On Feb 10, 5:01 pm, Mxsmanic wrote:
Dave writes:
They come in from all directions and at all
altitudes, and it seems that everybody has a different idea of how
wide their pattern should be.

So how wide _should_ a pattern be?

--
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Try this in a small a/c like a 172 on your sim. Take off, climb at
about 80 knots to 500 ft agl. Climbing turn to your left so you are
pointing 90 degrees to your left. Continue climbing to 1000 ft agl.
Level out, reduce power to 2400, and turn 90 degrees to left. As you
fly downwind, have a look out the left window at the runway and you
should see it about the right spacing, although if the a/c is light
you sometimes have to level out but wait a little bit before turning
downwind or you end up a bit close. When the threshold is 45 degrees
off your left shoulder, reduce power to 1500 rpm, wait until the
airspeed is in the white arc, lower 10 flap. Do not increase rpm, and
as you get to 70 kt, turn left 90 degrees. You are now on base leg.
Maintain 70 knots and go flaps 20. When you get to 500 ft agl, you
should be ready to turn finals. Turn, and when established on finals,
lower the last 10 flap, and reduce airspeed to 60 knots, using power
as required. Land.

If you were below 500 ft on your turn to finals, you might need to
feed in more power on the way down to reduce your rate of descent. If
you were above 500 ft then you were too close on downwind.

Have a crack at that and see how you get on.