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autopilot nav and approach modes


pollito

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The NAV and APP modes are modes, or methods of operations, not frequencies. Among other things, they are sensitivity settings, so that APP mode is four times as sensitive as the NAV mode -- after all, you're generally closer and tolerances of being on course are tighter -- so basically NAV is used for enroute (VORs) and APP is used for instrument approaches, especially the localizer approaches and ILS approaches.

 

Localizer signals are on 40 odd-numbered* navigation frequencies between 108.10 MHz and 111.95 MHz, while VORs are on the even-numbered frequencies# in that range AND ALSO on all the other frequencies up through 117.95 MHz. Above that (118.0 to 136.95 MHz) is for radio communications with ATC, Unicom, air-to-air and more.

 

You can get a tremendous amount of information about this and other subjects from the FAA web site: faa.gov but there are instrument flying lessons built in to the sim and Wikipedia is also a wonderful resource, whether you are looking up NDB or aileron or stringer.

 

__________________________________

* Actually it's the first digit AFTER the decimal point that must be odd.

 

#Actually it's the first digit AFTER the decimal point that must be even.

 

Larry N.

As Skylab would say:

Remember: Aviation is NOT an exact Science!

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Good info, as always, Larry! You're a walking encyclopedia of aviation! :D Special thanks to the "original" Mickey Mouse Club for the spelling of encyclopedia!

 

Edited by mrzippy

Still thinking about a new flightsim only computer!  ✈️

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Nav Mode

is opposite of

GPS Mode.

 

Gps Mode:

AutoPilot flys the plane as the GPS plan says.

 

Nav-Mode:

Autopilot follows HDG, Alt, VS, that you set in the AP Windows.

Or follows to a selected mode like:

Approach-Mode during ILS

or

VOR-LOC when enroute.

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]
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Actually the 2 things that you mentioned in post #1 do, indeed, use the same Nav1 frequency. Does that answer your question? :confused:

 

images.jpeg

Edited by mrzippy

Still thinking about a new flightsim only computer!  ✈️

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I guess that's one way to put it, Charlie, but those modes don't actually use any frequencies- the NAV radio receivers DO use frequencies, but the modes are part of the auto-pilot, not of the radios.

 

Larry N.

As Skylab would say:

Remember: Aviation is NOT an exact Science!

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hmm... a bit to much to chew,,,a simpler answer will be appreciated.

dont think I dont thank your help tho.

 

As I said above: "The NAV and APP modes are modes, or methods of operations, not frequencies." The NAV radios have frequencies but the modes are part of the autopilot, NOT of the navigation radios.

 

Your question seems to say that you're not aware that autopilot and radio receivers are separate pieces of equipment that tie into each other.

 

If it's still not clear, then please specify what the actual confusion is. But Nels' answer is the simplest possible.

 

Larry N.

As Skylab would say:

Remember: Aviation is NOT an exact Science!

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ok, ok...Im just a poor ol fart who doesnt know crap about flying a plane.

what I thot was, that if I approached an airport with autopilot and ILS set, the plane would turn when, the ils signal was engaged.

and when the approach autopilot was set, the plane would not only turn towads the strip but would aslo glide down to land,

let me put in more simple terms:

my plane is sitting in migs field in chicago facing north.

I want to be able to land in chigaco ahaire by just clicking full throat and when approachin the strip only lower the speed.

what do I do to do that?

thank you

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my plane is sitting in migs field in chicago facing north.

I want to be able to land in chigaco ahaire by just clicking full throat and when approachin the strip only lower the speed.

what do I do to do that?

thank you

 

Hand fly the plane for the 5 minute flight.

http://www.air-source.us/images/sigs/000219_195_jimskorna.png
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  • Founder

If you don't know the basics, maybe you shouldn't skip ahead like this...

 

Using an autopilot and doing an ILS approach are considered advanced flying skills. If you try to do those without learning the basics first, you're just setting yourself up for frustration.

 

Most of the sims have lessons built right in. There's also a wealth of online information that can be used to learn how to fly.

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OK, that's about a 30 mile flight, maybe a little less. You never said what aircraft you are using. I would have my NAV1 radio setup with the ILS freq. for the runway at O'hare that you want to land on. Take off from Meigs and climb to about 1500 feet. Be sure you are within 30 degrees of the runway heading. Once you pick up the localizer, your aircraft should start the turn within 16 miles of the start of the runway. When you pick up the glide slope, at about 9 miles out, you should start to descend towards the runway. When you are close, turn off the A/P and hand fly your landing.

 

Good luck! Hope the crash and fire trucks are close by! ;)

Still thinking about a new flightsim only computer!  ✈️

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If you don't know the basics, maybe you shouldn't skip ahead like this...

 

Using an autopilot and doing an ILS approach are considered advanced flying skills. If you try to do those without learning the basics first, you're just setting yourself up for frustration.

 

Most of the sims have lessons built right in. There's also a wealth of online information that can be used to learn how to fly.

 

As Nels suggests, Don't try to use autopilot and ILS if you haven't yet mastered the basics.

Learn to fly first, then come back after you've flown and mastered the lessons Nels suggests... You are so out of touch with the simulator there is no poiint in us advising you at this point...

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my plane is sitting in migs field in chicago facing north.

I want to be able to land in chigaco ahaire by just clicking full throat and when approachin the strip only lower the speed.

what do I do to do that?

Quick and simple, you don't. Read Nels' post again. And don't expect auto-takeoff or autoland, since it won't do that.

 

First, you need to set up the avionics (radios, etc.) for your specific situation, which requires some understanding of radio navigation and aircraft systems. Then you have to do some hand flying for takeoff, engage the autopilot in the proper mode to take you to O'Hare, then finish raio setup for the ILS approach, then manually fly the airplane for the last little bit of the approach and land the aircraft.

 

And just as another hint, you DON'T land an airplane by forcing it on the ground. Instead, you get it just above the runway at the proper airspeed and, with much reduced power, try to keep it off of the ground.

 

So let's go back to what Nels said: "If you don't know the basics, maybe you shouldn't skip ahead like this..." "Using an autopilot and doing an ILS approach are considered advanced flying skills." "Most of the sims have lessons built right in."

 

So use those lessons to learn the basics. There is a reason why it requires a bare minimum, legally, of 40 hours (in the air) of flight training, plus a considerable amount of time and effort for ground school JUST FOR THE PRIVATE TICKET. Then there is another bare MINIMUM of 40 hours of flight training and an even more difficult ground school in order to get an instrument rating. So it is possible to get through that much, typically, in about 100 hours of flying and many, many, many hours of ground study, and at that point you're just barely qualified to do some of the least demanding instrument flying.

 

Having said all that, there are many ways to do things in the sim that take a lot more knowledge and skill in the real world, but it's still not a 10 minute instant pilot rating. You still need to start with some of the basics, such as straight and level flight, turns, climbs and descents, plus traffic pattern, finding the runway, speed changes and landing, to oversimplify it a bit, and that does take a fair chunk of time and effort.

 

And you didn't even indicate which aircraft you're trying to use, which also makes a difference since different aircraft have different handling characteristics and different systems - not a one-size-fits-all.

 

So at this point you really need to spend some time with the basic lessons in your sim.

 

Larry N.

As Skylab would say:

Remember: Aviation is NOT an exact Science!

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It occurred to me that I should perhaps add one last point. We can certainly answer questions here, and guide you towards what you want to know, but we cannot learn FOR you, so please take our comments as an attempt to help you into a very complex subject (or set of subjects), but it requires a lot of "learnin'."

 

Larry N.

As Skylab would say:

Remember: Aviation is NOT an exact Science!

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coyote.jpg

 

I'm a poor ol fart, as you put it, with a Private ticket, and what you want, would challenge us also. Flight Sim is a great thing, but you won't be able to fly RW jetliners by learning on here! Start with the basics, you may advance to the stage of ILS, but it is going to take a LONG time for that to happen! JMHO!:rolleyes:

 

Rick! :cool::cool:

 

Oh, last evening I flew a night time round trip flight from Charleston, SC to Raleigh Durham, NC, 211 miles each way in a Boeing 727, not really qualified to fly ILS, let alone a Boeing 727, but I did learn on here, one step at a time, with the basics of flight with a PPL! Takes a very long time, so be prepared!

Edited by Downwind66
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Hello,

just some words to help :

on the airport charts (by instance navigraph) you'll see the altitude to be when approaching the airport.

To intercept correctly the glide slope you MUST be under it when activating the APPR (or APR) switch on the AutoPilot.(the "losange" sign begins to move downward).

When crossing the glide, your ALT light will be swiched off, the A.P. takes hand on the altitude.

 

For more details and explanations, visit my site.

 

Good Flights

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very good answer about the ILS, except that about "picking up the glide slop about nine miles out and the plane will start to descend"

but what about approach mode?

thank you

 

APP/APR should be pushed any time after picking up the MORSE code identifier. That's usually around 26 miles out from the airport.

Still thinking about a new flightsim only computer!  ✈️

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All airport runway ILS frequencies also emit a MORSE CODE identifier that you will hear, providing that you have the NAV1 audio button engaged.

 

Example: KSFO runway 28 right ILS freq is 111.700. The Identifier is IGWQ. Those 4 letters are broadcast in MORSE CODE.

Still thinking about a new flightsim only computer!  ✈️

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