03-06-2009, 10:38 AM
Sometimes there is possibility to ask for approach and/or runway different from originally assigned, especially if two parallel runways are available. It even seems to be part of the game, because
- if there are two parallel runways, one of them with no traffic and one with dense and slow arriving traffic, then You are always sent to the second of them, thus being forced to fly at very low (often unsafe) speed or to make a go-around (FS ATC often has a problems with separation)
- if (in the night or limited visibility conditions) one of the parallel runways has ILS, while the other has no approach lights and sometimes even no runway lights, then the "dark" one is always Yours.
- if one of the parallel runways is concrete while the other is grass, or if they are of different length, guess which is Yours...
To select the best runway (if alternates are available), You only need to know the destination airport layout using real world charts or FS GPS and FS maps (FS is sometimes slightly different from reality).
Also You have to listen to radio communication to be aware of other traffic (approaching, departing etc.). This is a good practice during any approach (or even during the whole flight), because FS ATC never issues speed commands (for ex like "maintain 210 knots to the outer marker" or similar) to maintain horizontal separation. It's solely up to You to reduce/increase Your airspeed to maintain separation from other departing/arriving traffic infront of You and to ensure, that You are not an obstacle for traffic behind You.
I always fly manually below 10.000ft (arrival) and never rely exclusively on FMS, GPS and/or automatic devices. I always use more nav instruments, as much as available (I even tune up ILS when landing VFR, if ILS available). Never had a problem with different runway requested (if available) at the last possible moment.
Cheers
MW
- if there are two parallel runways, one of them with no traffic and one with dense and slow arriving traffic, then You are always sent to the second of them, thus being forced to fly at very low (often unsafe) speed or to make a go-around (FS ATC often has a problems with separation)
- if (in the night or limited visibility conditions) one of the parallel runways has ILS, while the other has no approach lights and sometimes even no runway lights, then the "dark" one is always Yours.
- if one of the parallel runways is concrete while the other is grass, or if they are of different length, guess which is Yours...
To select the best runway (if alternates are available), You only need to know the destination airport layout using real world charts or FS GPS and FS maps (FS is sometimes slightly different from reality).
Also You have to listen to radio communication to be aware of other traffic (approaching, departing etc.). This is a good practice during any approach (or even during the whole flight), because FS ATC never issues speed commands (for ex like "maintain 210 knots to the outer marker" or similar) to maintain horizontal separation. It's solely up to You to reduce/increase Your airspeed to maintain separation from other departing/arriving traffic infront of You and to ensure, that You are not an obstacle for traffic behind You.
I always fly manually below 10.000ft (arrival) and never rely exclusively on FMS, GPS and/or automatic devices. I always use more nav instruments, as much as available (I even tune up ILS when landing VFR, if ILS available). Never had a problem with different runway requested (if available) at the last possible moment.
Cheers
MW
