Instrument Landings (ILS)

Hello All,

 

I have not been as loyal to FSX lately, but maybe part relates to my frustration about ILS landings. Not something earth shattering (Maybe I should say plane shattering!) with respect to topics here, but here goes...

Does not matter what jet I pick. Seems even though I use a careful controlled approach, sometimes despite having hit the "APP" button, the aircraft will decide not to descent and continues to the runway in that manner. I have to click off the AP and wing it, but today, the aircraft developed a wander attitude and goes adrift despite "Manual control" on aerilons and rudder. A real mind of its own. If there something I am missing? This problem started a year+ ago but is not always for certain, but very annoying. If you kill the AP button, this should also shut down the APP, right? The aircraft today was the stock 747. Initially, the ac will make the turn to line up with the runway at the OM but, as I said, it will maintain its altitude and it takes me a minute to realize it.

 

I have been doing the ILS landings for years on FSX and do not recall any issues unless I caused them to happen.

 

Redd

Some stupid questions spring to mind:

Is your Nav1 radio tuned to the correct ILS frequency?

Have you switched from GPS to NAV mode?

Are you approaching the glideslope from below?

 

Sent from my KFDOWI using Tapatalk

Well, since the aircraft picks up the localizdr and makes the turn towards the runway, that's a good sign. Now, are the pink triangles in the PFD, indicating that you also have a glideslope present? No pink triangles equals no automatic descent towards the runway. ;)

One other issue I've found confuses people. You have to first be in Navigation mode, have the signal, and also be below the glide-slope with Altitude Hold on. If you're already too high it won't descend. ;)

 

Michael

OK, Thanks all, I think first I will check my approach being sure to be below the glide slope. The rest I have always arranged panel wise but certainly will recheck them.

Redd - Good suggestions above. Another I might suggest us going to the site Skyvector. On flight sim, I mainly do Localizer only approaches, which is basically ILS approaches without ATC's assistance.

 

By going to the appropriate airport listing, you will see the altitude you need to be at, for the ILS glidescope to "kick in!"

 

Let me try to transfer this approach chart over to this:

 

 

Well, let's see if this will open once I click Post. In this example you want to have your aircraft at

2000' ! As others have suggested, if you are above 2000" the ILS glide scope will never kick in! Oh, and it will even tell you when the glidescope will kick in, this example says 6 miles!

 

Good luck, I hope with what others have given you and my 2 cents, this will help! Good luck, I wouldn't land large aircraft in major airports any other way!

 

Rick :cool::cool:

Thanks Downwind. I am familiar with IFR plates but never used them. Not IFR rated and there is really too much info on there. I am as sharp as a donut (Taken from this video of JFK controller Kennedy Steve) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTYRqgEPdoM. It must be the aircraft but it was fine up to now, an add on. Next I will try the stock FSX 747 but I believe it has happened with that as well. One question, I wonder if FSX randomly shuts down the ILS to make your day. This I thought could be likely.

What, like they're "picking on you?" NAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!

 

But John, I'm not IFR rated either, but, if I want to make good ILS or Localizer Only landings, I have to use whatever it takes to make the landings something to smile about!

 

What plane are you mainly using and what airport do you mainly fly int and out of?

 

Rick :cool::cool:

Edited May 23, 2020 by Downwind66

The following might be of interest to you.

 

A few years ago I created a " Synthetic ILS " instrument that enables ILS style Precision landings at any

of the Runways of the 24,491 Airports in the simulator database .

You select (a) an Airport , (b) the Runway desired , © the Runway end direction desired , the instrument then generates an ILS aimpoint at 6% of that Runway length .

The Synthetic ILS is presented in the usual Command bar display of ILS instruments .

The instrument is available freeware here at the Flightsim library ,

 

a brief description of it is at post # 1 of this link ,

https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/showthread.php?312954-Synthetic-ILS-instrument-For-every-Runway-at-every-Airport/page7

 

at post # 8 a screen shot shows an example where a Synthetic ILS and a normal Radio NAVAID ILS are run side by side .

 

This instrument provides much more information than the usual ILS , it includes a 16 page set of notes and several screenshot visual descriptions .

 

Anyway have a look at the linked information , it might be of interest to you .

 

Cheers

Karol

Edited May 24, 2020 by COBS

That gauge ^^ is a fantastic addon to any plane.

I've used it on a number of planes, and I love it. I strongly suggest, especially for doing IFR recoveries, that you utilize it!

 

Have fun with it. it rocks!

Pat☺

That gauge ^^ is a fantastic addon to any plane.

I've used it on a number of planes, and I love it. I strongly suggest, especially for doing IFR recoveries, that you utilize it!

 

Have fun with it. it rocks!

Pat☺

 

Pat - That's what you need flying into Kingsley RWY 32. Such a nice airport, but the approach can be testy coming in from the south!

 

Rick :cool:

Yeah, it is. I've looked over the approach plates for Kingsley. Definately can be interesting. Hard altitudes, specific speeds...

 

I've seen that before, too. MCAS Yuma has the same kind of stuff, for it's military approaches. MCAS has nukes aboard, though, and a LAAMBn (Light Anti Aircraft Missile Battalion) battery. I have never seen them fire off a missile, but they're there to help defend the base.

 

It's funny, too. They're located downrange for the base's rifle range, and during the training for the guards of the areas where the weapon bunkers are, they often get a little excitable, and fire their weapons full auto. They wanna be bad-a$$es, so they forget everything we teach them and fire their full magazines from the hip. No control. Sadly, their muzzles invariably climb, and some of their rounds go over the berm in the butts. And guess just exactly where they land...yep, 2ND LAAMBn. Their buildings are full of patched up holes.

The coaches scream and yell at the shooters, 2ND LAAMBn screams and yells at the base CO, he screams and yells at the base SgtMaj, he screams and yells at the Station Training CO, HE screams and yells at the guys that fired the rounds, and us for letting them. About once a month, lots of screaming and yelling. ANYwho...

 

I haven't seen any evidence of a LAAMBn here, or the Air Force equivalent, or bunkers for "special" weapons, but the runway is long enough, and has a high enough weight rating, they COULD either have special weapons aboard, or be able to accept transports that could carry them in.

 

Lots to think about. We ARE the only F-15 training base the AF has, too. From what I've seen, it wouldn't take much to make the planes fully mission capable.

 

Anywho, I ramble, sorry. Have fun all!

Pat☺

Is the six miles on the plate from your airplane to the runway or six ground miles--nautical or statute?

Is the six miles on the plate from your airplane to the runway or six ground miles--nautical or statute?

 

Okay, Jim, I'll try to say this the best I can. 6 miles, it would be the miles you would have to walk to the runway from the point in the landing that it feels like the bottom has dropped out from under your aircraft seat, and according to the plate (see attached) it says nautical miles. Also, see where I have circled, this all adds up to 6 miles! I guess you can call that 6 nautical ground miles! :rolleyes:

 

 

Rick :cool:

Edited May 26, 2020 by Downwind66

I had the same problem, then one day after another failure, the light bulb went on. I realized I was approaching too high. I began paying more attention to the charts I use and realized I should be at 1600 or 2100 or 1300, depending on the airport. I began paying more attention to this point, and it all began to click. Haven't had a bad landing since.

I had the same problem, then one day after another failure, the light bulb went on. I realized I was approaching too high. I began paying more attention to the charts I use and realized I should be at 1600 or 2100 or 1300, depending on the airport. I began paying more attention to this point, and it all began to click. Haven't had a bad landing since.

 

Ron - I think it's been that way for all of us. Once we got it, it comes so simple! I kept hearing, "you have to approach from below the glide scope!" Once you realize you have been approaching all too high in the past, everything seemed to click! Yes, you got to check the charts, there is no "one size fits all!"

 

Thanks Ron! - Rick :cool::cool:

Well, since the aircraft picks up the localizdr and makes the turn towards the runway, that's a good sign. Now, are the pink triangles in the PFD, indicating that you also have a glideslope present? No pink triangles equals no automatic descent towards the runway. ;)

 

 

Pink? Son, I may be colorblind but I believe those are magenta. :D

 

Did I mention I was colorblind? LOL

 

And I'd call those needles, not triangles. "Align the needles center line and guide her on in."

Edited May 28, 2020 by CRJ_simpilot

OP, I didn't read the whole thread, but it sounds like you need to do several circuits at your favorite and familiar airport doing ILS touch and go's. Soon enough you'll have it down pat.

 

 

I'm not a professional pilot by any means, but my personal rule of thumb in the Sim is to be 1,800' AGL of the local airport elevation (surrounding terrain given) before I hit the OM on approach. If you're at least 1,800' AGL from the runway on approach you should be able to catch the glideslope each and every single time. Now granted with some airports and where they're at this is not possible due to terrain. But for me it's a general rule of thumb that I follow without the use of an approach plate. And I've been to more countries than I can count up to and including no man's land Mongolia and never once crashed. Only when I'm goofing around.

Edited May 28, 2020 by CRJ_simpilot