How do I land the aircraft like they do IRL?

From FlightSim

Q:

I've been flying FS2000 for a couple of weeks now, I've passed the private pilot test. I'm ok navigating from vor->vor but the problem I'm having is getting to the airport's runways. Does anybody know what I have to do to get my plane lined up from miles out instead of flying to an airport and circling around till I get on the line with the runway. I'm sure real planes don't do that *smile*

A:

There is usually a traffic pattern you have to enter, and fly, once you get to the airport limits - an entry, a downwind, base, and final leg. Not too many landings are made straight-in, especially IFR (which use special entry patterns, like STARs). There is some information in the FS2000 manual. But if you want to land straight-in, the runway number is the rough heading for the landing, i.e. you'd land on runway 27 by flying a heading of 270 degrees, so you'd want to be east of the airport when you turned final. (If you want the exact heading, look at the MAP View and click on the airport) If you're flying cross-country, make sure you arrive at the destination airport at the proper heading for the runway you want to use.