Avoiding go-arounds

[EHM-1617 Iain]

The FS ATC is well known for giving an unncessary amount of go-arouns in heavy traffic situations on final due to its lack of spacing control.

To avoid getting a go-around, I have developed this technique. It works on any approach, ILS Visual NDB VOR...:

Use an orbit (circle) to the left or right to create enough spacing for the landing. Hold altitude during the circle to enable easy interception of the glideslope again, and keep the same turn rate through the circle to recapture the LLZ. The ATC doesnt even seem to notice that you are flying a circle.

1)If you are too close to a plane in front, then make a couple of circles to allow them time to get off the RWY.

2)This is the harsh one: If a fast plane is coming up behind you, make a big circle to put yourself behind them, and now they have overtaken you, the FS ATC will send them round instead because they overtook you and the order is wrong!

3)If a slow plane is infront of you then don't overtake it unless you are supposed to be infront of it i.e. the slow plane was told to follow you. Instead make an orbit or two to allow lots of spacing between you.

4)Overtake or orbit until the landing order is what the ATC desired, with plenty of space in front of you. Or if the order is wrong make sure that you are not in the wrong place at least. That way you will eliminate most go-arounds (even if you give some to the other planes, which is OK as long as they are not EHM of course!).

You can modify these techniques to suit the conditions.

It works about 95% of the time for me.

Experiment and tell me what you find!

[EHM-1655 Scott]

Or else you could just forget it all and fly online lol!! Some great tips there but will have to try them next time flying in to Heathrow!!

Thanks

[EHM-1670]

or use fsaisv1.1.zip from the Avsim library - never had a go around since installing this.

Bill

[EHM-1001 Robert]

Hmm, I am not sure I understand all this techniques, but it does not seem to be a valid STAR departure

I mostly fly offline, with tons of AI installed, so I know the situation. I have a very simple technique to avoid go-around. I turn on the AI plane IDs and I can see how far they are from me. Usually a 5.0-6.0 miles gap between landing planes is enough. It may differ from the amount of taxiways, and the landing speed of AI planes.

If there are 2 planes in front of you, but there is a 5.0 nm distance between you and the landing plane, the middle plane will surely got a go-around and you can probably land safely. And unfortunately if a plane in front of you somehow got a command that it should follow you, it will make a fine touchdown, and you have to do a go-around.

If you follow this rule, a panel with existing radar gauge can be a good help to analyze AI planes movement in the area. If I feel, the gap is not optimal, I can change my speed, with keeping my desired route to the localizer.

[EHM-1570 Bruce]

I agree with Bill Hall, install fsaisv1.1.zip from AVSIM and it will sort out your AI aircraft for you, relieving you of the Go Arounds, I like Bill have had no Go Arounds since installing the utility.
:>

[EHM-1001 Robert]

I will surely try it at my next flight, because sometimes even 30 airplanes popup behind me at Seattle, when I just sit on the runway and want to try/test something

[EHM-1617 Iain]

If you want a utility then AISmooth v1 from avsim is much better than fsaisv. Instead of slewing the aircraft back, it makes them hold - you can even see the ATC hold instructions.

I did touch and goes at EGLL in a Cessna, about 20, and got only 1 go-around - and that was not because of the spacing, just because the AI plane landed long and missed all the exits - had to taxi to the end of the runway.

Also there were never more than 3 departures waiting for takeoff - usually I will get about 15 in line -  but not this time as there was space in between each arrival for a departure.

@Robert: Sure on the runway at KSEA is the wrong place to be 'testing something'?

[EHM-1500 Jim]

Will have to try that AISmooth thing....sounds good. I get so many go arounds these days that frankly i just ignore them and cop the flack once on the ground!! LOL

[EHM-1617 Iain]

Well I have just tested AI smooth.

I parked my cessna next to the touchdown zone of EGLL 09R. I monitored both tower frequencies.

There was not a single go-around in the whole hour that I was watching. And that was one all without slewing, just semi-realistic holding patterns (ie. not in the right place, but better than nothing).

Traffic was heavy too - I have lots of PAI + default set at 100%.

There were never more than 6 planes queueing for takeoff on 9R - this is better than my usual 15 or so!

One thing though: Change the 'minimum IFR holding altitude' to 1000ft instead of 2000ft. This allows the program to stop a plane hitting you on short final when it most matters. I had a close one before I adjusted this when flying a VFR pattern, now all is well.

Download from avsim here.

Only problem is, you have to remember to run it every time you fly offline - but once you have done that then you can just forget you are using it.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

[EHM-0502 Desmond]

I tried AI smooth  out today - kept closing with error messages - I still had a go-around at Kuwait airport of all places as plane was departing as I was landing!

[EHM-1627 Chris]

the other day i did 2 go arounds and was looking like having to do a third, but the plane infront suddenly slowed down, so i flew straight underneath....pretty lucky

[EHM-1617 Iain]

@gasman: Do you have FSUIPC 3.48 (latest version I believe)? It is needed to run AISmooth.

@C_Blyth: Were you using AISmooth or just telling us about your go-around experiance?

[EHM-1627 Chris]

no just a go-around experiance....telling of a way to get around having to got around...just overtake the AI planes, but you can only do this at an airport with a long runway.