How do I land an aircraft in a flight simulator?

To land an aircraft in a flight simulator, establish a stabilised approach at the correct speed, align with the runway, extend flaps and landing gear as required, control the descent with power and pitch, flare just above the runway, reduce power, touch down on the main wheels, then brake while holding the centreline.

The underlying aviation technique is broadly the same in Microsoft Flight Simulator, X-Plane, Prepar3D and FSX, although control feel and assistance settings differ. Aircraft-specific speeds, flap limits and procedures always come from its checklist or operating handbook; there is no single approach speed that works for every aeroplane.

How do you set up and fly the landing?

A good landing begins well before the flare, with the aircraft slowed, trimmed and configured early enough to make only small corrections on final.

1. Choose a suitable runway. Start with a long, wide runway in daylight and light winds. Check the wind direction and land into wind where practical; a tailwind raises groundspeed, lengthens the landing and makes floating more likely.
2. Prepare the aircraft. Reduce speed gradually, select flaps within their permitted speed range and lower retractable landing gear. Complete the aircraft's landing checklist rather than relying on memory alone. A forgiving trainer is easier for learning these habits; our guide to using the Cessna 172 for flight-simulator training explains why it is a sensible starting point.
3. Turn onto final approach. Align the aircraft with the runway centreline and place a chosen touchdown-area reference at a steady position in the windscreen. Avoid chasing the runway with large bank or rudder inputs.
4. Stabilise the approach. Hold the recommended indicated airspeed, landing configuration and a consistent descent path. For light-aircraft visual practice, 500 feet above the runway is a useful decision point; many instrument and airline procedures require stabilisation earlier.
5. Control speed and glide path. In a conventional light aircraft, pitch is used mainly to correct airspeed and power mainly to adjust the descent path, although both controls interact. If the aiming point rises in the windscreen, the aircraft is tending to land short; if it moves down, the aircraft is tending to overshoot.
6. Cross the threshold under control. Keep looking along the runway rather than immediately in front of the nose. Make small corrections and do not fix a poor approach with a steep dive, abrupt pull-up or excessive sideslip close to the ground.
7. Flare and touch down. Smoothly raise the nose enough to reduce the descent rate while reducing power as the aircraft's procedure requires. Let a tricycle-gear aircraft settle onto its main wheels first; do not force it onto the runway or push the nose down after a bounce.
8. Complete the rollout. Lower the nosewheel gently, keep straight with rudder or appropriate steering, and brake progressively. Use spoilers, reverse thrust or aerodynamic braking only if the simulated aircraft is equipped for them and the procedure calls for their use.

Microsoft Flight Simulator users can also follow our cockpit-by-cockpit MSFS landing sequence for simulator-specific handling from approach setup through braking.

What approach speed and descent rate should you use?

Use the aircraft's published approach speed for its weight and flap configuration, not a speed copied from a different model.

• Indicated airspeed: Fly the specified approach or reference speed shown in the checklist, handbook or aircraft documentation.
• Wind correction: A headwind changes groundspeed but does not by itself justify flying below the published indicated speed. Add a gust correction only where the aircraft's procedure recommends one.
• Descent rate: On an approximate three-degree glide path, multiply groundspeed in knots by five to estimate feet per minute. At 70 knots groundspeed, that is about 350 feet per minute; at 140 knots, about 700.
• Trim: Trim away sustained control pressure once speed and configuration are settled. A badly out-of-trim aircraft encourages overcorrection during the flare.

Being slightly fast may feel safer, but excess energy is one of the most common causes of floating and running out of runway. Being too slow leaves little margin above the stall and produces large control inputs or a sudden sink.

When should you flare the aircraft?

Begin the flare when the runway appears to widen rapidly and the aircraft reaches the normal flare height for that type.

In a light trainer this happens only a few feet above the surface; a large transport begins its flare considerably higher. Shift your gaze towards the far end of the runway, smoothly increase pitch and allow the speed to decay while arresting the descent. The goal is a shallow hold-off, not an attempt to climb.

An early flare causes ballooning or a high sink as speed falls. A late flare produces a firm touchdown because the descent has not been arrested. Fixed cockpit views, excessive zoom and sitting virtually too high or low can distort the visual cue, so establish a repeatable eye position before practising.

Why does the aircraft bounce, float or land hard?

Most poor simulator landings come from an unstable approach, excess speed, incorrect flare timing or control inputs that are too abrupt.

For finer control of the aiming point, flare and touchdown, see our focused techniques for making flight-simulator landings smoother and more consistent.

When should you go around?

Go around whenever the approach is no longer stable, aligned or likely to end with a safe touchdown in the available runway.

• The aircraft is substantially fast, slow, high or low.
• The landing gear or required configuration is not confirmed.
• Large control corrections are still needed close to the runway.
• A crosswind is beyond your ability or the aircraft's stated limit.
• The aircraft balloons, bounces heavily or touches down too far along the runway.
• Traffic, an obstruction or poor visibility makes continuing unsafe.

Apply go-around power, control pitch, arrest the descent and establish a positive climb. Retract flaps and landing gear in the sequence specified for that aircraft; removing all flap at once can cause a dangerous sink. A go-around is a normal landing outcome, not a failed attempt.

Should you use an ILS or autopilot to land?

An ILS helps you follow the runway centreline and glide path, but it does not automatically make every aircraft capable of landing itself.

Use the localiser and glideslope to improve approach accuracy, then disconnect the autopilot at the height required by the aircraft or procedure and land manually unless the model has a properly configured autoland system. Our MSFS 2024 ILS setup and capture guidance covers the instrument sequence without treating the ILS as an automatic landing button.

How should you practise simulator landings?

The fastest way to improve is to repeat short traffic circuits in one aircraft, with consistent weather and runway conditions.

• Begin in calm wind, then add headwind, crosswind and turbulence separately.
• Use the same aircraft until approach speed, trim and sight picture become familiar.
• Calibrate pitch, roll, rudder and throttle axes; excessive sensitivity or a noisy throttle can ruin an otherwise correct approach.
• Disable piloting assists that apply automatic rudder, throttle or landing control if they conflict with your inputs.
• Review each attempt by approach stability, centreline control and touchdown point, not softness alone.

A home simulator is excellent for learning procedures, scan habits and energy management, but it cannot reproduce every control force, depth cue or consequence of a real landing. Real-world flight training must follow the aircraft handbook and an authorised instructor's direction.