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Guest cw1011

Arrival at airport

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Guest viking

I normally plan my flight (not airliner) on FSNav up to some fix point in the vicinity of the airport in reach of tower radio,then I pause and plan my arrival knowing the runway in use.Pausing here isn't realistic,unless one has a stack of pre-printed arrival,STAR etc. charts at hand covering all eventualities.Without pausing,in real time,it may become frantic.What I would like to know is whether in the real world it's possible for a pilot to know much earlier (100-200 miles)by other means (some radio link or otherwise)at least which runway is in use in order to calmly plan the arrival.Thanks.Carlo Ferrando

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Hello Carlo,In the real world (and on FS) there is a continual broadcast called an ATIS (Aerodrome Terminal Information Service). This contains information on the weather/runways in use/any additional information/etc.You can find out the frequencies to tune in (on the COM radio) on the map view in FS.------------Best RegardsTriple7

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Guest viking

Hi Triple7,are you telling me that I can tune the radio to the frequency of an airport hundred of miles away and I'll get the local weather/runaway details?Are you sure?I am going to check right away.If it is so,I am a perfect twit for not having thought of it before.Thanks.Carlo

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Guest viking

Say Triple7,it doesn't work.It only works the way I always noticed,i.e. only in the vicinity (probably max 50-60 miles) of an ATIS equipped airport.If it is a radio broadcast how could it be different?It has a limited range.I go therefore back to my previous question:is there in the real world a method (I am not hoping there is one in FS) that doesn't rely on the local radio broadcast but rather to some kind of ground stations/aircrafts in the air radiolink web to transmit ATIS bulletins?. After all,I am told that aircrafts flying over the oceans stay in touch with ground control stations (and perhaps with each other?)precisely through this kind of relay system.Ciao.Carlo

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Hello Carlo,I don't fly offline so not sure of range on ATIS station however in the RW you can get them from 100's of miles away.Over the Atlantic they use HF (High Frequency) which AFAIK isn't modelled in FS.Some operators use ACARS (Once again not modelled in FS)------------Best RegardsTriple7

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Guest viking

Hi Triple7,what is this RW you talk about?Is it a FS2002 feature that one can use to the purpose?Carlo

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Guest Blue Skyy

When you say "(not airliner)" what specific type of aircraft are you talking about? If it's small piston aircraft, sometimes we don't even know until a few miles from the airport what runway we are landing on (with an airport that has multiple use runways). Otherwise, ATIS says which runways are active and then we can expect a runway. Generally, students must learn to visualize the pattern entry as it is part of becoming a pilot. It doesn't take much to understand, just a little practice.If you're talking about larger aircraft, these aircraft typically do not fly VFR and as such would be directed toward the airport and told what to do upon switching over from approach control to tower (in a controlled environment) or simply making up their own entry. If shooting an instrument approach, they might "circle to land". This is a manuever where they either fly over the airport and then continue to turn toward the runway or fly an approach and turn to enter a downwind/base for another runway.http://www2.faa.gov/ATpubs/AIM/Chap5/F0504020.GIFIn general, the aircraft should be manuevered to enter a 45 degree entry on the downwind. http://www2.faa.gov/ATpubs/AIM/Chap4/F0403002.GIFHope this helps~Skyy

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Guest viking

~Skyy,I am predominantly VFR flying a single engine turbo-prop aircraft.It'in this case that I have some problem organinizing myself for,say,a STAR landing if I am too close to the airport when I learn which is the runway in use.When I fly an airliner jet as the Airbus 320 I normally load a whole flight plan inclusive of the arrival/approach/landing data for use by the FMS.From the replies I got to my query it clearly emerges that I can't know well in advance which runway is in use.I'll carry on as I was doing it.Thanks to all.Carlo

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Guest Stephan

In RW flying you always know (should know) the weather at your destination as well as en-route, especially when planning a GA VFR flight.This is achieved by various means: computer terminals at departure airfield and/or telephone call to destination, and in-flight Flight Services, i.e. ask ATC via radio.Hope this helpsStephan

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Guest cw1011

I know that commercial planes often have a very good idea of their arrival runway at the time of departure - I've heard it stated on United's channel 9 during IRF clearance. Basicaly, the pilots are told to "expect the Ribeye 3 arrival for runway 15 left...". It's worth noting that the circle to land approach is one of the more dangerous. There are many obstacles around airports that may escape notice due to the high workload of flying a circle approach. It is much safer to know what runway you are landing on and plan your ingress accordingly. Do a search here are you can find some links to real world weather sites that will give you conditions where you are going. I cheat in FS and load up my arrival airport on the active so I have a good idea what the weather is likely to be.

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