Ask about ILS

I'm a rookie for FSX, recently thanks your advices i was been able to follow a flight plan by GPS. Now i'd like make landings guided by the ILS, i've tried many times, but i cannot get it.

Could you help me ? Please tell me step by step.

This is the cockpit of the Lockheed U2 with the AutoPilot and Radio .

Set the ILS frequency on NAV 1.

Intercept the ILS at around 30 degrees and just below the glideslope, then turn on "approach" on the auto pilot and that will take you down the approach. You will of course need to control speed and flaps yourself.

At around 200 feet above the runway, you can switch the autopilot off and land manually.

IAN

Other than entering an ILS frequency into the radio, you have to set up the instruments to proper headings. Those are manual instruments there.

No - you don't have to set up any instruments.

Two common misconceptions new pilots have:

1) If you activate the Approach mode too far away from the runway, the autopilot will have ILS (directional) control only and no GS (glideslope altitude control.) To solve this, only activate APP mode AFTER the GS marker has appeared at the top of your Attitude Indicator.

2) Your altitude before attempting to capture the GS must be such that your Attitude Indicator displays the GS needle above half way. If you use approach charts, the correct GS capture altitude is shown, if not, the rule of thumb which always works is around 12 - 14 miles from the runway, use an altitude between 3000 and 4000 feet ABOVE GROUND LEVEL of the Airport (AGL.) You have chosen to learn ILS approaches in an aircraft which is more difficult than average. Try learning on a simpler aircraft like the Cessna and work your way up to complex aircraft.

-Pv-

No - you don't have to set up any instruments.

that's tight, don't have to set the heading for ILS, you do have to set it when flying a VOR radial however, these VOR instruments are static instruments.

The VOR1 on my photo is set to ILS, and VOR2 is set to the airport's VOR. If I am to rotate the OBS on the instrument, the needle will deviate.

I assume everyone sets course on the airliner-type HSI instrument to have an idea of where you are going ))))

If you want to track a glideslope, make sure the approach HAS a glideslope --

You may be trying a LOC (localizer only) approach by accident.

I can't see your HSI or VOR#1on your picture, so I don't know if you have GS or not.

c119:

Here's my input to add to the pool of suggestions above.

It's important to monitor and understand your instruments. And understand the relative position of your aircraft as it approaches the glide slope. I've enabled the Visual Flight Path feature for reference.

Set NAV 1 Frequency to 108.9 (KTPA ILS RWY 36).

See photos below that illustrate an approach to the runway.

As you approach and descend to the runway, note heading, airspeed, altitude and especially the glide slope indicator . Once you've captured the glide slope and descend, you can kill the Autopilot. If you maintain a descent speed of around 85-90 knots, the Cessna 172 will fly a 3 degree glide slope without pilot intervention. Assuming fair weather and no cross winds. At maybe 300 - 400 feet, throttle down to 60 knots, grab the yoke and start a flare. Other user conditions will vary of course. Hope the photos by them selfs will be self explanatory will help.

Ron

The biggest "trick" to capturing a glideslope, I believe, is to start below it, and fly level, with the AP's APP button selected. As soon as the glideslope drops/you rise (by flying level into it's underside, essentially) into the glideslope beam, the AP will begin the descent, firmly attached to it. If you try to drop down into a glideslope beam, the AP will either ignore it, or, worse but more likely, nose the bird into the ground.

Me? I "hand-fly" my approaches, no matter what the plane. I always "follow the needles" but I do it, not the AP. Not that I don't trust it, it's 1) more fun and 2) better practice for when there IS no ILS or anything to use, like at bush strips for example. IMO it's the only way to fly, as the saying went :D

Then again, I avoid airliners like the plague. I stickt to military birds or civilian GA's. I'm not much of one for setting up the AP and FMC, then sitting there watching the computer fly the bird. I got the sim for the feel, and fun of flying, not "button-flying" for hours at a stretch. Yes, I sometimes use the AP for a drink of soda, or a quick smoke, but never for landing, and seldom otherwise.

But, that's just me :)

Pat☺

Then again, I avoid airliners like the plague. I stickt to military birds or civilian GA's. I'm not much of one for setting up the AP and FMC, then sitting there watching the computer fly the bird. I got the sim for the feel, and fun of flying, not "button-flying" for hours at a stretch. /QUOTE]

 

My two favorite AC are the Grumman Goose and the Acceleration Pack F18. Auto Pilot is used only to pass time between short and long hauls. I mean, I do have chores to do around the house :) I’ll check the GPS map occasionally to verify position between origin and destination. VFR mostly, so conversation with ATC is minimum.

I enjoy getting in the air and landing either AC using the stick. And, I’m a big fan of VASI and PAPI visuals.

 

Theres a list of FSX water ways I use for the Grumman http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=3513.

The Google Aviation Chart comes in handy to plan destinations back and forth across the continent with either AC http://www.iflightplanner.com/AviationCharts/

:) Ron

"If you try to drop down into a glideslope beam, the AP will either ignore it, or, worse but more likely, nose the bird into the ground. "

A skillful pilot can do this easily in a pinch but I agree capturing the GS while level with appropriate altitude below you is the preferred method. I wouldn't call it a "rule" that a late capture of a GS forces the plane into a doomed scenario. It's easier done in light planes than airliners obviously. I don't do this 500 feet above the ground either.

"I avoid airliners like the plague."

"I stickt to military birds or civilian GA's."

The original OP was asking how perform an ILS approach and was having trouble with the GS which a lot of new pilots struggle with because the actual button combos together with the technique and sim limitations makes this part non-intuitive, not whether it's something he ought to do or not and what plane he should be flying. There is nothing inherently wrong or disabled in airliners when it comes to ILS approaches.

While it's a mandatory skill to be able to fly a manual approach, you only need to fly online in a multiplayer session with 20 other real people flying around you, poor weather, near zero visibility, an airport you've never flown into before with mountain terrain while tuning radios between approach and tower real person ATC to appreciate the ILS/GS. You have one chance at a approach landing or a go-around sends you back into a long landing line up 30-40 miles long with few opportunities to get back in the flow without disrupting other player's approaches and avoiding terrain. In an airliner settling into the approach around 180 knots, things are happening fast with few or no opportunities to compensate for a mistake or bad timing. Add to that you have no second seat while working through the approach and landing checklists. You have to do the job of two people and the confidence at least ONE thing is going right- you are locked onto a valid approach allows you to free up a few brain cells for things like traffic awareness, flaps and gear, keeping your speed and position in the line of traffic separation and smooth radio communications, planning a possible go around, not to mention responding to wind shear and side gusts.

Like everything else in FS, automation skills are a wrench in the aviation toolbox. Everything has its place.

I fly airliners, military, and GA with bush flying online and offline. To each his own and nothing wrong with any of them.

-Pv-

Actually our OP is trying to fly a conventional g/s and ILS approach in a Lockheed U-2.

I cannot think of a worse aircraft to learn in than this. :confused:

The choice of aircraft dictates how precise one needs to be and the U-2 was notoriously difficult to fly and land. I'm not even sure it was capable of flying a conventinal glideslope approach, as they were certainly not equipped to do so as standard, so if the air file replicates the aircraft even remotely, then this is the worst possible choice to learn about an ILS on.

You cut your flying teeth on aircraft where the advice and guidance on the preceding pages actually MEANS something.

Perhaps we might actually give the OP some advice he can actually USE?

DO NOT use a U-2 to learn about glideslopes.

@pvarn: You are absolutely correct. I meant that it's merely the way I do things, not that it was the only way or the only "right thing" to do. I apologise if it came across that way. Certainly, under the circumstances you indicate, it is a vital tool, no question. I have never flown MP, and only very recently picked up FSX-SE, so now I'm able to much more easily. I am still getting FSX-SE set up, learning how it is different than FS9, the same, etc etc. It's a long curve :) I was just trying to share my personal experiences with the situation he was having trouble with. I've read innumerable threads about airliners plunging down after the pilot tries to intercept the GS from above, is all I was trying to get across.

So, once again, I apologize for giving the wrong impression. I don't always come across properly. I will try harder to be more understanding of others ways.

@Ron: Thank you! That PDF is very helpful indeed! As I mentioned, I'm still learning FSX-SE so every thing that helps is much appreciated! The Flightplanner I've used a few times before. I am not much of one for here-to-there planned flights, though. I just hop in, fly till the gas gets to bingo and land someplace. Or see how many times I can catch any wire on the boat. Real weather and time of day just add interesting circumstances to deal with :) Some times, if I have read a particularly interesting or educational article in Approach or Mech (Naval magazines I read avidly) I will try to duplicate the conditions and failures, etc, as best I can. FSX-SE is making it a lot better for all this, and I'm loving the learning "how-to" of it, as well as the how-to of various flying, problems and successes :)

Again, Thanx for the help!

Good flights and great landings to all!

Pat☺