Once off the AP, I always seem a little high so I tend to dive if you will and just before the threshold I pull up to make a good landing.

But then I land close 1000 to 1500 or worse from the start of the RWY.

So my question I guess is :

Say the runway is at 0 feet. At 1000 feet, how high would you like to be and same at 500 and 100

Hope this makes sense

 

2 minutes ago, Ron Lefebvre said:

Once off the AP, I always seem a little high so I tend to dive if you will and just before the threshold I pull up to make a good landing.

But then I land close 1000 to 1500 or worse from the start of the RWY.

So my question I guess is :

Say the runway is at 0 feet. At 1000 feet, how high would you like to be and same at 500 and 100

Hope this makes sense

 

Hi Ron, I was suffering from the same issue and someone here who is a RW pilot, not of big birds I don't believe, suggested turning AP off around 600-700' AGL to give oneself enough time to get lower and since then landings have been good in the bigger birds.  

The first few times, turn the AP off but keep the Flight Director on and follow that. I don't think there's a definitive answer as to heights at specific points on the approach, as it varies depending on the airport, runway and type of approach. The only real answer is 'on glideslope', and some are steeper or less steep than others. Fly the glideslope all the way to the threshold, and then commence a gentle flare at 30ft whilst closing the throttles. You should touchdown in the touchdown zone if you do this. Smoothness can then be refined.

1 hour ago, Ron Lefebvre said:

Once off the AP, I always seem a little high so I tend to dive if you will and just before the threshold I pull up to make a good landing.

But then I land close 1000 to 1500 or worse from the start of the RWY.

So my question I guess is :

Say the runway is at 0 feet. At 1000 feet, how high would you like to be and same at 500 and 100

Hope this makes sense

If the flying conditions allow it, the descend needs to be gradual and slow, and at around 20-30 fleet, induce a modest flare. Speed is very important here because if you’re going too fast and you flare, you’re plane is going back up in the air. There are lots of video tutorials on YouTube that cover approach mechanics. Practice makes perfect!

A stable approach is key in making a good landing. 
In the beginning I suggest disconnecting the AP only after being in landing configuration. That way, the aircraft will already be in trim when you fly manually. 
Aim to cross the threshold at 50ft AGL and keep descending. 
You should get approximately 1 altitude call-out per second. 
Initiate flare just before 20ft AGL (30ft on wide body)

Flare first and reduce thrust once you set the touchdown attitude. 
Avoid closing the thrust levers just before the flare as this will again destabilise the aircraft (pitch effect of the underwing engines)

 

lastly… practice, practice, practice 😉

Are you using 2020 or 2024?  There are some issues with ILS alignments in 2020 that have largely been fixed in 2024 that will aim you further down the runway than you should be.  I’ve found that in 2024 I’m not feeling like I have to dive for the runway if I’m following the ILS down.

Two key things to keep in mind with heavies is aim point and body length. First, think of the nose of the aircraft. The glide slope antennae is usually located in the nose area. So if the threshold crossing height is 52 feet, that means your nose is crossing at 52 feet. With the nose at 52 feet, look aft and think about the rest the aircraft. The landing gear hanging back there. Because of this, you don't want to cross low. 

Let's start with aim point. Target about 1000 feet down the runway. Instead of the typical red over white, use pink over white. In the heavies I flew, the threshold would disappear beneath the glare shield at the 100 call out. Aim just beyond the captain's bars. This should keep you on the profile and have you touch down 1300 to 2000 feet with a normal flare. It will also keep you from dragging in or diving. As you drive in keep those cross checks in mind as you approach.Just resist the urge to lower the nose, especially when breaking out of low ceilings. 

2 minutes ago, regis9 said:

Are you using 2020 or 2024?  There are some issues with ILS alignments in 2020 that have largely been fixed in 2024 that will aim you further down the runway than you should be.  I’ve found that in 2024 I’m not feeling like I have to dive for the runway if I’m following the ILS down.

Never had any issues with ILS landing in 2020, in both the Fenix and PMDG. I have done many auto lands in the Fenix and they have been perfect.

1 hour ago, Ron Lefebvre said:

Once off the AP, I always seem a little high so I tend to dive if you will and just before the threshold I pull up to make a good landing.

But then I land close 1000 to 1500 or worse from the start of the RWY.

So my question I guess is :

Say the runway is at 0 feet. At 1000 feet, how high would you like to be and same at 500 and 100

Haven't flown heavies in a few years, but there are some core principles I can try to explain that may help you out. Firstly, contrary to the advice given to Noel, I recommend disengaging the autopilot sooner, rather than later. I used to disconnect 10-15 miles out. This allowed the plane to go through various configuration changes (flaps/gear) and "forced" me to adapt to the changing conditions manually. This helps you get a feel for the airplane so that you are calibrated to make finer adjustments sooner, preventing over-correction. At the very least, you want to disconnect the autopilot by 1000 feet.

About being high, I've found that most of the VASI/PAPI lights in MSFS are not very accurate, that being said, look at your approach chart and look at the TCH (Threshold crossing height). The goal is to cross the runway threshold at 50 feet. So once the threshold is right below you, you want to hear "FIFTY" from the GPWS. If the TCH is higher than 50, you can anticipate that the available vertical guidance will keep you high, and that the FIFTY call may be a bit later than when crossing the threshold. In MSFS, I've noticed that overall, the PAPI/VASI lights keep you high.

For the second part of your question, regarding the altitudes from the runway out to 1000 feet. Well, at 1000 feet you'd be at 1000 feet 😅. The vertical plane is useless without the lateral plane. The only way to understand this is to include the lateral plane, so basically, 3 miles from the runway, you'll be at 1000 feet (3 to 1 rule).

Overall, this sounds like a classic "look up, pull up" scenario. That's when you're hyper focused on the instruments, then look up to see the runway and inadvertently pull up ever so slightly, causing you to get high on the approach. This is why I highly recommend disconnecting the autopilot sooner, rather than later.

 

FYI, for a stabilized approach, you want to maintain no more than a 1000 FPM descent rate at and below 1000 feet AGL, so no more "diving for the runway," please 😁

2 hours ago, Ron Lefebvre said:

But then I land close 1000 to 1500 or worse from the start of the RWY.

 

Landing 1500 feet from the start of the runway is perfect. Sounds like you are working on achieving a more stabilized final approach segment, which is fine, but don't worry about touching down at 1500 feet. That's the ideal point for a manual landing on a big jet. 

(For reference, the autoland function on the 747-400 aims to touch down 2500 feet from the start of the runway.)

Edited January 19, 20251 yr by prolixindec

Like I hear there's a decent A380 in MSFS, I'm keen to try. But I'm not familiar with Airbus, and the size is imposing. If I get it I'll start with some basic rounds in a traffic pattern, no autopilot! Just like a student pilot soloing in a small single engine prop, the basics are still the same. Kind of to take away the fear. You can do whatever you like, you're the boss, you're in command, not "George".