Hi,For the most part of an approach you need to have a deep understanding of how the systems work and when and why they are used. For example to have a nice approach you need to understand all the information displayed on the PFD, ND and EICAS systems. Also the MCP commands are the primary input you will use until you disconnect the autopilot. The best way to learn is to look at real world operations after you've learned all the systems from the manual. Now you can understand all the systems and know how everything should operate but still cannot make good landings (That's my case until recently). I just discovered that you should idle the throttle sooner than in real life. I used to float a lot but as you can see in this video my landing was almost perfect and I did disconnect the autopilot long ago. Also make sure you can disconnect the auto-throtlle from your yoke when you're idling. Normally you can also disconnect the auto-throtlle early but in FSX it's not so easy to control.

Hi,For the most part of an approach you need to have a deep understanding of how the systems work and when and why they are used. For example to have a nice approach you need to understand all the information displayed on the PFD, ND and EICAS systems. Also the MCP commands are the primary input you will use until you disconnect the autopilot. The best way to learn is to look at real world operations after you've learned all the systems from the manual. Now you can understand all the systems and know how everything should operate but still cannot make good landings (That's my case until recently). I just discovered that you should idle the throttle sooner than in real life. I used to float a lot but as you can see in this video my landing was almost perfect and I did disconnect the autopilot long ago. Also make sure you can disconnect the auto-throtlle from your yoke when you're idling. Normally you can also disconnect the auto-throtlle early but in FSX it's not so easy to control.

You are so gentle...be rude sometimes, false teeth have to fall down like a shells !!I am joking of course, nice landing.

You are so gentle...be rude sometimes, false teeth have to fall down like a shells !!I am joking of course, nice landing.

Hahah! Thanks.

Flaps 10 is rarely used.At 210kts, go flaps1.Standard approaches call for the LOC intercept at 180kts which gives you flaps 5.Upon G/S intercept flaps 15, gear down, and you start reducing your speed.By the OM you should be in full landing configuration, vref+5, flaps30/40 and the landing checklist completed.Also, try without the HGS, because it really comes down to your feeling than chasing FPV all around the place.Also to add, most Sops dictate 1-5-15-30 flap extension and 1-5-15-25-40 when flaps 40 is to be used. The use of 25 gives a smoother transition since there is a big difference between 15-40.The key to a good landing is a stabilized approach.EDIT:To add, this is a standard approach. We are not talking about a high speed approach this time.

I understand that's a bit outdated now. Most sop's now advocate delaying deceleration until 5 miles out, in order to save fuel.

If I might add my .02...Although most of the advice given above is Technicaly correct, it's too technical. Of course you need to know procedures, speeds, etc... but there is also a point when you just have to look out the window and fly the airplane. You've told us you've had bad landings, and a few people hit the nail on the head...practice makes perfect. Try to get a mental picture of what the runway looked like when you flared too early, too late, etc. There is a reason for IFR minimums on approaches, pilots need to SEE what is going on through the windows to make good landings...don't get TOO focused on your instruments when you're trying to set the airplane down.Hope this helps...

Thanks guys a lot of good advice in here. I think my problem is that I'm flaring too soon for the most part.Question I have though- what are you guys doing trim wise?? Are you just trimming to keep it on the g/s? Are doing anything else with trim as you get very close..like 100ft above?

Thanks guys a lot of good advice in here. I think my problem is that I'm flaring too soon for the most part.Question I have though- what are you guys doing trim wise?? Are you just trimming to keep it on the g/s? Are doing anything else with trim as you get very close..like 100ft above?

I usually trim the airplane at or above 500ft AGL and that's just to maintain a steady descent path and not having to do little corrections with the controls. I think you should be able to tell if your landing is gonna be okay when you are about 500ft AGL. The most important things on short final should be the speed, the airplane's attitude and altitude. Flaring is also easy when you idle early (at 100ft) you just need to slowly pull the yoke at around 20ft.

I rarely doing anything with the trim past the 100ft call. Also, speed is very important. I've never seen RW SOPs on any of the 737s, but my company's SOPs (and this is pretty standard throughout the industry in the US) is at Vref crossing the threshold (50ft above touchdown). Remember that Vref still provides very adequate stall margins - 1.3 x Vso (30% above stall speed in landing configuration) - so don't be nervous about being at that speed. I've noticed the NGX likes to float, and I fly so that I'm on Vref by the time I'm over the numbers. It still floats slightly, but this diffently helps.

Timing is important also but I would echo the others in saying that a perfectly smooth landing as revered by many passengers is not really relevant in terms of operational proficiency, so long as it is within what the aircraft can withstand and does not cause people to lose there false teeth etc. all is well! When the weather is poor you really just want to get it down, faffing about 30ft off the ground in a gale force wind with an inch of rain on the runway is not a good idea. Aim to land at a certain point within the first third of the runway rather than worrying about prolonging the flare for smoothness.Hope this helps

Totally agree! In fact, many airlines have a policy of wanting their pilots to land not too hard but firmly. They discourage smooth "greasers" on the basis that on dry runways tyre tread wear is increased and on wet runways you need to break through the film of water quickly to avoid skidding.Iain Smith

And don't ever forget. A good landing is when you can leave the runway by yourselfe afterwards!

My 2 cents:1. Practice with little fuel 1/3 full and no payload and see if that helps and and clear all the weather.

I think you just hear the trimmer a lot during autoland because that is the method the AP uses to prepare for the flare. Its not what you should do, you should be trimmed to fly at the speed you want to fly at hands off.My advice is to fly it all manually. And do it lots. Lots and lots of practice. I am sure any real pilot would rather fly it himself if his SOPs allowed it, since we sim for fun you might as well enjoy yourself rather than let the AP have all the fun. If the only stick time you get is between ground level and 200 feet, what chance have you got to get a feel for the aircraft?

One thing I'd like to add is: Don't think about it so much. Fly the airplane. Obviously you want your speeds quite near the bug, but don't sweat trying to get everything bang on...just fly. Also, don't get too fixated on trying to pull that nose up for a big flare...I'm actually finding myself giving her a little nose down just before touchdown and she'll touch nice and smooth ala 727. I think the PMDG NGX is one of the nicest flying airliners on FS. Its a dream to hand fly and land. I've yet to do an autoland.

@Ian; thanks!@Mark; Totally agree, the late phase of the landing is far from scientific, some of the advice being given is the sort of thing that the autoland system would use when it is making its calculations at what ever polling rate per second; when you are closing on the ground at over 150 mph you do not refer to instruments in this way, it is the visual picture that counts. That is why as Mark says there are IFR minimums, you MUST have visual with the runway [even a few lights will do, just enough to have a surface to react to] in order to land the plane, only certain autopilots are able to land in zero zero conditions and only then after certification per airframe.Trim should be sorted way before 100ft, if you need to trim after this either you are not using the trim for what it is intended for, or the attempt should be abandoned. I would add that trying to hand fly and trim any simulated aircraft is actually incredibly difficult to do well, as you just don't have feedback from the controls in order to do this properly.For those who do not know how we trim a real aircraft, basically you hold the pitch attitude you want and then use the trim until there is no longer any force acting throught the controls, once this has been done the attitute will be held hands off providing speed and power are constand, which they should be unless the pilot takes power. without this force feedback in the sim it is very difficult to do and you will never ber perfectly trimmed unless you use the autopilot or happen across the right setting by luck.Thanks

I needed to get used to the NGX in the beginning too but now my landings are pretty good. (even if I say so myself :) )I can only advise you to do Touch and goes untill you've got it nailed. Focus on the PAPI's, fly it down onto the runway without holding off a bit. At 30' feet, decrease throttle and flare off. Before flaring, look at the end of the ruynway.If you get better in it, go to an airport with a shorter runway, it will force you to touch down in a more narrow zone. (I did EBAW with about 55 Tons GW)Bert Van Bulck