About this Post
This article aims to provide some tips & hints for new Pilots. The goal is to help new Pilots on IF to become good Pilots so that we all have a more fun flying experience on Live IF.
The article obviously represent my view of things; I’m sure it’s not the only approach to become a good Pilot. Please contribute by sending me Private Messages with tips & tricks which I could add.
Also, moderators, please adjust as you see fit!
I will update this article as times goes on, and new good info becomes available.
Introduction
Welcome new Pilot! We many new Pilots on Live IF, which is great! Because IF has a very active Live environment, it’s important that you learn how to behave well in this environment so that we can all enjoy good flight simulation and game play.
This article will cover the following topics:
- basics about Infinite Flight
- learn how to fly in the IF flight simulator
- understand the IF Live servers
- understand ATC instructions from Tower and Ground
- working with ATC Approach
Basics on Infinite Flight
Infinite Flight (IF) is not ‘just a game on your tablet to phone’, but a flight simulator. Developers have tried to give hobby Pilots a cool environment on a simple platform, to help you enjoy some simulation flying.
IF has a stand-alone or Solo environment, and a Live environment. The Solo environment is the place where you learn to fly. You can enjoy flight simulation in a large number of regions in the world. From Asia, Australia to the Caribbean. The Solo environment is by far the best way to learn to fly as a Piot. You can make mistakes, crash, try again, until you get better. And it allows you to review your flying and landing, which can be very educational. Go for it.
IF also has a Live multiplayer environment. This is where you meet other Pilots who are taxiing, taking off, flying, landing, etc. Just like in the real world you also have Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) who guide the Pilots and help to ensure everything goes safely. See also Section 3 of this article.
I would suggest you don’t enter the Live environment, unless you can safely take-off and land your an airplane.
Learn how to fly in the IF flight simulator
To learn as a Pilot, please do not start with a large, heavy airplane. Pick a small jet, or even a propeller aircraft. They steer a lot easier.
Search the internet for video-clips on IF Flying. For example search for ‘how to fly on infinite flight’. You will get many YouTube videos on flying, taking off and landing. Also, you will find out what HDG (heading), ALT (altitude), flaps, trim, gear means. Take some time to view some clips and have a go!
Some ideas:
You can also subscribe on Youtube on InfiniteFlight WeeklyHD:
Some basic tips for taking off (more later in this tutorial)
- don’t take-off on closed runways (red).
- flaps 10 - 15
- try to use the 80% of the runway
Some basic tips for landing an airplane:
- take a wide, long approach to the runway, so you have plenty of time to enter straight into the runway. Don’t come in on an angle. It’s unrealistic and it’s hard, especially for bigger airplanes.
- take time learn how to make a nice glide-slope. Enter the glide-path at approx 2500 feet, so you can decent gradually and nicely.
- understand the landing speed of you plane. Most planes land at speeds around 160 - 170 knots. Others land at much lower speeds.
- practice, practice, practice! ;-)
Other rules around flying
- use the taxi-ways and don’t taxi faster then 34 kts
- don’t use closed runways
- when flying under 10,000 feet, keep your airspeed under 250 kts
- typical max ascent/decent speed: 1200 ft/min. If you go much faster, your passengers will become sick ;-)
Understanding the IF live servers
When you enjoy flying as a Pilot and you want to enter a fun multi-player environment where you meet other IF Pilots, then it’s time to purchase a Live subscription for IF. It’s really good fun!
IF uses three types of Live servers:
- Free-flight server - open to everybody. Use this server to practice in the Live environment. There are no rules. The server has no ATC, but ‘Unicom’.
- ATC Playground. This is the most used Server. It’s for training, not for playing. Rules (see section 2) are enforced and you will get Violations for breaking the rules.
- Advanced Server. Rules are strictly enforced here. ATC have the power to ‘ghost’ you if you misbehave. Reserved for serious players only.
Standing, XP and Violations.
XP is a measure for you flying experience. If you make a good landing, etc you will get more XP points.
Standing: is a measure for sticking to the rules. The more you fly, the higher your standing. If you get Violations because of breaking the rules, your Standing drops. When you do a good flight, your standing increases.
Violations: each time you break the rules, you get a Violation.
Please, start on the free-flight server until you know how to fly well in a Live environment.
Please, when entering the Playground server, obey the ATC’s instructions. If you don’t understand the instructions, respond with ‘I’m sorry’. Visit this Community often and learn!
Understand ATC instructions from Tower and Ground
This Community Forum contains many tips and tutorials on working with ATC as a Pilot. Please take time to read them! I will try to write a summary here, with links to existing tutorials.
Taxiing and takeoff on an airport with ATC.
Start on your parking spot. Make sure you are connected to Ground ATC.
If you don’t want to do pattern work, then prepare a Flight Plan - see video below.
Turn on your lights
Request for pushback. Check surroundings if you can do a pushback safely.
After pushback request for taxi
After approval taxi to the runway. Do not taxi without approval.
Ask permission before crossing any runways while taxiing. Never enter any runway without permission.
Stay on Ground until you are very close to the runway.
Switch to Tower - you don’t need to request a frequency change!
Wait until you are first inline for takeoff.
Request for takeoff; two options
option 1. remaining in the pattern —> this means you are intending to fly around and land on the airport again
option 2. departing xxx —> specify the direction you plan to go to after takeoff
The ATC can give you 4 possible instructions
- hold short runway xx — do not enter the runway, but wait on the line. A plane may me coming in.
- line up and wait - enter the runway and position yourself to take-off. A plane may still be finishing it’s landing and hasn’t left the runway yet.
- cleared for takeoff - (enter the runway and) take off when ready
- cleared for immediate takeoff - (enter the runway and) takeoff as quick as you can. A plane is very close to landing (less than 4 nautical miles NM)
When taking off try to use approx 80% of the runway. Very often 100% throttle is not needed!
Ascent speed is normally 1200 - 2500 feet / minute. If ascent much faster, you may need to recover your passengers, including their chairs, from the rear toilet ;-)
Make sure your speed stays below 250 kts, or you will end-up with a violation.
When you have requested to remain in the pattern, the ATC Tower will have given you a ‘make left/right traffic’ this is the direction you take after you have taken off.
Approach and landing on an airport with ATC.
This tutorial assumes that there’s no Approach on duty. See section below for working with Approach ATC.
Learning how to land is not something you learn on paper, but there are a few practical things I want to share which hopefully are of use.
When approaching an airport for landing or touch-and-go you typically start preparing a long way before the airport with your descent and you positioning. Don’t start too late with your approach. Make a long wide approach if possible, so there is plenty of time to position yourself before the runway.
- first reduce your speed to 250 or a bit below
- set your flaps to 5
- while speed is reducing, decent to 10,000 feet
- if you have made a flight plan, it will tell you how many minutes you have before arriving. This helps you to calculate your descent speed. If you’re at 8,000 feet and you arrival is within 3 mins, then… forget it. Make a big 360 degrees to reduce hight.
- check if there is an Approach ATC for this airport. If yes, request ILS instructions to the airport and runway. Follow the instructions for altitude, heading and speed. See more on Working with Approach.
- add more flaps, as your speed reduces. Max flaps is normally only on the last few miles.
Before landing, make sure you enter the Pattern at ‘Pattern altitude’. This is approx 2500 - 3000 feet.
Report yourself to Tower as early as possible, so the ATC can provide you with instructions for landing. The ATC may initially issue you Pattern sequence instructions. See picture below. Check your map to see how Tower wants you to enter, and when it’s your turn. Do not land until you have received a ‘cleared to land’ or ‘cleared for the option’.
Video tutorials:
Creating a flight plan
Remaining in the Pattern.
What if you are failing your approach
If for some reason, your approach to the runway is not going well, because you are still to high/low, or because you’re to far to the left or right, or you see a plane entering the runway, then don’t try to land anyway! Instead you execute a Missed Approach: announce a Missed Approach to Tower. You will receive from Tower a ‘Go Around, make left/right traffic, runway xx’. You pull up, increase speed, change flaps, landing gear>in, and you re-enter the Pattern, at approx 3000 feet. Change frequency to Approach (if on duty), or stay with Tower. You will be guided to your runway again.
See also:
working with ATC Approach
Working with an Approach ATC