VASI Lights ?

How come the major runways at JFK have no VASI Lights ?

 

 

Jim

Hi Jim,

 

Are we taking RW or sim?

 

If RW - according to this info for JFK the airport has, depending on the runway, both PAPI and VASI lights. PAPI and VASI have the same function but do so in slightly different ways in which the lights are displayed.

 

If sim - the author of your chosen scenery has not added them. This can be done using a tool such as Airport Design Editor.

Hi Brian: You lost me a little with "RW" and "PAPI" ? ? ? I am talking about the FSX sim using Windows 7. I am only seeing VASI lights on two, I believe, of the many JFK runways. I am very surprised that the longest one, used for International flights, and the one that I most frequently use, does not have VASI lights ? The lights that I am most familiar seeing are the horizontal 4 red and white ones, and I assume that these are VASI ? ? ?

 

 

Jim

International flights are more likely to use an ILS than making a visual landing using the VASI.

By the way: RW indicates Real World we all share, theoretically, as opposed the "world" in the sim.

 

PAPI lights are the 4 lights, about 300' past the touchdown point, that are red if you're too low, white if you're two high, and 2 red, 2 white if you're right on glide slope.

Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI).

"All white, you're alright, all red, you're dead" is the mnemonic for them.

 

Pat☺

Hi Jim,

 

Pat has given you the rquired info regarding your RW and PAPI question.....

 

Further to his comments regarding PAPIs - they can also be present at smaller airports and airfields in a two light configuration. Also, like VASIs, they can be positioned on either side of the runway or both. The most standard configuration is for them to be positioned on the left hand side of the runway only.

 

For more info on the difference between PAPI and VASI see this link

 

If you look at the page I linked in my original post you will see that the RW longest runway (13R/31L and the one that I assume you are using most in the sim) does not have VASIs but PAPIs located on the left hand side - as does runways 4L/22R and 4R/22L. Only runway 13L/31R has VASIs.

 

What the sim airport has configured is very much in the hands of the developer who made it. The only real way to confirm what has been configured is to use, as mentioned in my original post, a airport scenery tool to open the file and view what options are set for the runway approach lighting.

WOW ! Great information guys, you have really helped me. So if I understand you correctly, VASI are vertical and PAPI are horizontal. And I guess that the big runways use ILS, which is something that I had better learn to use. So what's the best way to learn to use ILS in the Sim ?

 

Jim

So what's the best way to learn to use ILS in the Sim ?

Either take the included Lessons in the sim, or go to Navfltsim.

Ok, I just looked at NavFltSim, and it appears to be down, but that may be something I'm doing. I'll check again later.

Looks like you're either stuck with the lessons included with the sim, or reading through forum posts. I've seen a number of post that explain it very well.

Alternatively, you can try the "trial and error" method. Plug a runway's ILS freq into Nav1, set your OBS arrow to the runway heading, and do patterns around the airport, doing touch-n-goes until your sick of them. You will see very quickly how the instruments tell you what you need to know to fly down to the runway. I suggest using the default C172 for all this. Set up with the plane on the upwind side of the pattern, 1000' AGL, at normal cruise speed, so you can learn how/when to slow down to what speeds. Save the flight, then make patterns. That way, you can come back and practice all you like. I do not recommend starting with a tube. Keep It Simple, Stu...dent! Ha! Thought I was gonna say another word, dincha! :p

 

Good luck to ya, and remember, there aren't always ILS at an airport. Usually are at the big, commercial type airports, but it's best to learn all this at a smaller airport with an ILS you can use. Less confusion as to what's going on that way. Focus an making a really good pattern, with the ILS. And making a good landing. Then you can step up to a complex aircraft, then multi-engine complex, etc etc.

After all that, work on good patterns and landing at airports without a navaid, like an ILS. Bit more challenging.

Don't add in any kind of weather until you get really good at making patterns and landings. Once again, K.I.S.S. !

 

Have fun!

Pat☺