Help for a newbie

[Guest]

HI allI have some questions i would really Like answered, if anybody has the time.1) Trim: I have come to understand that you use trim to keep the Aircraft level, but i cant seem to do it in jets, The Aircraft either climbs or decends, how do i get the plane to stay level i understnad how trim works but dont seem to be able to get it to work. can someone please explain how it works.2) When planning for Descent, i have read that you should find out what runway you are landing at before you descend, but ATC only tell me what runway when close to the runway, is there a way to findout before im so close to the airport.3) When i file an IFR flight with ATC why do ATC sometimes vector me away from the flight plan.Thankyou for any help..

[Guest cloudtops]

Mr. Nut,I'm somewhat a newbie myself, especially to this forum, but I'd like to offer what I've run across to this point (always a student pilot, they say).1) Trim is a fine-tuning flight control adjustment. It is hard to do in flight sim (depending especially on the flight model) even with force feedback controls. Though elevator (and elevator trim tabs) can be used to change altitude at cruise, throttle is the prescribed way to control altitude in that more/less airspeed means more/less differential in pressures on the tops and bottoms of the wings (that's oversimplied, I know). Therefore, I have found it useful to allow the airplane to stabilize at cruise speed while using elevator controls to help it level out. Here's the tricky part. I then use trim to relieve "pressure" on the elevator controls and keep the airplane stabilized at climb, cruise, descent, or in turns. Using trim to manipulate the craft's altitude is unfortunately like trying to follow the Vertical Speed Indicator. You'll chase it all day because you're reacting to the airplane's reaction to your last reaction, etc.2) There are a couple of ways to help yourself here. Depending on the airport, you may be able to tune its ATIS frequency (which will announce the active) through the ATC window - you probably already know that. However, you've likely also found that at many airports, you won't be able to select it in the ATC window until you're in too close to enter the pattern safely or sanely, especially with big iron workloads. You can be proactive, however. The ATIS frequency for your arrival airport is available by clicking on it in map view during the flight planning stage. Having that and many other enroute ATIS frequencies - to check barometric pressures in "real world" weather - will allow you to tune it manually on your COM2 radio. Once you've made it active, you can hear the COM2 radio (desired ATIS) by selecting both com channels as audible (you won't need to transmit on COM2 when it's tuned to ATIS). You can receive your destination airport's ATIS signal from some distance away, giving you plenty of time to adjust your flight plan/path if necessary. You can also download/purchase a flight navigation program to help you with these frequencies and many other tasks (FS Nav (payware), Nav 3.1 (freeware), etc.).3) I'm going out on a limb here and assuming you've filed your IFR flight with the FS2002 flight planner and done so into FS2002 ATC instead of VATSIM, IVAO, or other online ATC or with third party ATC programs like Radar Contact 3. Whether you've filed direct GPS, High Alt VOR, Low Alt VOR, or even edited your flight plan to include intersections and airways, it makes no difference whatsoever to FS2002 ATC, in my experience. FS ATC will put you where they want you depending on the vectors they deem necessary to get you to the active runway. This is not only without giving a flip as to your flight plans, intentions, or potential inflight emergencies, it is with reckless disregard to hazardous weather conditions or remarkably more hazardous terrain. If you want to create an accurate or really cool flight plan and have them leave you alone enroute to follow your flight plan, know that it is up to you to contact the next center or approach enroute. You can acknowledge XXXX Center's handoff to the next Center or Approach frequency and simply not contact said station. NOT approved real world procedure, but it gets you what you want (fingers crossed) until July.Hope this helps,Kevin

[Guest]

Thankyou for your help, I own FSNAV iand i do sometimes use this for flight plans. Do you think FSNAV creats better flight plans?. I Have tried the not contact approach before but, then i cant seem to be able to contact my arrival airport. What if i file the plan as VFR, or will this take away from the SIM experince.Thanks for your reply.

[Guest cloudtops]

Again, just my experience, but I think the more information you can get at one view, the less mouse work you have to do to plan your flights (always better, IMO). FS Nav fits the bill. It's easier to get exactly the flight plan you want given the variables that many times affect flight planning (weather, restricted airspace, etc.).The only difference between VFR and IFR flight (FS2002 ATC) that matters to me is traffic alerts versus proactive vectoring. If you're in the soup, Flight Following asks if you can see a plane in your vicinity through thick clouds traveling at a startling rate of speed that may fill your windshield and/or seal your fate before you can react. I try to keep with IFR until about 80 miles from my destination airport. Then I cancel my IFR, choose Flight Following in VFR, follow my STAR and announce my landing intentions within ten miles of the airport or so, depending on my angle of intercept and workload.Kevin