Improve landings in Microsoft Flight Simulator with stable approaches, better flare technique, control fixes and focused practice drills.
To improve your landings in Microsoft Flight Simulator, fly a stabilised approach at the aircraft’s correct reference speed, trim rather than fight the controls, aim beyond the runway threshold, flare gradually, and practise the same aircraft and runway repeatedly. If the approach is unstable, go around instead of trying to rescue it.
What a good MSFS landing looks like
A good landing reaches the planned touchdown area at the correct speed, aligned with the centreline and under positive directional control. It does not have to produce the lowest possible vertical-speed reading; floating halfway down the runway to obtain a soft touchdown is a poor landing.
The principles apply to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024, although aircraft flight models, cockpit systems and assistance options differ. Use the aircraft’s checklist, operating data or flight computer for speeds rather than copying a number from another aeroplane. Our simulator-specific landing sequence from final approach through rollout covers the basic procedure in more depth.
A repeatable approach and flare
Consistency comes from preparing the aircraft early and making small corrections before the runway threshold.
- Standardise the setup. Use one familiar aircraft, a long runway, daylight and calm weather. Keep the cockpit viewpoint and zoom unchanged because altering the eye position also alters the apparent flare sight picture.
- Configure before short final. Set landing flaps, confirm the landing gear where applicable, complete the checklist and establish a steady descent. Late configuration changes disturb pitch, trim and speed.
- Fly the correct speed. Use the published final-approach speed, VREF or VAPP appropriate to the aircraft and its weight. Excess speed causes floating; too little speed leaves insufficient energy to arrest the descent.
- Hold a stable path. Where a PAPI is available, two white and two red lights normally indicate that you are close to its designed glide path. Keep the chosen aiming point nearly stationary in the windscreen rather than chasing the runway threshold.
- Trim the pressure away. In most light aeroplanes, pitch primarily controls speed and power primarily adjusts the descent path, although the two remain coupled. Make a small change, allow the aircraft to respond, then retrim.
- Use a stabilisation gate. Around 500 feet above the runway is a useful visual-circuit checkpoint for a beginner, unless the aircraft’s procedure specifies something else. By then, the configuration, speed and path should be settled without large corrections. Otherwise, go around.
- Change your gaze during the round-out. As the runway fills the windscreen, look farther along it and raise the nose smoothly enough to reduce the descent. Many light piston aircraft have power reduced towards idle during this phase; jets require their own flare and thrust-reduction procedure.
- Do not force the touchdown. In a tricycle-gear aircraft, allow the main wheels to touch before lowering the nosewheel gently. Maintain centreline with rudder, preserve any required into-wind aileron and apply progressive braking after directional control is established.
Why do my MSFS landings float, bounce or hit hard?
Floating usually means excess speed or power, while hard touchdowns normally begin with an unstable descent or a late, abrupt flare.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Correction |
|---|---|---|
| Long float | Approach too fast, power left on, tailwind or excessive flare | Stabilise at the correct speed before the threshold. Go around if the remaining runway becomes doubtful rather than pushing the nose down. |
| Hard touchdown | High sink rate, low energy, looking immediately ahead of the nose or flaring too late | Recover the approach earlier, shift your gaze along the runway and begin a progressive round-out. |
| Balloon | Abrupt pitch input, often combined with excess speed | Hold a controlled attitude rather than pushing forward. Add power and go around if the balloon is significant. |
| Bounce or porpoise | Forcing the aircraft down or pitching forward after the first bounce | Never chase the runway with the nose. A substantial or repeated bounce calls for an immediate go-around. |
| Sideways touchdown | Crab not removed, bank correction released or rudder input mistimed | Align the longitudinal axis with the runway and prevent drift using the technique appropriate to that aircraft. |
| Veering after touchdown | Late rudder, unequal braking, a noisy axis or conflicting assistance | Check rudder and brake calibration, then use small directional inputs while keeping the controls positioned for the wind. |
If the approach is stable but the final few seconds remain inconsistent, our guide to diagnosing trim, sight picture and flare timing isolates the causes of abrupt touchdowns.
Control settings that affect touchdown
Correct calibration and a consistent cockpit view make precise landing inputs much easier.
- Check every axis: confirm that pitch, roll, rudder and brake indicators centre properly and travel smoothly through their full range.
- Use only enough dead zone: add a small dead zone when an axis jitters at neutral. Too much creates a gap in which small corrections produce no response.
- Adjust sensitivity carefully: a gentler response near the centre can help with a short joystick or gamepad, but an excessively flat curve encourages late, oversized movements.
- Keep the viewpoint fixed: learning from the cockpit builds a repeatable runway picture. Switching between external and cockpit cameras during final approach makes flare timing harder to judge.
- Prefer stable frame pacing: a stutter during the round-out disrupts visual timing. Reduce demanding settings if performance consistently deteriorates near detailed airports.
Should I use landing assists?
Use visual aids to learn the approach geometry, but avoid assists that move the flight controls for you once you are practising technique. They can conceal poor speed control and may fight joystick or rudder inputs.
Automatic rudder is a reasonable accessibility compromise when no yaw axis is available. It does mean that crosswind alignment and rudder coordination are not being practised directly, so disable it before diagnosing unexplained yaw if suitable controls are available.
What is the best way to practise landings?
The fastest way to improve is controlled repetition with one variable changed at a time, not a succession of full flights in different aircraft.
- Choose one forgiving trainer, one runway, calm weather and a consistent aircraft weight.
- Begin far enough from the runway to establish configuration, speed and trim before short final.
- After each attempt, assess approach stability, threshold speed, centreline alignment and touchdown position—not softness alone.
- Correct one fault on the next attempt. Changing speed, flap setting, viewpoint and control sensitivity together makes the result impossible to diagnose.
- Once several calm-wind approaches are repeatable, vary weight, runway length and wind gradually.
Our method for building repeatable MSFS landing sessions explains how to remove unnecessary variables. After restarting an approach, always recheck trim, flaps, gear, power and autopilot state; a reset does not always leave the aircraft configured as expected.
When should I add crosswind landings?
Add crosswinds only after calm-weather approaches and flares are repeatable, beginning with a steady light wind rather than gusts.
Judge the crosswind component relative to the runway heading, not from the reported wind speed alone. Practise holding a crab on final, preventing lateral drift and aligning the aircraft for touchdown without losing the centreline. Our step-by-step treatment of crab, de-crab and wing-low control covers that skill without mixing it into basic flare practice.