Here's a video I took while doing practice takeoffs & landings Sunday. (And no, I wasn't trying to both fly and take the video at the same time... my instructor was at the controls).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E11hoxgTyPoNotice the various landmarks (small fields, lakes, water towers, buildings) used to mark turn-points and headings for the pattern. I've modified my FSX version of Ft. Meade airport to include those, so I can better practice my pattern work at home. In FSX I fly the France-VFR Socata TB9, for which I've adjusted the flight characteristics and instrument layout to better represent my training airplane. Also, I use Track-IR, EZdok camera addon, and NVidia 3-D Vision for more realistic visuals.
If only I had a 3-D motion platform....
