DH, MDA, RADIO, and BARO on Airbus: Setting Approach Minimums in the Sim
What DH and MDA mean, when to select RADIO versus BARO on the FCU, and how to enter minimums from charts — or sensible defaults for ILS versus non-ILS approaches.
Tutorials and reference material for IFR route planning, aviation weather, and flight simulator workflows. All content is written for simulation pilots using NG ROUTE.
What DH and MDA mean, when to select RADIO versus BARO on the FCU, and how to enter minimums from charts — or sensible defaults for ILS versus non-ILS approaches.
Why destination QNH must be set before descent, how BARO SET and APPR phase interact, and what goes wrong on the ILS if pressure is still standard.
The green bird symbol is your flight path vector — how it helps energy management, approaches, and crosswind landings in flight simulation.
GS and LOC cues blink magenta in the final segment — what Airbus logic is telling you and how to respond on approach in the simulator.
Understand TOGA LK on the FMA, why the autothrust system locks go-around thrust, and the correct way to return to normal cruise or approach modes in the sim.
Why some operators taxi on one engine after landing, how it saves fuel, and what sim pilots should know before trying it at the gate.
Decision height versus minimum descent altitude, MCP RADIO and BARO minimums, and how to set DA or MDA from charts — or safe defaults for ILS and non-ILS runs.
Set destination QNH on the MCP, standby altimeter, and CDU approach refs so Boeing ILS and VNAV descents match NG ROUTE METAR briefing.
FPV on 787 and optional HUD symbology versus classic flight director cues — how Boeing pilots fly path on approach in the sim.
Understand GS and LOC scales on Boeing displays, when flags appear, capture from above, and what to do when cues disappear on short final.
How the Boeing TO/GA switch works with autothrottle and flight director, what changes on the mode annunciator, and how to fly the go-around in the sim.
How airlines taxi inbound on one engine in 737 and wide-body Boeing jets, APU requirements, and handling asymmetric thrust in the sim.
PFD and MFD basics, NAV/COM tuning, direct-to navigation, and coupling an NG ROUTE arrival into the G1000 flight plan.
Build a VFR training route, read METAR along the way, pick cruise altitude, and arrive with fuel and weather awareness in a 172.
Crab, slip, and touchdown techniques for C172 and similar Cessna singles when METAR shows a stiff crosswind component.
When to lean mixture, how carburetor ice forms in the sim, and a practical flow for C172 and C152 engine controls on climb and descent.
Normal, approach, and flap speeds for the 172, plus a standard traffic pattern flow for MSFS and X-Plane training flights.
Brief a ~1,340 NM IFR route from Athens Eleftherios Venizelos to Heathrow — Balkan airways, cruise level, and export for European sim flying.
Where to put .FMS files and how to load routes in ToLiss, Zibo 737, and default X-Plane aircraft.
Decode wind, visibility, clouds, and QNH from a METAR string and apply the numbers in MSFS, X-Plane, or Aerofly.
Plan a ~6,080 NM transpacific IFR route from Haneda to JFK — airways, FL390 cruise, fuel totals, and what to expect on the map curve.
How NG ROUTE picks FL240–FL390 suggestions, semi-circular cruising rules, and when to override the default.
What NG ROUTE is, who it is for, which simulators it supports, and important limitations for real-world aviation.
Trip fuel, contingency, alternate, and final reserve — how NG ROUTE builds totals and what to load in the sim fuel panel.
Use NG ROUTE to prepare IFR routes, fuel, cruise levels, and METAR data before filing and flying on VATSIM or IVAO.
Align Microsoft Flight Simulator live weather with NG ROUTE METAR data for realistic takeoffs, approaches, and runway selection.
CAT I, CAT II, and CAT III approaches — what the labels mean, how NG ROUTE estimates them, and how to fly them in the sim.
Why eastbound flights use odd flight levels and westbound use even — and how NG ROUTE applies RVSM conventions to cruise suggestions.
Mercator distortion makes long-haul NG ROUTE paths look bent toward the pole. Here is why that curve is actually the shortest distance.
Why waypoints go missing in X-Plane, what AIRAC cycles mean, and how to sync NG ROUTE plans with an updated navigation database.
Use NG ROUTE T/C and T/D markers to time your climbs and descents and avoid energy-management surprises on approach.
What NG ROUTE checks when it displays weather warnings along your track, and how sim pilots should use SIGMET and AIRMET information.
Click fixes on the NG ROUTE map to insert waypoints, remove intermediate points, and refresh the nav log before export.
A worked example of a 220 NM European IFR hop from Charles de Gaulle to Schiphol using NG ROUTE — route, METAR, cruise, and MSFS export.
Generate practice flights under or over 500 NM, limit departures to the visible map, and keep a fixed arrival airport.
A step-by-step walkthrough for building a realistic IFR route in MSFS using NG ROUTE, from airport selection to loading your .PLN file.
Why NG ROUTE separates LOW and HIGH airway levels, and how Victor routes differ from upper jet airways in everyday IFR flying.
What NG ROUTE takeoff performance numbers mean and how to use them with Airbus, Boeing, and default sim aircraft.
How to export a NG ROUTE mission file, place custom_missions_user.tmc in the Aerofly folder, and fly custom IFR routes.
Step-by-step guide to downloading a NG ROUTE plan and loading the .PLN file in MSFS 2020 and 2024 via the World Map.
Learn how to read the route line NG ROUTE prints below your summary — airports, airways, fixes, and DCT segments in standard ICAO format.
How NG ROUTE calculates wind components for suggested runways and what those numbers mean for takeoff and landing in the sim.