FSX-MS Any landing tips for the A2A C182 (and 172)?

[~Craig~ 10]

Despite simming for a long time, and having no problems landing any other aircraft, I've always really struggled to land the A2A 172....... In saying that I don't mean I'm a wonderful sim pilot and clearly the A2As aren't realistic enough ..... I mean that it's likely that their FDE is so much more realistic than other models, that I just haven't cracked it yet.

 

Like many others, just bought the 182 ...... ooooeeeeee, terrible landings!

 

I either float forever, or else I slam down and bounce three times.    Can't seem to find the middle ground.   

 

So although, yes - I have read the checklists for speeds - can anyone give any tips or advice on speed, flaps and technique, for landing the A2A 182 smoothly, without floating or slamming and bouncing?

 

Thanks.

[Oracle427 45]

This vid should help. Note the speeds, configuration, throttle and sight picture.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xVYuKdLcEk4

[Demious 23]

You're not the only one who's got to get used to landing the 182, I've seen several posts on the A2A forum, from people who point out it needs some practice.

Being used to standard sim aircraft, I had the same problem and my mistake was coming in too steep. Non-Accusim aircraft that I have are pretty easy to land, coming in at 400-500ft/min VS and I can pull them out easy enough to make a nice landing, but with the 182 this either results in bouncing, or in smacking the aircraft on the runway. If I come in a little high on the glide slope, I correct this on the first half of the descent and make sure that from about halfway down, I fly the glide slope with around 350-400ft/min VS and come in a little low and about 100ft before the runway, I already pull up to 200-250ft/min VS.

 

I also got the Cherokee and the P-51 civ, from A2A and overall I notice that Accusim aircraft need quite a bit more finesse, in general, but especially on landing than standard sim aircraft.

[Humpty 751]

Well I don't have the A2A , I am on X plane 10 and hardly touch MSFS.  firstly I think maintain a 3 deg glide slope on final you may need to trim her

 

 172 to my knowledge is 5x 80 kts = 400 fpm.  You can also use the VASI for reference.   Flaps should be depended on the speed my guess.  I usually land around 70-80 kts.   

 

 I usually maintain 1000 AGL on downwind but I maybe wrong about that, I check the runway perch point which 45 degrees to the wing and then I bank for final. I use 30 AOB and adjust speed accordingly. 

 
Hmm when on downwind keep the runway 2/3 of the wing flying level. 

 

Correct me if wrong.

[MauB 74]

Generally many FS add-ons are too much forgiving on the landing phase.

My tip is: Watch your speeds. The stall speeds on these things are slow, especially with full flaps. If you come in too fast you'll float forever.

[Oracle427 45]

Landing a 172 at 70-80 KIAS is WAY too fast. touchdown should be closer to 35KIAS. The plane should start to stall just as you touchdown. At 80 KIAS you will need a very long runway to land properly.

 

Note that IRL no one is watching the VSI or the ASI on short final because it doesn't matter. You just need to fly the airplane at the proper pitch and power and the rest of the variables will all fall into place.

 

Watch the video above.  Trim for 65KIAS on final with 2 notches of flaps (20 degrees) and idle power or close to idle power. As you get to short final extend full flaps and keep flying the airplane all the way through the flare and landing. Do not let the aircraft land before it is done flying.

 

Do NOT fly the plane into the ground at some "low" FPM. This will damage the nose gear in the RW. You need to flare the aircraft and touch down mains first as shown above.

[Humpty 751]

Yeah I always land at 70-80 without flaps and need a longer runway. LOL.

 

My approach is always around that speed never use flaps (don't know why) and I do flare. Had many missed approaches. 

[Oracle427 45]

Without flaps you should still be getting down closer to 50KIAS in the flare. It's just a simulator, you won't bend metal. Discipline yourself and slow down to the proper speeds.

[Humpty 751]

Without flaps you should still be getting down closer to 50KIAS in the flare. It's just a simulator, you won't bend metal. Discipline yourself and slow down to the proper speeds.

 

you are right. 

 

Right now I am not trying to learn the aircraft, just doing putting the lessons in to play. 

 

But it's fun and that videos nice. 

 

A2A please come to XPX

[CoolP 283]

 

 

touchdown should be closer to 35KIAS

The full flap stall speed is at 47KCAS. Can you confirm that you aim at 35 knots indicated (which would give you just the slightest needle movement)? :mellow:

[BrianW 124]

If it makes you feel any better I struggled with landing both the A2A 172 and 182 at first too, and I’ve been flying real 182’s for over 15 years. For me I think it’s the lack of tactile feedback when using a computer yoke. I’ve found what works for me with the A2A 172/182 is to keep a little nose down trim in so that while on final I already have a little backpressure on the yoke and it’s past the yoke center point. This makes it so that I already have pitch feel prior to the flare. Obviously this isn’t something you’d want to do it the real thing because it would make the flare that much heavier. I’ve ordered one of those IRIS dynamics yokes and I’m hoping it’s the game changer when it comes to yoke forces and trimming in the sim and I can start doing things correctly again.

 

 

As far as numbers are concerned Oracle427 is spot on, don’t concern yourself too much with actual numbers, it’s more about the overall picture then hard numbers. Of course airspeed is important and you do want to make sure it’s under control, but after the first time your instructor pulls the power abeam the numbers on downwind you’ll give up the whole VSI glideslope angle thing because you won’t make the runway.

Brian

[Oracle427 45]

CoolP,

 

In ground effect you will get much lower airspeeds before a stall, so I am guesstimating the speed close to touchdown is around 35KIAS, but I don't have a recording and I'm not watching the airspeed on short final when I'm visual. I know that I can glide it in at idle at 45KIAS without stalling and then flare and land for a short landing, both RW and A2A 172.

 

BTW, Vso for a 172R is 33KIAS.

[~Craig~ 10]

So the main point I learned in that video above, is how early he is going "power off" compared to what I've been doing.

So I've just been off to my new base at 8W2 and tried an approach in the 172  (I'm not going to move up to my A2A 182T until I've nailed landings in the A2A 172 first)..... followed most of the advice, took the power off early (around 100AGL), wow, what a difference!

I think this was my main fault - I was flying the 172 and 182 like a Q400;  onto the runway, under power.

Thanks, this really helped!

[MauB 74]

The full flap stall speed is at 47KCAS. Can you confirm that you aim at 35 knots indicated (which would give you just the slightest needle movement)? :mellow:

44kts is VS1, no flap stall speed (the end of green tape).

The full flap stall speed in the 172R is 33kts (the end of white tape).

[Oracle427 45]

Also CoolP, do not confuse KCAS with KIAS. KCAS is commonly quoted in the POH, but KIAS is what you see on the ASI and it can vary a lot especially at high AoA such as slow flight. There are conversion tables in the POH, but the Vso is published.

 

In this case the KCAS and KIAS for Vso varies by a lot at 14knots!!