Autopilot

[Majormonty]

Hi Folks

New to this site and just finding my feet or wings as such...

Im just wondering is there any way in FS 2004 to do an auto approach and landing so the plane will "line up" by itself so to speak?

Sorry if this has been asked before.

[CPSBruce]

Some of the addon aircraft have autoland capability, but the default autopilot will only get you to the airport. You still have to descend and land yourself.

[jwenting]

If there's an ILS on the runway, the autopilot will line you up on a proper descent but you'll have to bring it down in one piece yourself.

Which is good, it's always gratifying to beat the odds and not crash

[tigisfat]

what they mean is, the ILS and autopilot can line you up and fly you all the way down next to the ground where you must take over control to finish the last part of landing, the flare and touchdown.

There are modifications to the game which allow completely autopilot controlled landings.

[Majormonty]

Thanks a lot guys....

Yeah that's what Im looking for ILS to line me up etc...Dont mind landing myself but I just dont know how to set up ILS for approach.

Thanks.

[Thunderbird8]

This might help:

http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/showthread.php?t=182674

[Majormonty]

Thanks guys,

Ok..I managed to programme my approach etc into the GPS and do an approach to the airport with the nav/gps set to gps.

I also had the given runways ILS freq' programmed into NAV 1.

But as I get closer to the airport and switch from GPS to NAV and from app hold to Nav hold the plane will not descend at all.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

[CPSBruce]

But as I get closer to the airport and switch from GPS to NAV and from app hold to Nav hold the plane will not descend at all.

Unless your flying a plane with autoland, the autopilot will not descend for you. If you want the autopilot to control your descent, you'll have to lower the altitude setting in small increments.

[Flying Officer Jevans]

If it's captured the glidescope it should descend.
Make sure once you are approaching the airport that approach hold - APP - mode is engaged, with no other AP mode(except speed, if desired). Don't use normal nav hold, it won't work.

[CPSBruce]

If it's captured the glidescope it should descend.

Only way mine will descend is if I trim to point the nose down.
When I finally turn off altitude hold, I'm at something like 500 feet and seeing two white and two red on the VASI. Should've captured whatever it was going to by that time.