Classic Flight Tips

Flying the DC-6B

Improved!  I've written a text file describing how you can fly a DC-6B like the real ones!  I've used a real flight in a DC-6B as my starting point, and given you the actual checklist of a DC-6B, and then modified it into FS instructions!  You can use this file to help you fly any large prop airliner!

The X-Plane Journal web page has a very nice series of Flight Instruction on the following topics:
by Andrew Ayers:
Flying IFR - all you need to know about IFR navigation - NDB's, VOR's, ILS, airways, ATC, etc.
Constant Speed Props
by Hal Stoen:
Communications, Cowl Flaps/Engine Cooling, Throttle, Mixtures, and Props

Charles Wood's Aerial Navigation Page also has a very nice selection of flight training pages, including the older techniques like the NDB approach.

Procedure turns are a common component of Piston-era approaches, and thus are important to learn.  The theory is very simple:  a procedure turn is used to perform a 180 degree turn about a navaid (usually an LOM - locating outer marker - an NDB used as an final approach fix to a runway).

To perform the procedure turn, you approach the navaid close to 180 degrees from the final course (this can vary), and then turn to a prescribed heading when directly over the navaid.  Fly 1-3 minutes on that heading (the time is often specified on the approach plate), and then turn to 45 degrees left or right of that heading (also often specified; if not, turn in the direction that doesn't have obstacles in the path of your turn).  Fly this heading for 1 minute (for fast planes, 1 minute 15 seconds might be better).  Now turn 180 degrees back towards your original heading (i.e. if you turned left initially, now turn right).  Perform a standard rate turn (determined by your turn coordinator; if it doesn't work properly an estimate is the second mark on the artificial horizon) until you make the 180, and then wait to intercept the proper course to the NDB (see below).  This will be exactly 180 degrees from your original heading leaving the navaid.  If not, adjust course so you are heading towards the navaid at the correct heading.

Often, you will be descending while you are performing this turn; a typical approach would put you over the airport at ~3000 ft AGL heading in the opposite direction from your final approach heading.  You would then cross the LOM, begin descending, perform your procedure turn, and cross the LOM on your final approach course at ~1500 ft AGL.  An interesting maneuver - good luck!!

You should cruise at the proper altitude, based on your heading.  This will minimize collisions with the limited radar coverage of the 50's and early 60's.

Magnetic Heading	Altitude
0-179 degrees	IFR - Odd thousands of feet VFR - Odd thousands of feet plus 500 ft.
180-359 degrees	IFR - Even thousands of feet. VFR - Even thousands plus 500 ft

The piston airliners, with their broad straight wings, landed quite differently from today's jets.  Instead of being nose up with lots of power applied, you were clearly nose down with only low power levels.  Typically, you flew your downwind leg at around 180 kts (140 kts for the DC-3), and did not begin to lower flaps until you were approaching your base leg.  The speed limit for lowering flaps and gear was around 170 kts (140kts-DC-3), and by the time you turned onto final approach, you had 1 or 2 notches of flap set, at about 160 kts (120 kts - DC-3).  When you began your descent, you would set 3 notches of flap and gear down, and go to full flaps at about 1000 ft AGL (above ground level) (normally around 120 kts (100 kts - DC-3)).  At 500 ft AGL, you would start tapering to your landing speed by reducing your throttle.    The landing speed was around 1.3 times your stall speed with full flaps (Stall speeds listed below).

Often this means you will need to shut off the throttles completely before you reach the runway to make a good landing - leave the throttle on too long, and you will float above the runway a long time!  (I gradually cut the throttle as I approach the end of the runway).   The typical attitude of a piston airliner on final approach is decidedly nose down, making it easy to see the runway.  The flare is usually not an obvious nose up movement (like on many jets), but instead is just a raising of the nose to the level.  Too much nose up on flare and you will be heading for the sky again!  (Stratocruisers actually land with their nose wheel touching first.)  After you have practiced it a while, you will find it very easy to land all our propliner Classics, and I hope you enjoy it!

By the way, the L-188 Electra handles much more like a jet, with a high approach speed (150 kts) and the need to have lots of power applied on final approach.  Don't cut the throttle much on flare, just enough to let it settle down onto the runway  (then cut your throttle completely).  Reverse thrust and braking will easily slow you down in plenty of time.

Calculating the Intercept Point for an NDB "Radial"

Since NDB's do not have an OBI setting to allow you to intercept a specific radial, you need to calculate it.  This is easy if the ADF has a rotating compass card; just wait until the needle is pointing towards the desired heading and then turn to that heading.  

However, if it has a fixed card, it is a little more tricky.  For example, you are flying on a heading of 275, ready to turn to a course of 300 and a landing on Runway 30R.  The Harris LOM (344)(locating outer marker; an NDB used as an outer marker) is located along that course, and you will use it to align yourself to the runway, since if you cross over the LOM at heading 300, you will be aligned with the runway.  You must stay on your current heading until you intercept this "radial" (300 course towards the LOM and runway), but you have no OBI to tell you you've arrived at that point.  How do you know when to turn?  

First tune to 344 on the ADF, and your needle will swing away from the N position, indicating you are not heading directly towards the NDB.  Look at the needle's deviation from North; this is your angle from the NDB.  Theoretically, when you reach the "radial intercept" point, the NDB will be at an angle of 25 degrees right from you, since your heading is 275 and the radial is 300.  Thus, when the ADF is pointing to 25 degrees right, make your turn to 300 and you should be quite close.  Fine tune your course such that you are pointing directly at the NDB at heading 300.

So when you want to calculate an NDB radial intercept point, simply subtract the desired radial heading from your current heading.  This will indicate what the ADF should read when you reach the intercept point (positive values mean the ADF should be pointing right, negative left).

Crosswind Correction Table

Wind Correction Angles and Ground Speed Corrections per 10 knots of Wind

Wind Angle	dGS	100 kts	180 kts	300 kts	500 kts
0 deg	-10	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
30 deg	-9	3.0	1.5	1.0	0.5
60 deg	-6	5.0	2.5	1.5	1.0
90 deg	-1	6.0	3.0	1.5	1.0
120 deg	+4	5.0	2.5	1.5	1.0
150 deg	+8	3.0	1.5	1.0	0.5
180 deg	+10	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0

Calculate angle between wind and aircraft (Wind Angle).  Select the closest airspeed, and read the correction angle from the table.  Multiply that by the windspeed/10.  To estimate Ground Speed, refer to the dGS line and add/subract that value from your true airspeed (TAS).  Example:  wind 22 kts from 230 deg., plane 200 kts at 270 deg.  Use the 30 deg/180 kts value (1.5) times 2 (2 X 10 kts).  Thus, you need to correct by 3 deg. to the left.   Ground speed is 182 kts (200 kts - 9 kts X 2).

Rule of thumb for TAS:  TAS = [IAS x 2%] x [ALT/1,000 ft] + IAS .   Example:  If IAS = 200 kts and ALT = 20,000 ft, TAS is 280 kts:  (200 x2%) x (20,000/1000) + 200 =  (4 x 20) + 200 = 280.

Calculating Climb/Descent Formulas

How far away do I need to start my descent to a 1700 ft AGL pattern altitude at my destination airport?

 = [Current ALT - Final ALT] / Descent Rate x Ground Speed / 60

Example:
Airport Elevation = 1250 ft MSL, current Altitude is 14,000 ft MSL, descent ground speed is 240 kts
14,000 - 1700 - 1250 = 11,050 ft to descend
At a descent rate of 800 fpm, it will take 11050/800 = 13.8 minutes
At 240 kts, you need to begin your descent  55.2 NM away (240 kts x 13.8/60)
(allow a couple of extra miles to allow for entry into the pattern).
Calculate Top of Climbs the same way, but use Final ALT - Current ALT.

Altitude Check on Descent (Rule of Thumb):
Desired Altitude = Glideslope Angle x 100 x Distance.  Example:  3.3% GS Angle, 5 NM away - you should be at 1650 ft MSL (3.3 x 100 x 5).

Classic Fuel Planning

From the table below, you can calculate how much fuel your flight will use.  Calculate your length of climb (in hours) using the Climb Formulas, calculate your time of Cruise, and then use the fuel numbers below to calculate the fuel used.  Do the same for the descent (if you wish; it will add very little to the fuel requirements).  Since the climb rate will slow down as you rise, add another 10 minutes of climb fuel for each 5,000 feet of cruise altitude.  Also, add a 1 hr reserve at Cruise fuel use rates (3 hours fuel on trans-ocean flights) and 20 minutes of climb fuel for takeoff, and you have the amount of fuel you should load into your plane.  Make sure that you won't exceed the Maximum Landing Weight upon landing!!

Example:  A DC-7C flight of 2,300 miles at 20,000 ft  (over land) - climb @700 fpm and 170 kts will take 30 minutes and 475 gallons (85 miles), plus another 40 minutes of climb fuel (633 gal)(20,000 ft = 4 x 5,000; 4 x 10 minutes = 40 minutes).  The descent @1100 fpm and 300 kts will take 20 minutes and 20 gallons (100 miles).  The cruise will then be 2115 miles at 270 knots, taking 7.83 hours.  This will use 2663 gallons of fuel.  Add another hour's fuel reserve (340 gallons) and 20 minutes of climb fuel for takeoff (317 gallons), and you will need to load 4448 gallons of fuel.  You should have 340 gallons of fuel remaining at landing, which is well under the 2112 gallons yielding Maximum Landing Weight.

Classic Aircraft Specifications

More detailed information can usually be found in the plane's text file, although some specs are listed only here.

Aircraft	Climb Rate & Fuel	Cruise Fuel	Descent Rate & Fuel	Typical Cruise Altitude	Typical Cruise Speed	Pattern Speed	Approach Speed	Landing Speed	Normal Range	Max Range
(Units)	ft/min gal/hr rpm @kts	gal/hr rpm @kts	ft/min gal/hr rpm @kts	feet	knots	knots rpm (20% flaps)	knots rpm (full flaps)	knots rpm	NM	NM
DC-3	600 190 2350 120	70 2050 140	900 30 2050 165	10,000	125-168	110	90	80	1313	2408
CV-340	900 350 2300 160	120 2300 220	1100 50 2300 240	18,000	200-247	160 2600	120 2300	100	1752
DC-4	700 410 2300 160	210 2300 195	1100 50 2300 205	10,000	170-207	140	120	100	1304	3900
DC-6B	700 580 2300 160	210 2300 240	1100 50 2300 260	20,000	220-267	160 2600	120 2300	100	3356	4269
L-1049G	800 850 2100 170	330 2000 260	1100 50 2000 285	20,000	240-287	170 2300	130 2100	100	3622	4199
DC-7C	700 890 2300 170	420 2300 270	1100 50 2300 300	20,000	240-301	160 2500	120 2300	100	4030	4900

These figures were attained with recently released planes converted to FS98 - copy the AIR file to other planes if desired (FS98/FS2000 only).
RPM's based on use of DC-6 IFR v2, Twin Panel, Connie Panel v6, or Lago/Alpha DC-3 panel.
Fuel rates based on Full Rich Climb and properly leaned Cruise and Descent (EGT needle just left of straight up, or at Auto Lean), at the stated RPM's.
Normal Range:  range at max payload
Max Range:  range at max fuel  (this is the normal case with FSFS aircraft).

Maximum Allowable Speeds (knots)

Aircraft	Gear Down	Flaps <30	Flaps >=30	Max Speed Vne	Max Cruise Speed	Max Crosswind	Speed Brake Engaged	Speed Brake Retracted
DC-3	140	104	95	188	169		-	-
CV-340	174	174	156	294	260	22	-	-
DC-4				238	214		-	-
DC-6B	170	170	150	313	267	26	-	-
L-1049G	150	170	150	366	327		-	-
DC-7C	170	170	150	353	301		260	170

 

Aircraft	Max T/O Weight (lbs)	Max Landing Weight (lbs)	Fuel Capacity (gal)	Fuel % at MLW % of total fuel (gal)	Stall Speed (full flaps/gear) (kts)
DC-3	25,200	24,400	822	83%  (688)	58
CV-340	48,000	47,550	1750	91%  (1583)	74
DC-4	73,000	63,500	2868	44%  (1284)	77
DC-6B	106,000	95,000	3992	54%  (2158)	81
L-1049G	137,500	113,000	7750	47%  (3667)	78
DC-7C	143,000	109,000	7824	27%  (2112)	84

Fuel % at MLW:  the fuel level must be at this percentage or lower for a safe landing (yields Max. Landing Wt.).
Stall Speed:  @ full flaps/gear down, at Max. Landing Weight.