How do I fly a Boeing 777 approach and landing?

To fly a Boeing 777 approach and landing in a simulator, programme and verify the arrival, calculate VREF, descend on profile, configure progressively, and capture the correct lateral and vertical modes. Be stable by 1,000 feet above the runway, flare gently near 30 feet, close the thrust levers, then deploy reverse thrust and brake.

For Aviation & Real-World Flying study, treat this as a generic Boeing 777 flow rather than an operator-approved checklist. Exact call-outs, wind corrections and automation differ between 777 variants, operators and simulator add-ons, so the aircraft's supplied checklist and performance system take precedence.

Boeing 777 approach and landing procedure

1. Choose the runway and approach. Check wind, visibility, runway length and available landing distance. Select the appropriate STAR, transition and approach rather than simply activating the nearest runway.
2. Verify the FMC route. Inspect every arrival and approach leg, altitude constraint and speed restriction. Remove a route discontinuity only when the two adjoining legs are genuinely meant to connect; blindly closing one can create a turn towards the wrong fix.
3. Enter the landing data. On the FMC approach-reference page, select the intended landing flap—normally 30 or, when performance and procedures permit, 25—and use the resulting VREF for the actual landing weight. Set the required wind additive, minima, autobrake and speedbrake arm condition.
4. Start down early enough. VNAV can follow a valid descent profile, but it cannot recover gracefully from every late clearance, tailwind or incorrectly entered constraint. If the aircraft is high, reduce speed first where practical, use drag deliberately and avoid arriving on final with the speedbrake still extended.
5. Set the local pressure. Change from standard pressure to the published QNH or altimeter setting at the applicable transition level. A wrong setting does not normally stop ILS capture, but it corrupts altitude awareness and barometric minima; our 777 altimeter-setting explanation covers the associated controls and indications.
6. Build a sensible intercept. For an ILS, approach the localiser on a shallow intercept angle and below the glideslope. Verify the ILS frequency, inbound course and identifier, then arm APP when the signal is valid and the aircraft is correctly positioned. Watch the flight-mode annunciator: pressing APP requests capture, but the annunciations confirm what the aircraft is actually doing.
7. Configure in stages. Use flaps 1 and 5 as speed decreases, followed by the later flap settings according to the displayed manoeuvring speeds. Lower the landing gear when its drag is needed—often around glideslope capture—then select flaps 20 and the planned landing flap. Never extend a flap merely because a distance marker has passed; remain below its placard limit.
8. Meet a stable gate. By 1,000 feet above aerodrome level, aim to have the gear down, landing flap set, checklist complete, speed close to VAPP, thrust stable and the aircraft tracking the correct vertical and lateral path. Go around if large corrections, excessive sink or an unresolved warning remains.
9. Transition to manual flight cleanly. Disconnect the autopilot early enough to settle your scan and trim before the flare. Autothrottle use varies by add-on and procedure; do not assume every simulated 777 will retard the thrust automatically during a manual landing.
10. Flare and roll out. At roughly 30 feet radio altitude, look towards the far end of the runway and add only about two or three degrees of pitch while smoothly bringing the thrust levers to idle. Let the main gear touch without trying to hold the aircraft off like a light aeroplane. Lower the nose gently, confirm speedbrake deployment, apply reverse thrust and let autobrake or measured manual braking slow the aircraft.

Which autopilot mode should I use on final?

The correct mode depends on the approach type; APP is not a universal landing button.

Some advanced 777 simulations model Integrated Approach Navigation and additional approach modes; simpler aircraft may not. Use only modes the add-on documents, especially on RNAV approaches.

What landing speed should I use for a Boeing 777?

Use the FMC- or performance-calculated VREF for the selected flap and actual landing weight, then apply the required wind correction to obtain VAPP. A memorised speed is unsafe because fuel load, payload, variant, flap selection and wind all change the answer.

At ordinary landing weights, simulated 777 VREF values often fall broadly between 130 and 155 knots, but that range is only a reasonableness check. A common Boeing-style implementation uses at least a small additive and increases it for headwind or gusts, subject to a cap; follow the aircraft's own EFB, FMC or checklist rather than inventing an additive.

Flaps 30 normally give a lower reference speed and more drag. Flaps 25 may suit performance, noise or operational considerations, but they usually increase landing speed and runway required. Choose between them using landing-performance data, not personal preference.

Why will the 777 not capture the localiser or glideslope?

Most capture failures come from incorrect approach data, poor intercept geometry or expecting a mode the simulated aircraft does not support.

• Wrong ILS selected: confirm the runway, frequency, front course and identifier, including any parallel runway suffix.
• Intercepting from above: level below the published glideslope intercept altitude before capture. Chasing a glideslope from above can produce an unstable descent.
• APP armed without valid guidance: check that localiser and glideslope indications are alive and that the flight-mode annunciator shows armed or captured modes.
• Incorrect navigation source: simplified add-ons may require a NAV/GPS source selection or manual radio tuning even when a high-fidelity 777 would tune the ILS through the FMC.
• Excessive speed: a correctly captured ILS does not solve late configuration. Gear and flap drag must be introduced soon enough to reach VAPP.
• Limited add-on systems: not every aircraft labelled as a 777 models VNAV, autothrottle, radio tuning or autoland accurately.

PMDG users can work through our PMDG 777 ILS setup and capture checks for MSFS, including NAV RAD entries, FMC selection and mode-annunciation faults.

Should I hand-fly the landing or use autoland?

Hand-flying is the better choice for learning the flare, centreline control and energy management; autoland is a separate procedure requiring the correct ILS, autopilot channels, annunciations and aircraft capability.

Do not assume that pressing APP creates an autoland. A high-fidelity model should progress through the expected landing-status annunciations and remain within its crosswind and system limits. Our guide to Boeing 777 autoland operation and monitoring explains that workflow without duplicating it here.

During a manual crosswind landing, remove most of the crab during the flare with rudder while using modest into-wind aileron. Avoid aggressive low-altitude bank or a large nose-up pull: the 777's size makes wing, engine and tail clearance more consequential than in a light aircraft.

When should I go around?

Go around whenever the approach is unstable, the runway is occupied, landing clearance or visual reference is lost, a warning remains unresolved, or the aircraft will not touch down within the planned landing zone.

Press TO/GA, confirm go-around thrust and follow the flight directors. Select the prescribed go-around flap—commonly flaps 20 from a normal landing configuration—confirm a positive climb, retract the gear and follow the published missed-approach path. Accelerate and retract the remaining flaps on schedule rather than cleaning up immediately close to the ground.