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Intercepting localizer while already in the middle of it


kimpoaja

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Hi,

 

I spent some time, for like an hour, searching for an answer to my question/problem without finding one. So my apologies if this has been reviewed before.

 

(Just some rambling for two paragraphs) FSX has been my primary flight sim now for ten years (some 1000+ landings - mainly with visual rules though) without ever having problems with ILS landings or intercepting the localizer and the glideslope. I've always used ATC guidance but now I'm transferring into X-Plane 11 and at the same time learning more like real world flight route planning since the X-Plane's ATC is... well it sucks. (I did some research and there seems to be some great addon ATC's but that's beside the point).

 

So I'm flying without the ATC at the moment and been planning my short routes only with departure, arrival and approach charts (always using SIDs and STAR's when available) and longer routes also with online flight planners. With both cases I always end up lined up with the runway way farther than with FSX's ATC guidance and this has created an unforeseeable problem: I'm already at the middle of the localizer instead of still being vectored at an angle into it when I activate VOR/LOC or Approach. I've activated the VOR/LOC or Approach mode immediately after the last waypoint before the runway.

 

The diamonds (of course) can be found at PFD but the autopilot never disables the altitude hold and lateral navigation when already flying at the middle of the localizer. Is this a feature of the ILS or should it work and does it work in real life? Anyway I have not found any other solution so far but to skip the last or couple of last waypoints and vector myself at an angle into the runway line.

 

The plane is default 737.

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The glideslope should be acquired no later than 2,500 ft AGL.

 

Assuming the runway does have a glideslope (you don't indicate which runway you are attempting). You approach the glideslope from beneath, so the above indicates you are attempting to connect with the ILS too high - what you shold be doing is getting to a stable, level approach speed, almost at landing configuration (`almost` being flaps not quite at landing, gear down, stable power and pitch) with the slideslope diamond above your aircraft.

 

Assuming the glideslope does exist for the runway in question, when the aircraft acquires the g/s (as the diamond reaches the middle of the screen) the aircraft will gently pitch down to maintain the glideslope - indicating acquisition. From there you control the speed and descent with power and flaps.

 

http://www.navfltsm.addr.com/ils.htm

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