I'm beginning to think I've got this sorted!! (Famous last words?). I haven't tried it with more than a couple of jets, so who knows. However: I have re-run a landing into Santiago, Chile, R 35 at least a dozen times over the past two hours and find that if I switch on the APR when I am perfectly lined up with the runway, and not before, all goes pretty much according to plan.I am especially 'chuffed', because this runway has no glidescope, so I have to use the Back Course mode: I have hardly ever managed to make this work before - the plane always making off in some other direction: but after several practices tonight I've got it to work every time: the trick is once again to wait until the plane is perfectly aligned with the runway. Then switch on APR, then immediately BC. The plane immediately wants to head upwards I find (though not wildly, as before), - easily controllable with the joystick. It meanwhile aligns exactly with the runway and I get good touchdowns.I've been two years getting the Back Course landings to work, and it's really the advice in this post, about waiting until you're in perfect alignment with the runway, that solved it for me - so thanks folks!! Martin :-)

>>Which make of autopilot does fs model? Some generic gobbly gook that does all, but nothing well-a Mcdonald's middle of the road. It trys to function for Ga flying, and heavy jet flying-and does neither well...<

One thing that I don't think has been mentioned and usually goes unnoticed... I did a quick read down the thread and didn't see it mentioned... if it was then my apologies, but...In FS, when setting up for an ILS approach, you don't want to let the GS indicator "snowflake" go below centerline of the GS deviation indicator without pressing the approach button first. If the "snowflake" goes below centerline, meaning that you're "over" the GS, and THEN you depress the approach button, the simulation will not capture the GS. Sometimes when this occurs, the autopilot will start to "search" for the GS and won't be able to recover.Best bet is to make sure you press the approach button while still "under" the glideslope. If you're "over" the glideslope and press the approach button... it's no go Joe.Hope this helps.

Thanks, I'll look at the aircraft container file again - I didn't realise it covered the fs9.cfg file too.Thanks for the comments about approaching the GS - I do make sure that I hit it from below though, or it doesn't work, I know.Yesterday I had more problems, trying to land at Boston Logan Intl. this time - I had to be almost on top of the airport (relatively speaking) before engaging the APR (/BC, as necessary) or the plane headed off in the opposite direction. The main annoyance is that it is very hard at that stage to realign with the runway - I get fed up of touching down on the taxiway!! Maybe a good job I didn't become a British Airways pilot after all (a serious career option for me in the mid seventies - I regret not going through with it now of course!!).Martin

What plane are you using exactly? What initial approach speed are you using? The more details you can provide, the better. The common mistake is to approach way too fast, then everything just happens too quickly and the approach gets away from the pilot. You also keep mentioning back course approaches. For an airport like Boston, I assume you are just using the normal ILS and not doing a back course. For example back courses have no glideslopes at all. Another question, are you using the ATC instructions to fly the approach? They don't use exact procedures, but most of the time they will guide you down to a decent spot to approach the airport. Once the ATC gives you a heading and altitude for approach, turn off the GPS and switch back to NAV mode. Use Heading mode to fly until you are ready for approach. Maybe posting a screenshot of the panel would help as well?

Zane, thanks for the note on Sporty's Chart viewer...wondering if you have it and if it has smaller airports...and also would you happen to know how many charts total?I am trying to compare it with SimPlates http://www.avshop.com/catalog/product.html...&categoryid=161Big price difference, though SimPlates does include world. Can't seem to find much info on the Sporty's viewer. thanks in advance, Randy Taiwan>For only $10 you can have a current set of US approach plates>on DVD from Sporty's>>Check it out: http://www.sportys.com/chartviewer/>>Enjoy,>Zane

Well, I use many different planes, mostly pretty reputable from AVSIM - or PMDG. The problem doesn't seem confined to any of them in particular. The approach speed varies, but in a 777 it's about 155KIAS, 25-30 deg flaps, a little bit faster perhaps for a 747. Depends on weight too of course.The back course, I naturally engage only when there's no GS - Logan was probably a bad example as all the runways doubtless to have a glidescope. I just use the APR there of course.Yes, I follow ATC until handed off to the airport tower. I've learnt to get the plane lined up pretty exactly with the runway before engaging the APR - and I am always in NAV mode by this stage. HDG is engaged until it switches off when I get the ILS frequency... I hit the GS from below too.Next time I get a plane swinging away from the airport, I'll get a screenshot of the panel, as you suggest. It happens less at the moment, but when it does occur, it's really frustrating!Thanks for the comments,Martin