Runway! - Where is it???

[UncleBill]

I have a trainer 40 that I'm going to attempt to solo tomorrow thanks to this simulator. I have no problem with flying around and landing close to the runway but how do you guys line up on it?

Thanks

[lego]

Keep practising.
After awhile you get the orientation in your mind and know where the runway is although your standing with you back to it...

In real life it is easier, b'cause somehow we all have a much better orientation when in real landscape.

[anewbie1]

I have had FMS for a couple of weeks. No matter how hard I try, I cannot locate the runway after taking off. I've tried everything I can think of, low and slow, turn, turn, turn, etc. Just can't seem to find it. Any suggestions? anewbie1

[aeropal]

..

[ggunners]

Turning auto-zoom off helps quite a bit. Of course, then your model may get so small it is difficult to see. But that's close to reality sometime anyway. So turn auto-zoom off, and then zoom and un-zoom manually as required as Aeropal says to gain orientation. (+/- keys on the numeric keypad)

Another way is to move your point of view to be 50 meters in the air looking down on your model. Press the [P] key to pause FMS, then touch the [I] key to initialize FMS. Now to change your fixed point of view, on the numeric keypad, hit the [PgUp] key 3 times and the down arrow button 4 times and the right button twice. This will put your point of view above the field and slightly more behind the runway than the default point of view of the world.scn. Of course you can edit the world.scn file and change the starting position too.

I've found the best way is to have a point somewhere farther from the runway that's used for a long final approach. I use the far tree in the world.scn as my turn to final indicator with the wind blowing from roughly due west or about 265 degrees. This works very well for even fast models as that tree is quite far from the runway and rougly position due east.

Hope these ideas help!

-- ggunners