Key element to fly visual pattern

[kuobin]

For big jet ,We used to fly ILS approach,I find it is rather hard to fly visual pattern in simulator,could anyone please tell me what is the key element to fly visual pattern in simulator or in real visual pattern ? thanks.;)

[Rainboe]

Try this- climb to 1500'. At 1000' turn (left for Captain, right for copilot handling) to fly downwind. After take-off check followed by Approach check. When abeam downwind end of runway (either use side visual display or map display position), start stopwatch.
At 30 seconds (less 1second per kt tailwind), gear down, flap to intermediate position, Landing Checklist, start turn towards runway (all at the same time!), small movements only of thrust lever, gentle descent 500 feet/minute. Should be a slow relaxed turn as your airspeed is lower than when you turned downwind).
On Base leg, look for runway coming into forward visual display, assess high or low. Take full flap by 1000' or earlier if high.

It seemed to work on the 737 and the 747.

[HSWL]

If the 737, fly the whole procedure with both FD and autothrottle switched off. Abeam the landing end of the runway lower the gear and appropriate flap and the speed will slowly reduce to the desired for the flap setting by the time you are ready to turn base 45 seconds later. Use the standby ILS to pick up the first indication of glide slope position on base and adjust your profile to pick up that glide slope nice and early before the PFD ILS appears in view.

A handy rule to remember on how long to go downwind after passing the end of the runway is 15 seconds if carrying out a 500 ft low level circuit. 30 seconds for a 1000 ft circuit and 45 seconds for 1500 ft. This works for the 727 as well as the 737.

If flying the Classic 737 at flap 5 and 180 knots downwind, you will find that if using 30 seconds timing and then lowering the landing gear and selecting flap 15 while at the same time turning base as the 30 seconds comes up, the whole game gets too rushed and it is too easy to get quickly high on glide slope if your circuit width is correct at 1.5 miles.

It is less feverish if you drop the gear abeam the end of the runway and using 45 seconds before turning base. The Boeing FCTM lacks advice on timing and it is left to airmanship.