When to start turning from base leg to final?

[BackPacker]

The circuit needs to be flown at 1000ft.

No, you need to look at the "AIP" (Aeronautical Information Publication) or the "A/FD" (Airfield/Facility Directory - a US thing) for the circuit height for the airfield involved. It can be anywhere between 700' and 1500'. And that's above aerodrome level (AAL) - it may be something completely different on the QNH ("altimeter setting" in MSFS).

decreasing to 600ft at the base/final turn (at say 1/2 mile out.) Do you watch the PAPIs on Final? They are at the 3deg glide-slope.

A three degree slope (the normal PAPI/ILS slope) is 2000 feet in 6 nm (6.2 to be precise). So at 1/2 nm out you should be at about 160 feet, and not at 600 feet.

In a light aircraft you can descend a lot steeper than the standard three degrees slope though, so 250-300 feet at 1/2 nm out is still doable, although you will have four whites on the PAPI at that stage.

600 feet at 1/2 nm? I'm pretty sure someone will come out of the woodwork claiming that they can do it with full flaps and full sideslip but if you're landing on a short runway it is probably prudent to start the go-around.

Heck, if you unintentionally end up in that position, you've probably done so much wrong already leading up to that moment that it's best to fly away from the circuit, orbit in a quiet spot for a while to gather your wits and think about what you've done, and then try again. (Or hit the P button in MSFS.)

[thing]

And you're allowed to screw it up the first time, it's the second circuit, when you've already seen what the wind is doing once, that you're supposed to get it right

I would assume that the better pilot would know what the wind was doing the first time around...

[ianwild]

For VFR flying in MSFS, you need Track-IR imo - No point trying without!

I'm a brand new PPL and I've not landed at many places, but in no wind I was taught to turn when the furthest corner of the runway lines up with the nearest corner. With wind you turn a little before this point or a little after, depending on direction.

It works where I've flown, and it works in MSFS (With your Track-IR!). I guess as I step out I may well need to get a more sophisticated method and there's some very useful info in this thread. Thanks guys.

Ian

[Pace]

Think it was the military who flew curved approaches from downwind curving right onto final!
The idea of any approach and a circuit is an approach is to get you onto the runway to land not 1 mile out 2 miles out 3 miles out etc. Theoretically it could be just before you touchdown!
Wherever you hit the centreline is the point that coincides with the correct altitude for roughly a 3 degree glide.
6 miles 2000 feet 3 miles 1000 feet 1.5 miles 500 feet etc is a rough guide that is easy to remember and calculate.
In many ways it is probably better to visually extend the centreline and pick a prominent spot on the centre line like a farm or whatever and use that as a visual final approach fix. That is what you will fly over at a given altitude depending on an estimated distance from the runway.
Be 90 degrees to that point and passing 90 degrees start a curving approach.
may not be an official way but it works

Pace

[thing]

Think it was the military who flew curved approaches from downwind curving right onto final!

Still do, we do oval ccts at Waddo.

[Pilot.Lyons]

Im with thing on this one..... Jeese i got a real issue with this sort of thing.

Fly it!

[DeltaV]

I'm a fan of the curved approach too but even when that's not appropriate I like Base to be about in line with the end of the runway, certainly not outside the perimeter fence.