Hello,Well, I fanally have the SSW A310 "under control". I am flying from/to pretty solid now.Question: at what point in the flight (after TOD) do I take control away from the FMS and go to manual control (meaning landing mode / ILS) in the approach for final landing? With the PSS BUS I can let it go on "auto" all the way to the runway - I know that is not true with the SSW 310. I have to control the speed for flap deployment at some point!Thanks,Ron [email protected]

The 310 has an autoland system, download the procedures manual. It explains the approach and landing in detail.Dave Fisher

Hi Ron,yes, the 310 doesn't have an automatic Approach phase like the 320/330/340.The objective is to fly your LOC and GS intercept at S-Speed and Slats 15. So a couple of miles before that set your FCU speed from 250 kt to Green Dot Speed (see green dot on the PFD speed band), let plane slow down accordingly, then select Slats 15 and reduce to S-Speed by dialing this on your FCU (again see the S-Speed mark on your PFD).After LOC and GS captured continue towards full landing config from Slats 15/S-Speed to Flaps 40/VAPP Speed. That means set Flaps 20, VAPP Speed on the FCU (you can get the correct VAPP speed on the CDU/Takeoff page). Then Landing Gear Down and finally to Flaps 40.MIke

Hello,Thank you for the info - you must have flown the real thing to be able to articulate the procedure!Tried it and it went great. The SSW BUS is a real challenge for me - a lot of manual "things to do" but a real hoot when I get it right.Thanks again,Ron Sagel near KCHS and a 310 pilot in training!

Hi Ron,Great to hear ! It's a really steep learning curve, but very satisfying to get further and further into it.Just noticed one error in my earlier mail, you can see the VAPP speed on the CDU/Approach page, not takeoff page of course.Haven't flown the real thing, just one hour in a 310 full motion sim a while ago. Besides this, I've gone through the same you are going through right now ;)Mike

Thanks again - you could have fooled me!A couple of more things if you know?????1. I probably will go to RC3 full time for training but for now - why do we get an endless number of freq changes from the FS9 ATC?2. When told to EXPIDITE YOU DECENT TO xxxxx WHat do you do? my procedure must be wrong because I seem to always get a controlled decent and often miss the ALTThanks

>>why do we get an endless number of freq changes from the FS9 ATCBecause FS-ATC is a parody of modern ATC.At least that's what I find when flying in Europe and from what you deccribe it's not different elsewhere. The alternative is online flying or as you say, RC3.As for the expedite descent request, that's ATC telling you they need you down now at the maximum rate of descent safe for your airplane. So depending on the speed you have, get the speedbrake out or if you are below green dot speed you can also extend landing gear. That should give you a significantly higher descend rate at the same speed.Mike

Thanks again!The only reason I use the FS9 ATC at all is that I can initiate it whenever I want (file a flight plan in flight). Not realalistic but vectors to the landing are good traning. The decent rate in this 310 is a little bit of a mystery to me -I see the throttle go to idle but the decent rate is quite slow. The "brakes" are fine but I need to put them on one of my Yoke controls so I get control over how much is out. The "ATC rate of change (number of handoffs can't be real!!!) is just a bother but it probably helps me simulate the clutter in a cockpit or "the fog of war"Thanks again and happy flying!Ron Sagel