CoolP wrote on Nov 28^th, 2011 at 1:54am:

Markoz wrote on Nov 28th, 2011 at 1:37am: The biggest downside to not using the ATC is that when using real weather, I can't get permission to land at an airport that is currently IFR only conditions only. But if you're using the FSX ATC, it does know that you are flying IFR, right? I mean, if you use it, it actually gave you the IFR clearance. Haven't used it for years, so I could be wrong of course. Regarding the winds. Note that the groundspeed of yours is the reference value to determine your rate of descent. By it's nature, it takes the current winds into account and you are of course free to determine a safety buffer for starting your descent. Winds can change on entering lower altitudes and while the rw guys may take a close look at their forecast data, we flight simmers may just use some extra buffer for determining the right point to start the descent. Speaking of a 3 degree descent by the rule of thumb, you e. g. would be at FL300 and 90nm out to come in at 0ft. You can add some 10% buffer zone and start your descent at 99nm out, so you can counteract some wind influences. The trick is to check your descent rate on a regular basis, so don't just start the descent and wish for some luck, but e. g. check it at FL200, 100 and so on. You have to alter your vertical speed either way, which is what a VNAV system does all the time. 701151 wrote on Nov 28th, 2011 at 12:29am: Since I fly in real-world I hope this doesn't come in too offensive, but a few weeks back you even advised people that landing downwind would be a 'favourable condition' for a pilot.  :-? So please accept my apologies, but I'm concerned about aviation safety now.  :P On some charts sources. The big online networks rely on the free work and/or accessibility of charts, so they offer most of the stuff one needs. This of course includes countries where official charts aren't available for free, so a Google search for IVAO or VATSIM chart sources often enough leads to nice flight sim ones. The quality often differs of course, from purely user made ones to just some more or less outdated rw ones. There are chart programs out there, for a sim use. They read the Navigraph data and then generate charts, even allowing them to be customized or running as a moving map. One doesn't need a Navigraph subscription of course, they come with a pre-installed dataset which is ok for the every day flying. However, a Navigraph subscription isn't expensive, so one could even update the dataset every month if needed. There's a 30 day full trial available here. http://www.aivlasoft.com/products/index.html

Several things: first I don't recall sayign that, second, I have lots of typos and things get mixed up as I race to beat somebody to post my idea. Third, thats a terrible idea, and fourth, downwind works in a Rutan plane because it doesn't matter which direction teh things going.