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By Andrew Herd
This
page provides links to our approach plate series. Each approach is described
in detail, illustrated with screen shots and has an approach plate provided.
There is a zip file for each approach which contains one or more flight simulator
situations for FS2000 -- these should be unzipped into your \fs2000\pilots folder.
The page is divided into three sections:
1. a list of approaches that are suitable for training purposes -- eventually this list will cover every major type of approach procedure
2. a list of difficult or dangerous approaches -- real challenges to your instrument flying skills
3. a list of other files you may find useful, generally links to aircraft, panels and scenery
I have personally flown every one of these approaches at least three times, some of them more often than that. My recommendation is that you fly the training sessions using the DreamFleet Cessna 182RG panel, a well designed panel with a great avionics fit. The big advantage of this panel is that it has "zoomable" timer, heading indicator, and VOR 1 gauges -- which make flying approaches a great deal easier when you are learning. I also suggest using Steve Small's Cessna 182 flight model with the aircraft of your choice.
Early
on, you will find that flying to the tight limits that instrument approaches
require is very challenging, and this is why I chose Steve Small's flight model; it is
one of the best pieces of freeware I have ever seen. Once the aircraft is properly
trimmed, you can forget flying it and concentrate on your instruments, which,
if you are using the DreamFleet panel and you zoom them, are big and easy to read. The Microsoft default RG is adequate,
but the handling isn't as good and the panel isn't in the same league. If you
are experienced at flying approaches, or as you begin to gain confidence, then
by all means try different aircraft -- the King Air, the Lear, or whatever. Believe
me, there is a great kick in getting one of these birds down on the numbers
when the weather is against you.
The one suggestion I have to make is that if you use the default Microsoft aircraft, you visit Steve Small's web site and download his alternative .air files. Using these makes all the difference between aircraft that are flyable and planes that you will fight all the way down. The King Air and the Lear in particular have the most incredibly twitchy handling in their default state, bearing very little resemblance to how the real planes feel.
General Stuff
1. How to read an approach plate
1. An NDB approach: Kodiak Alaska - NDB-1 Rwy 25
2. A VOR approach: Kodiak Alaska - VOR-1 Rwy 25
3. A GPS approach: Kodiak Alaska - GPS Rwy 25
1. An ILS-DME approach: Kodiak Alaska - ILS DME-1 Rwy 25
2. A DME arc approach: Kodiak Alaska - ILS DME-1 Rwy 25
1. An steep approach in mountainous terrain: Penticton, BC - NDB NDB-A
1. DreamFleet Cessna 182RG panel
Andrew Herd
