.

(The next edition [at least for the SW region...] is due out on 2
September...you might be able to get an expired one free or at least really
cheap if you catch the FBO swapping out old for new...) If you have to have
the real deal and want them to be current, consider subscribing for them via
Sporty's Pilot Shop. That's how I get mine and the new ones usually come a
week before the current one expires.

These are considered the official source of airport information. You can
also get airport elevation info from airnav.com but you might find some
discrepencies between airnav and the A/FDs.

As a pilot IRL, the A/FD is the final word and meets the requirement that a
pilot gather all information regarding a flight before undertaking said
flight.

Jay Beckman
PP-ASEL (Sim Pilot Too)
Chandler, AZ
 
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Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

"Jay Beckman" <jnsbeckman@cox.net> wrote in message
news:GLxOe.124461$E95.76942@fed1read01...
>
> Actually, the better source for pattern altitude information are the
> Airport and Facility Directories (A/FD) that are available for each of six
> regions covering the US and are available at just about any FBO....
>.... You can also get airport elevation info from airnav.com but you might
>find some discrepencies between airnav and the A/FDs....



Airnav.com also includes info on pattern altitude and direction.
 
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Guest
Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

One thing to keep in mind is that the reason the AF/D is published every
eight weeks is because, in the real world, things change, but in the FS
world, they do not.

So, the information in a current AF/D may not exactly correspond with that
in the two-year-old +/- FS9...




"Jay Beckman" <jnsbeckman@cox.net> wrote in message
news:GLxOe.124461$E95.76942@fed1read01...
> "Mr. Steve" <surveyorsteve@cox.net> wrote in message
> news:CPwOe.31137$Ji4.25013@fed1read03...
> > Each airport will be a little different depending on circumstances. One
> > sure fire way is to find an approach plate or even an airport directory.
> > They will have the "Pattern Altitude" listed. That is the altitude you
> > fly at any point within a certain distance of the airport and on your
> > downwind leg. At the point of your turn to base...if everything is
> > perfect...you begin your descent at a steady rate (commonly 300-500
fpm).
> > This should continue until touchdown with a decrease in speed on the
final
> > form the downwind leg and then decreasing to recommended touchdown speed
> > on final. This is of course the simplified version but I hope this
helps.
> >
> > Mr. Steve
> >
>
> Actually, the better source for pattern altitude information are the
Airport
> and Facility Directories (A/FD) that are available for each of six regions
> covering the US and are available at just about any FBO.
>
> (The next edition [at least for the SW region...] is due out on 2
> September...you might be able to get an expired one free or at least
really
> cheap if you catch the FBO swapping out old for new...) If you have to
have
> the real deal and want them to be current, consider subscribing for them
via
> Sporty's Pilot Shop. That's how I get mine and the new ones usually come
a
> week before the current one expires.
>
> These are considered the official source of airport information. You can
> also get airport elevation info from airnav.com but you might find some
> discrepencies between airnav and the A/FDs.
>
> As a pilot IRL, the A/FD is the final word and meets the requirement that
a
> pilot gather all information regarding a flight before undertaking said
> flight.
>
> Jay Beckman
> PP-ASEL (Sim Pilot Too)
> Chandler, AZ
>
>
 
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Guest
Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

"Lakeview Bill" <bdentonchi@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:JXDOe.792$u_6.614@newssvr17.news.prodigy.com...
> One thing to keep in mind is that the reason the AF/D is published every
> eight weeks is because, in the real world, things change, but in the FS
> world, they do not.
>
> So, the information in a current AF/D may not exactly correspond with that
> in the two-year-old +/- FS9...
>

Hence my suggestion to try and pick up an *expired* A/FD.

JB
 
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Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

My personal plan is to buy about ten copies when the next version of FS
comes out.

They do get a bit beat up if you use them regularly...


"Jay Beckman" <jnsbeckman@cox.net> wrote in message
news:A3IOe.124506$E95.93456@fed1read01...
> "Lakeview Bill" <bdentonchi@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:JXDOe.792$u_6.614@newssvr17.news.prodigy.com...
> > One thing to keep in mind is that the reason the AF/D is published every
> > eight weeks is because, in the real world, things change, but in the FS
> > world, they do not.
> >
> > So, the information in a current AF/D may not exactly correspond with
that
> > in the two-year-old +/- FS9...
> >
>
> Hence my suggestion to try and pick up an *expired* A/FD.
>
> JB
>
>
 
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Guest
Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

"David Wilson-Okamura" <David Wilson-Okamura@forums.simradar.com> wrote in
message news:1124756888.15699@forums.simradar.com...
> There's a great tutorial on flying the Gooney Bird at DC-3 Airways
> http://www.dc3airways.com/train_top_2004.html

That looks like a nice webpage, thanks for the link.
The antique radio/navigation system in the DC-3 was fun to figure out, too.
 
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Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

> "Matt B." <none@given> wrote in message
> news:IZtOe.4124$WO2.1944@fe06.lga...
>> Any tips on landing the DC-3 nicely? I keep crashing it!
>> I'm using the Flight Notes from the Learning Center, but it doesn't say
>> how far AGL you should be on the downwind leg...any suggestions?

"Mr. Steve" <surveyorsteve@cox.net> wrote in message
news:CPwOe.31137$Ji4.25013@fed1read03...
> Each airport will be a little different depending on circumstances. One
> sure fire way is to find an approach plate or even an airport directory.
> They will have the "Pattern Altitude" listed. That is the altitude you
> fly at any point within a certain distance of the airport and on your
> downwind leg...

Thanks for the advice, I've been flying mostly the GA aircraft, so haven't
used any complex approach techniques. Could the given "Pattern Altitude"
really be applicable to any aircraft, like a DC-3 or a B747 or a Cessna 172?

Also, I found a good source for US airport documents here:
http://www.naco.faa.gov/digital_tpp.asp?ver=0508&eff=8-4-2005&end=9-1-2005
 
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Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

Pattern altitude can vary sometimes according to engine class. E.g., at
Santa Monica (KSMO) it's 1,200 for single-engine aircraft, 1,700 for
twins.

_________________________________________________________
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Visit www.simradar.com and try our Flight Simulation Search Engine!
 
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Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

On Tue, 23 Aug 2005 21:19:34 -0400, "Matt B." <none@given> wrote:

>> "Matt B." <none@given> wrote in message
>> news:IZtOe.4124$WO2.1944@fe06.lga...
>>> Any tips on landing the DC-3 nicely? I keep crashing it!
>>> I'm using the Flight Notes from the Learning Center, but it doesn't say
>>> how far AGL you should be on the downwind leg...any suggestions?
>
>"Mr. Steve" <surveyorsteve@cox.net> wrote in message
>news:CPwOe.31137$Ji4.25013@fed1read03...
>> Each airport will be a little different depending on circumstances. One
>> sure fire way is to find an approach plate or even an airport directory.
>> They will have the "Pattern Altitude" listed. That is the altitude you
>> fly at any point within a certain distance of the airport and on your
>> downwind leg...
>
>Thanks for the advice, I've been flying mostly the GA aircraft, so haven't
>used any complex approach techniques. Could the given "Pattern Altitude"
>really be applicable to any aircraft, like a DC-3 or a B747 or a Cessna 172?

Pattern altitude varies sometimes for light vs. turbine/twin aircraft.
Also, the size of the pattern's lateral dimensions wil vary. At my
home airport, the EMB120 & DASH 8's downwinds are out near the edge of
the Class D airspace (2-3 miles). For Cessna & Piper SE it's 1/2 - 3/4
mile.
 
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