Hello,When assigned say R/W 08 right for a visual approach(08 had no ILS) I requested a R/W change to 09L (to practice ILS in new Majestic Dash 8). I received a visual approach to 08 from ATC with a SIDESTEP to R/W 09L command.How exactly do I execute the SIDESTEP?Thanks in advance,Ron SagelNEAR KCHSMajestic Dash-8 flyer in training

Hi,I have never heard atc assign a sidestep from a visual approach to an ILS approach. It is usually the other way around. The point of the approach is so you can use the ILS to get down to MDA to find the airport and then when the airport is in site tower or atc gives you the sidestep to the runway without an instrument approach procedure. I'm not quite sure what to tell you about the approach that FS gave you, however if you are ever given the sidestep again fly the approach as normal than when the other runway is in view began a turn to align yourself with the runway that you have been assigned to sidestep to. David

Hello and thanks for the help. It happened when I was on a flight from Key West To KFLL (Fort Lauderdale) this morning. I was flying my new Dash 8 and was trying to train some more on the Heads UP Display. I was given runway 8 for a visual and then I requested a runway change. The response was something like "Visual approach runway 8 and SideStep to runway 9L" Thanks again for the help,Ron Sagel

>Hello and thanks for the help. >>It happened when I was on a flight from Key West To KFLL (Fort>Lauderdale) this morning. I was flying my new Dash 8 and was>trying to train some more on the Heads UP Display. I was given>runway 8 for a visual and then I requested a runway change.>The response was something like "Visual approach runway 8 and>SideStep to runway 9L" >>Thanks again for the help,>>Ron Sagel>Ron; The controller was in error. A sidestep is a special type of visual transition from one parallel runway to the other, only at fields where the runways are very close (less than ~1000 ft between centerlines) and only where minima are published for that procedure. See the ILS 26R at KONT for an example. At fields where there are parallel runways, but no approved Sidestep procedure, the controller may issue a clearance for a circling approach to one runway, with clearance to circle to the other. (e.g. KPHX Rwy 25L/R: "Cleared LOC 25L, circle to land runway 25R") In this case you fly essentially the same maneuver, but at or above the circling minima published on the approach. If you're on a visual approach, the clearance should be for the visual approach, transition to runway xxx (visual approach and alignment maneuver).RegardsBob ScottATP IMEL Gulfstream II-III-IV-V L-300Santiago de Chile

It sounds like you have requested a change of runway from what ATC assigned you but in this case you also need to request a change of the approach. It's just the way was FS9 works - changing the runway does not automatically change the approach, so you will need to request a change of approach to the runway/procedure you would like in addition to requesting a change of runway.

As noted in the post above - NEVER request a different runway - ALWAYS request a different approach.Another issue is the AFCAD or scenery you have for the airport. In the default FS2004 KFLL has Rwy 9R/27L which is 5272 feet long with a localizer only on Rwy 9R - no glide path, no DME.If it is being called Rwy 8 - the approach system for the runway is broken.You cannot change runway numbers in FS2004, unless you also decompile and change the approaches in XML and recomplie a supplemental approach scenery .BGL file.

Bob, As a newbie I have been confused when I was told to circle to a different runway as in your example. If I understand you (and I may not) does this mean that I fly my heading as if I were going to land on the original runway, fly over it and circle to land on the runway I requested? Or does this mean that I circle to a heading that will put me on a straight in to the runway I requested.Sorry if I confused you, but that and 747's are the nature of my beasts.

>As a newbie I have been confused when I was told to circle to>a different runway as in your example. If I understand you>(and I may not) does this mean that I fly my heading as if I>were going to land on the original runway, fly over it and>circle to land on the runway I requested? Or does this mean>that I circle to a heading that will put me on a straight in>to the runway I requested.No problem--this is an often-asked question. A circling approach does not imply that you have to fly in a "circle" over the field. The basic concept of the circle is that a "bubble" is drawn around the airport at a certain distance from the runways and/or thresholds, and a safe altitude is established within that bubble to allow visual maneuvering to align with the landing runway. The bubble gets bigger with the airspeed category being flown, with Cat A the smallest (light GA planes) and Cat E the largest (heavy or fast jets) with a bubble radius of 4.5 miles if my memory serves me correctly.You fly the instrument approach down to the published circling mins as if you were going to land on the runway to which the approach is published, but once you have visual contact with the runway and are inside the "bubble," instead of landing on that rwy, then it's up to you to perform a visual maneuver to align with the landing runway. In the case cited of a sidestep-like jog over to a parallel runway, your visual maneuver is simply to slide over to the other runway. If you're circling to a runway approximately perpendicular to your inbound track (i.e. flying approach to rwy 18, circle to rwy 27) you can start a turn well short of the field and fly a sort of low downwind/base turn, or another technique is to overfly the runway at a right angle, time for 15 sec after crossing the rwy, then turn to parallel the runway on a low downwind-like leg. And circles to the opposite direction (i.e. there is no instrument approach to the opposite runway due to terrain or noise abatement) are often done by flying to the near end of the runway, turning 45 deg, and flying as far down the runway as you need for displacement (e.g. halfway down a 12000 ft rwy gives you 6000 ft (1 mile) lateral displacement, then parallelling until time for the base turn.Often approaches will prohibit circling to one side of the field, or circles at night. Need to read the fine print carefully. And prior planning is a must to know what you're going to see...when you plan to turn, etc. When flying the circle, good airspeed and altitude control are the keys to success...especially if ceiling and/or vis are close to mins.In FS, they can be a real bear unless you have a good VC and something like ActiveCamera (or even better Active Camera and a TrackIR) to allow you to look off to the side and see the runway displacement, angle to threshold etc.Clear as mud now?CheersBob ScottATP IMEL Gulfstream II-III-IV-V L-300Santiago de Chile

Hi, Bob,Thank you for the response and putting it in a way that I can understand. I'm not the best pilot in the world but the biggest enjoyment for me in this hobby (so far ) is terminal, taxi, and take off proceedures and flying up to cruise altitude ccorrectly. After that I spend the rest of the flight in anticipation of the landing. I want and attempt to do that well. (Anyone can take off--Takes skill to land while avoiding sudden terra-firma trauma.)I'll practice the things you mentioned to include looking in to Active Camera.Best regardsJan1,KINDWhen I push the button and it works, I'm happy:-)

Jan; You're welcome. You'll find the ActiveCamera is one of the best deals going for the price...can't imagine flying around without it now. In the real world, I do a thorough review of letdown and approach procedures starting 1-2 hours out. And I always review them in the preflight planning phase before I even step to the jet. Minimizes the impact of the little surprises ATC likes to spring on you. And regardless of how much flying time you have, EVERY approach and landing is a learning experience. The trick is to avoid learning too much on any one of 'em. ;-)CheersBob ScottATP IMEL Gulfstream II-III-IV-V L-300Santiago de Chile