Click here for a generic explanation of the traffic pattern1. Figure out the field elevation from the map (right click/show field elevations)
2. Approach your intended field at 1000 feet + field elevation. This puts you in a good altitude to set up a controlled landing.
3. Line your plane up along the runway you want to land on. Maintain field elevation plus 1000 feet.
4. Fly down the length of the runway, maintaining altitude.
5. At the end of the runway (or midfield as you get more comfortable with the process) turn left 90 degrees. Chop your throttle. Pull some g's on the turn and this will help start to slow you down.
6. Once you're established 90 degrees left of the runway, slowing down, this is called the "crosswind" leg. Maintain altitude either by using the "x" key or pitch back on the stick.
7. Turn left another 90 degrees, pull some g's again to continue to slow down. At this point, you should be 1000 feet above the runway, flying parallel to the runway, in the opposite direction you intend to land. This called the "downwind" leg. Your turn downwind should be made soon enough to keep you inside the airfield area, i.e. don't fly crosswind for more than 10-20 seconds or so.
8. As you fly downwind, you should be able to throw in a couple notches of flaps, and if slow enough, drop the gear. If you haven't slowed enough, don't worry. Maintain your altitude, and you will slow as you fly downwind.
9. Look out your back-left view, (keypad 1) and you should see the runway you want to land on as you fly parallel. Once the tire marks on the runway are approximately halfway between the trailing edge of your left wing and the left side of the fuselage (approx. 45 degrees behind and to your left) begin another left-hand, 90 degree turn. This is called turning base, or turning to the base leg.
10. Once you're established on the base leg, you should be slow enough to throw almost all the flaps in, and drop your gear. At this point you will probably need to add some power to compensate for all the drag caused by the flaps and gear. I'll give an example at the end.
11. Look out your left forward view or left view (keypad 7 and 4 respectively) and watch the end of the runway as it gets closer. You should be flying approximately perpendicular to the runway you want to land on. Anticipate when you need to make the final 90 degree left-hand turn based on your speed. As you approach that point, begin the last, left-hand turn where you should roll out lined up with the runway, above the runway, and a short distance before the approach end of the runway. This is called turning base to final, or turning final.
12. The final leg of the pattern is used to do your fine-tuning on heading, throwing in the last of the flaps necessary, and adjusting power to maintain a stable descent to the runway. If you haven't yet, drop your landing gear, and confirm you have green lights indicated. You've got approximately 7200 feet on the diagonal runways in AHII to land, which is more than enough in normal fighters and bombers. The east/west runways on medium and large fields are a little shorter, around 5000 feet long, which again is plenty of runway, just not as much as the diagonals.
13. At this point, check your speed which ideally is 1.2 times the stall speed of your airplane. A good rough rule of thumb in AHII is 120 mph indicated, which covers most planes. Maintain enough power to keep the plane from dropping too fast, but not enough that your speed starts increasing. Once you're over the end of the runway, reduce power, and let the plane glide down to the runway. Once you're just above the concrete, chop the throttle and pull slightly back on the stick, and the plane will settle down and hopefully you get a quick chirp confirming the wheels are down. Don't slap on the brakes, just slowly press the space bar until the plane is slowed sufficiently to apply constant brake and bring it to a stop.
14. If you're too high once you cross the end of the runway, reduce power, but maintain your pitch attitude, and you will lose altitude without increasing your speed. If you're too low, add power, but maintain your pitch attitude, and you will gain altitude without increasing your speed. This is counter-intuitive, as you will want to either push forward on the stick (too high) or pull back on the stick (too low). Don't do this when you're landing, because the results will be just the opposite of what you want. If you pull back on the stick, you will slow the plane down, and drop faster. If you push forward, you will speed the plane up, and land long. Remember, at this point, make all your adjustments with power only, maintaining about 120 mph indicated.
Now, all of this is really difficult to comprehend by reading my post. Hopefully, combined with the graphic in the link above, you can at least visualize what I'm trying to teach you. Landing a plane is THE most difficult part of flying, and don't forget that as you thrash the plane into the ground as you practice. But, once you finally figure out how to do it, its like riding a bike, you never forget how.
EXAMPLE (How I land a Corsair):
I'll come screaming in flying runway heading at about 300-450 mph sometimes. At midfield, I chop the throttle, and turn hard left (crosswind), pulling some G's (almost to blackout) and drop the gear as I do the turn (something typically only the Corsair can do at this speed). I fly crosswind for a few seconds and then turn left 90 degrees again (downwind). By this time, the gear is down, and I'm slowing rapidly. I can get in at least 2, if not 3 or 4 notches of flaps as soon as I'm established on the downwind leg. Once the flaps are going down, I watch the airspeed get down around 140-120, and set 25" of manifold. As I turn left again (base), I'll throw in the rest of the flaps, and start looking for the runway. As I'm established on the base leg, I'm usually showing gear down, full flaps, 25" of manifold, and about 110 mph indicated. The plane is also descending at the rate I want. As I turn final, speed is stabilized between 100-110 mph, and I'm settling down to the touchdown point. I then adjust my power down (if I'm high) or up (if I'm low) and continue to jockey the throttle to maintain my approach. Once I'm just above touchdown, I chop the throttle and pull back slightly (this is called a "flare"). The wheels almost always chirp as I flare, and the stall horn should be starting to sound. I then maintain back pressure on the stick to lock the tailwheel straight, and then begin to work the brakes to slow down. I adjust my direction on the runway with the rudder.
Now, most of the U.S. planes are not the easiest to land once you're on the runway, but I think they are some of the easiest to set up to land. Also, while the Spitfire may be the easiest plane to learn ACM's in, I think it is also difficult to land because of the narrow gear track--I think they are easy to tip over if you come in a little hot. What I recommend is taking up a D3A1 "Val" to practice your landings, as they are slow, maneuver at slow speeds well, have fixed gear with a wide track, and are easy to handle on the runway.
I hope this helps, and if you ever see me in the TA, I'd be more than happy to let you jump in my cockpit, and take a circuit around the landing pattern with you, to show you how I set all this up. As you gain experience, you'll be able to "cheat" your landings, doing things like making straight in approaches, coming in with slips, and all other manner of higher order techniques. Hopefully this will help you "land" your kills, and not ball the plane up off the runway...
Cheers
