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Flying The ILS Approach And A Whole Lot More By PhrogPhlyer Flying by reference to instruments is a challenging skill to obtain. It requires an in-depth understanding of the air traffic control system, and a thorough knowledge of your aircraft's navigation equipment. But once obtained, it opens a whole new range of equipment and approaches to be flown. Although this tutorial is titled "Flying the ILS..." we will plan and execute a complete IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) flight from Trenton-Robbinsville Airport N87 to Philadelphia International Airport PHL. In doing so we will not only plan to end the flight by flying an ILS approach, but we will also explore IFR procedures and considerations from take-off to landing. IFR flight requires that you prepare, prepare, and then prepare some more. US FAR (Federal Aviation Regulations) state: 91.103 Preflight action. Each pilot in command shall, before beginning a flight, become familiar with all available information concerning that flight. This information must include: (a) For a flight under IFR or a flight not in the vicinity of an airport, weather reports and forecasts, fuel requirements, alternatives available if the planned flight cannot be completed, and any known traffic delays of which the pilot in command has been advised by ATC; (b) For any flight, runway lengths at airports of intended use, and the following takeoff and landing distance information: (1) For civil aircraft for which an approved Airplane or Rotorcraft Flight Manual containing takeoff and landing distance data is required, the takeoff and landing distance data contained therein... A lawyer most definitely wrote the phrase "all available information concerning that flight." In today's electronic world it is hard to imagine what the FAA would consider as not available. Realistically, IFR flight includes your usual proper flight planning with the addition of a more formal flight routing than you normally have for VFR (Visual Flight Rules). The reason it takes more preparation is partly in case something out of the ordinary occurs while in IMC (instrument Meteorological Conditions) such as an in-flight emergency, loss of communications, or loss of a navigational system. While in IMC, you cannot just look outside and see where to make an emergency landing or follow ground references to an alternate field. For this flight I chose one of the FSX default aircraft, the Beechcraft King Air 350. This particular aircraft has an easy to view 2D panel that will be used for screen shots in this tutorial. Also, the autopilot will assist me in route positioning to show proper instrumentation readings. The steps taken in FSX are nearly identical to what you'd use in any version of a flight simulator, or an actual aircraft. For in-flight visual comparisons, I will fly this flight twice, in VMC (nice blue skies) and also in IMC with minimum weather for the approach (200' ceiling and 1/2 mile visibility, gray skies). Before we go any further, I want to discuss IMC vs IFR. These are often used interchangeably, which should never be the case. IFR or Instrument Flying Rules. These are the laws, international and national, that pilots are required to follow to fly in a country's airspace. For this flight these are the requirements we will abide by during instrument flight. These rules apply whether we are in visual or instrument weather conditions. IMC or Instrument Meteorological Conditions. Whenever weather conditions are such that there is less than 1000' ceiling or 3-mile visibility, it is considered instrument conditions. Visual flight rules (VFR) do not apply, and you must follow IFR and of course be an instrument certificated pilot. Let's look at the route we would fly if the weather were VMC (visual meteorological conditions) and we were flying under VFR. It could be as simple a straight line between the two airports. First with Google Earth, And then with the Washington Sectional chart. When flying under IFR we may have to follow specific routing and use certain navaids (navigational aids). Direct routing is often not available, especially in higher density areas such as the U.S Mid-Atlantic area (Washington DC to Boston). On a historical note, you will see at the bottom center of the sectional chart above a point identified as Carranza Meml. This is where on July 12th, 1928, Captain Emilio Carranza crashed and lost his life attempting to return to Mexico after completing a Mexico City to New York flight in a Ryan Brougham aircraft. Yearly there is a ceremony at this memorial to remember this famous early aviator pioneer. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emilio_Carranza Now, let's look at the route we would fly if the weather were IMC (instrument meteorological conditions) and flying under IFR. We initially must fly to the COYLE VORTAC since this is the initial approach fix for our approach to PHL. First on the Washington Sectional Chart, Then on the Low Altitude Instrument Chart L34. And now, let's look at the approach routing, using the ILS 27L approach plate. The Instrument Approach Procedure Chart (IPP or Approach Plate) is used to provide guidance from the enroute portion of the flight to the runway. Reading The Instrument Approach Procedure Chart I will be using the US Government charts issued by NOAA. The other most often used charts are by Jeppesen, referred to as Jepps or Jepp charts There is a TON of information presented in these standardized charts. For this tutorial, I will attempt to only address information needed for our flight and aircraft. 1. Briefing Strip Information Most pilots develop their own way to read/review this information. The following method I have found useful. Approach Name block. Ensure that you have the correct plate for the airport and runway you plan based upon weather at the destination and your aircraft's navigational equipment. Runway physical information. Make sure that you have enough runway to safely land based on the landing distance charts in your aircraft Pilot Operating Manual (POH). You will see that the touchdown zone elevation is 26 ft. below the listed field elevation. Note any additional equipment requirements. If your aircraft does not have DME (distance measuring equipment), or if the DME were to fail in flight, this approach could only be flown if you were communicating with ATC Approach Control who was giving radar distances to you. In the rare occurrence that your DME and communication radios were inoperative, or you had an inoperative DME and the radar facility was not operating, you could not fly this particular approach. The approach course information tells you that the runway will be offset 3 degrees to the right when it becomes visible (assuming the runway is exactly 2700). This note informs you that you can reduce the 1/2 mile minimum inflight visibility required for the approach (shown in the Profile section, to be discussed later) to 1800' RVR (runway visual range) if your aircraft is equipped with a Flight Director, or Auto Pilot, or HUD. When an entry is published in the Takeoff Minimums, (Obstacle) Departure Procedures, and Diverse Vector Area (Radar Vectors) section it will be identified with a symbol. When non-standard IFR alternate minimums exist, you must refer to the IFR Alternate Airport Minimums section. This entry will be identified with a symbol. Actual visibility at the time of your approach is determined by one of four ways, 1) airport reported visibility, 2) RVR, 3) previous pilot reports visibility (DME distance when they see the runway environment), or 4) the actual DME distance when you see the runway environment. This is a graphical representation of the approach lighting you will see as you near the runway. Keep in mind that it will be offset 3_ to your right. This block tells you how to execute a missed approach if needed. In this case you must a) climb to 1500', then a climbing left turn to 3000' going direct to OOD (Woodstown VOR), and then enter a holding pattern at OOD. The remainder of the header provides communications and navigation frequencies. 2. Plan View IAF (Initial Approach Fix) Coyle VORTAC. Localizer information (frequency and ident). Routing from the IAF to the FAC (Final Approach Course). Final approach course. Distance from TDZ. Graphic representation of the missed approach maneuver. Missed approach holding information. MSA (minimum Sector Altitude). Alternat missed approach fix. CPDLC identifies that U.S. Domestic En Route Controller Pilot Datalink Communication is available. The King Air we will be using is not equipped for CPDLC. 3. Profile Glide Slope Information. There is a 3_ GS with a TCH (Threshold Crossing Altitude) of 57'. IAF to FAF route and altitude. On a 267_ course, intercept the GS at no lower than 3000'. Identifying the FAF/GSI. FAF is located when at 3000', DME of 8.7 miles (or radar distance call out), and localizer needle is centered. Identifying the approach intercept minimum altitude. Identifying the VDP (Visual Decent Point). This is the soonest you can descend below the approach, but only with the runway environment visibly identified. Identifying the MAP (Missed Approach Point) and DME antenna displacement. At the MAP you must either have the runway environment in sight (and can continue/land) or you must execute the missed approach without descending any further. Distances between points on the approach. Used for timing. Missed approach directions. Climb straight ahead until reaching 1500', then climbing left turn to 3000', to OOD (Woodstown VORTAC)/ Note that VGSI (Vertical Glide Slope Indicator) and ILS glideslope are not coincident. 4. Landing Minimums Landing speed categories (based upon VREF). Category A: less than 91 kt indicated airspeed (IAS) Category B: 91 kt or more but less than 121 kt IAS Category C: 121 kt or more but less than 141 kt IAS Category D: 141 kt or more but less than 166 kt IAS Category E: 166 kt or more but less than 211 kt IAS Category H: Helicopters Helicopters may use Category A minima on instrument procedures designed for airplanes or may use specific procedures designed for helicopters. VREF if established for a given aircraft, or if VREF is not specified, 1.3 Vs0. VREF is the landing reference speed or threshold crossing speed. Vs0 is the stall speed or minimum flight speed in landing configuration. The default King Air has a VREF (depending on aircraft weight) between 100-109 kt, or Category B. Weather minimums for the S-ILS 27L. The weather at the time of the approach must be at least 200' ceiling and 1/2 statute mile visibility. These minima may be used only if the ILS is fully functional (course and glideslope). The S identifies this as being a straight-in approach (no circling to land). Weather minimums for the S-LOC 27L. The weather at the time of the approach must be at least 600' ceiling and 1/2 statute mile visibility. These minima are used if the ILS loses its glideslope function. The approach would then continue as a Localizer (course only) approach. Weather minimums for a Circling approach. The weather at the time of the approach must be at least 600' ceiling and 1 statute miles visibility. These minima are used if the ILS 27L approach is used until the airport environment can be visually obtained, and you intend to circle to land on another runway. 5. Airport Sketch Note the difference between the field elevation (36') and the touch down zone elevation (10'). A reminder of the final course and the distance from the FAF to the TDZ. HIRL (High Intensity Runway Lighting) will be seen for all runways to include 21L. The runway is 12,000' and 200' wide and has runway centerline lighting. VGSI will be a PAPI. A5 is for a MALSR (Medium intensity Approach Lighting System with Runway alignment lights). Lighting legend page is below. Displaced Threshold (usable runway for landing is displaced ahead of the actual runway end). Small graphic representation of the MALSR Time/Distance Table A Time/Distance Table is provided below the airport sketch. The table provides the distance and time that is required from the final approach fix to the missed approach point for given groundspeeds. Should DME fail during the approach, you could continue as a LOC approach using timing for distance. Note that this is GS not IAS, so you will have to compute the GS based upon winds on arrival. At the FAF start a timer. When this time has elapsed, no matter what else is going on, if you do not see the runway environment you must execute the missed approach. Different lighting systems that may be associated with an approach. Having decided on our route, we need to ensure that our aircraft has the navigation equipment needed for this flight. It must have a VOR to identify and fly to the COYLE VORTAC and if we execute the missed approach identify and fly to the WOODSTOWN VORTAC. Additionally, we need to be equipped with DME and ILS (localizer and glideslope) per the IPP. The aircraft selected will meet the equipment requirements for this flight. Now that we all the pieces to make this flight: what we intend to do (fly from N87 to PHL), how we intend to get there (IFR to CYN then the ILS 21L approach), what we should see when we get there (runway information), and what we will do if the runway environment is not in sight or we cannot land safely (missed approach to OOD). So now it's kick the tires, light the fires, and off we go time? Not quite yet. We need to review available information about N87. We can see that there are noise abatement requirements for Runway 29. Since the note specifically states VFR, we will also check to see if there are IFR noise abatement considerations. Instead of calling FSS (Flight Service Station) for our clearance, we will call McGuire Approach Control. Weather for takeoff must be at least 300-1, with a climb gradient of 421'/nm. And there is a requirement to climb out on a 289 heading to 800' before a right-hand turn. This informs us that there are several obstacles near the DER (Departure End of the Rnway). N87 is an uncontrolled airport, with no ATC services available on site. We will call FSS (Flight Service Station) via telephone to get an update weather briefing and file our IFR flight plan. I added a remark (11) so that we won't get radar vector to the approach and will benefit from flying the full published approach. When we are actually ready to fly (preflight complete), we call McGuire Approach via telephone, and request our IFR clearance. "ATC clears King Air 350KA to PHL via CYL, maintain 5000, after departure contact McGuire Departure Control on 126.47. Squawk 4243. Clearance valid until 1630Z." Getting your clearance can be a little confusing because there can be so much information. IFR clearances always follow the same format, and the acronym we use for it is CRAFT. Clearance Limit. Your clearance limit is typically your destination airport. But if traffic is backed up from weather or delays, you might be cleared to an intermediate fix, and then to your destination airport once you're airborne. Route. The route is often the route you filed in your flight plan. When that happens, ATC may tell you that you're cleared "as filed." If there are changes to your route, they'll give you your new route over the radio. Altitude. The altitude is the initial altitude you should climb to after takeoff. You'll often times be given a second altitude to expect later in your flight as well. For instance "maintain 8,000', expect 17,000' 10 minutes after departure." Frequency. Frequency is the frequency you'll use once you're airborne. In most cases at non-towered fields, this will be a Center or Departure controller you'll contact once airborne. Transponder Code. Finally, transponder code. ATC will give you a 4-digit code to squawk, like "2727". When your clearance is given to you, the ATC system creates a block of airspace for you. The "Clearance valid until" statement is given so that if you do not get airborne by the valid time, they open that blocked airspace to be used for other aircraft. When given a clearance at an airport with ATC facilities on the airport (clearance delivery, ground control, tower) you are expected to begin taxi within 5 minutes of receipt. Now we will set up the cockpit to minimize workload once we are airborne. For this tutorial there will be no inflight emergencies or system failures. If only we could make such guarantees in real aircraft. Aircraft: 1. Autofeather - Arm 2. Pitot heat - On 3. Lights: Taxi, Nav, Beacon - On Communications: 4. Transponder. Set to 4243 5. Comm 1. Set to Unicom/CTAF 123.00 6. Comm 2. Set to McGuire Departure Control 126.47 Navigation: 7. Nav 1. Set to Coyle VORTAC CYN 113.4 8. Nav 2. Set to Robbinsville VORTAC RBV 113.8 We have RBV preset and available should we need to divert from the intended destination. RBV is the IAF for the VOR 29 approach back into N87. 9. Set Altitude to 5000 10. Set Heading bug on 289 (per departure procedure) 11. Set course bug on 170 (approximate course to CYN. Will adjust once CYN is received and identified). Autopilot: 12. Flight Director - Arm 13. Heading - Arm 14. Altitude - Arm We are now ready to take off. Before taxiing onto the runway, complete our pre-T/O checklist and perform the engine runup. We then listen for any other aircraft that might be communicating on CTAF. If there are no traffic conflicts, we will announce on CTAF that we are taking off from Rwy 29 at Robbinsville. Now we turn on landing lights and strobes, taxi onto Rwy 29, scan to verify that T/O checklist is complete. Smoothly apply power and perform a normal T/O. Once safely airborne (gear retracted, climb power set), arm the auto pilot and ensure that we are climbing straight ahead. Now switch radios and call McGuire Departure Control: "McGuire Departure, King Air 350KA departing Robbinsville, IFR to PHL, climbing to 5000, squawking 4243." Unless ATC makes a change in routing or altitude assignment, you will most likely get a brief response: "King Air 350KA. Contact Philadelphia Approach on 124.35." You always respond to any ATC directions: "Roger McGuire, King Air 350KA, contacting Philadelphia Approach on 124.35." While this exchange is happening, you will turn towards CYL (move the heading bug to 170), continue your climb, and wait for positive identification of CYL. Positive identification of a VOR occurs when your CDI (course deviation indicator) starts to function and/or the VOR needle points towards the VOR and you have heard the appropriate morse code identification. Adjust the course needle so that the CDI is centered, and switch the autopilot from HDG to NAV. Also, you will switch comm frequency and contact Philadelphia Approach Control: "Philadelphia Approach, King Air 350KA, 1300' climbing to 5000', direct CYL." Philadelphia Approach responds: "Roger King Air 350KA, report CYL." Upon reaching CYL: "Philadelphia Approach, King Air 350KA, 5000 at CYL." Philadelphia Approach responds: "Roger King Air 350KA, you are cleared for the Philadelphia ILS 27L approach." Upon reaching FAF: "Philadelphia Approach, King Air 350KA TORNE inbound." Philadelphia Approach responds: "Roger King Air 350KA, contact Philadelphia Tower 135.1." You respond: "Roger, Philadelphia Tower 135,1." Then: "Philadelphia Tower, King Air 350KA, ILS for 27L." Philadelphia Tower responds: "Roger King Air 350KA, report runway in sight." You respond: "Roger, Philadelphia Tower, will report runway in sight." This is what you want to see... But instead... You continue to fly the approach, and as you are nearing the MAP (0.2 DME on glideslope), the runway environment is not in sight. You must immediately execute the missed approach. Keep in mind that you always Aviate (fly the aircraft - nose up/power, gear up, flaps up), Navigate (begin straight out climb to 1500'), and THEN Communicate (call tower): "Philadelphia Tower, King Air 350KA is executing the missed approach." PHL Tower responds: "Roger King Air 350KA, missed approach. Contact Philadelphia Departure 119.75." If able, contact FSS to get updated weather for PHL and divert field (N87). FSS reports that weather is PHL (200 1/4) N87 (1000 2). Philadelphia is no longer an option since visibility is less than 1/2sm. We will return to N87. Or you can ask Philadelphia Departure for current weather at PHL and N87, and then decide on whether to attempt another approach to PHL or continue to N87. Remember, you are "in the soup". You are single pilot, flying in IMC, and flying by sole reference to instruments. Flying the airplane is paramount. Don't let any urgency expressed by ATC distract you from the safe operation of the aircraft. "Philadelphia Departure, King Air 350KA is missed approach to CYN. Request clearance to N87." Philadelphia Departure responds: "King Air 350KA, you are cleared to Trenton-Robbinsville airport via V-312 V-1 White RBV, climb to 5000, at ALBEK Contact McGuire Approach 126.47, squawk 3630." Always read back clearances: "Roger, King Air 350KA is cleared to Trenton-Robbinsville airport via V-312 V-1 White RBV, climb to 5000, at ALBEK Contact McGuire Approach 126.47, squawking 3630." Note that you received the clearance prior to reaching OOD. Therefore, you turn towards and intercept the V-312 airway (green dashed line). If you had not contacted Philadelphia Departure or had not received a clearance before OOD, you would enter the published holding pattern at OOD, per the missed approach instructions. As you are nearing ALBEK, switch frequencies per your clearance and contact McGuire Approach: "McGuire Approach, King Air 350KA at ALBEK, 5000'." McGuire Approach responds: "Roger King Air 350KA. Report WHITE." You: "Roger, report WHITE." Transitioning from V-312 to V1 and turning over CYN. You can see the hangars at NAS Lakehurst. At WHITE you call: "McGuire Approach, King Air 350KA at WHITE." McGuire Departure responds: "350KA is cleared for the Robbinsville VOR 29 approach." We respond: "Roger, 350KA, cleared for the Robbinsville VOR 29 approach." Note that since McGuire Approach shortened our callsign, we now may do the same, but only with this controller on this frequency. Departing WHITE towards RBV. Review the plate for the VOR 29 approach to N87. Look for the same types of data as you did for the PHL approach. Items such as frequencies (Comm and Nav), how to identify the FAF, inbound course, altitude restrictions, minimum weather, runway lighting, timing from FAF to MAP, missed approach procedure, and other notes. Approaching RBV At RBV (FAF) inbound you call McGuire Approach: "McGuire Approach, King Air 350KA is RBV outbound on VOR 29 approach to Robbinsville." McGuire Approach: "Roger 350KA, report field in sight." "McGuire Approach, King Air 350KA has Robbinsville runway in site, VFR, request close my flight plan." McGuire Approach: "Roger 350KA, your IFR flight plan is closed." Easy line up to runway when weather is good. Switch to the CTAF: "Robbinsville traffic, King Air 350KA RBV inbound on VOR approach to Runway 29." When the weather is at or near minimum, we are high and close to the runway. This often catches pilots by surprise, and they may be tempted to dive for the runway. We were configured and prepared for this steeper visual slope. If not, we either would circle (if weather and the approach allow), or we would execute the missed approach and determine a safe course of action. Landing, how I wish the day went. Instead, this was our landing roll-out. Rain, rain, and more rain. Parked safely on the ramp. NEED MORE COFFEE I hope that this flight gave you an appreciation of the myriad considerations that go into ensuring a safe IFR flight, from flight planning to pre-flight, and from take off until landing. Now pick a couple airports, anywhere in the world and give their instrument approaches a try. I want to thank Larry Nussbaumer (lnuss -- that's a Lower Case L, not an Upper Case I) for his review and editing of this tutorial. The Author PhrogPhlyer (FlightSim.Com) has over 5,000 hours of flying in various aircraft, both fixed and rotary wing, military and civil. PhrogPhlyer holds multiple FAA certifications to include ATP, CFI, MEI, Ground Instructor-Instrument and BV-107 Type Rating.

This tutorial covers how to do an ILS approach with the aid of VNAV in the newly updated TBM 930 in the Avionics and Aircraft Update in Microsoft Flight Simulator. Not shown in the video is selecting VNAV on the MFD menu and enabling VNAV. Be sure to do this to get VNAV to work. Vertical Navigation data comes from the G3000 and will be used up to the final approach fix. After that, the glide slope is used to fly the glide slope portion of ILS approach to the runway. Vertical and lateral flight modes are also discussed in detail along with how to go direct to a point after the IAF is selected. "Ghost needles", altitude selection, and even how to check the weather at the destination is shown. thecorporatepilotdad Youtube channel The Corporate Pilot Guys Podcast About The Author This video is produced by thecorporatepilotdad. He has been a FlightSim.Com member for close to twenty years and using Flight Simulator since back in the day of FS98 and FS2000. He is also a professional pilot with over 7000 hours of real world flight experience ranging from Cessna 152s to super-mid size business jets.

Voglio segnalare che dopo gli aggiornamenti di Settembre all'interno del mio simulatore di volo è IMPOSSIBILE selezionare le procedure SID, ILS, GPS, fix point ecc.. introdotti dagli utenti nelle mod e negli scenari creati e personalizzati. Purtroppo non posso allegare le MOD ed i progetti.. ma vi assicuro che da quando sono state rinnovate e aggiornate le SDK, gli scenari creati dagli utenti e personalizzati contenti ILS, GPS, Fix point ecc.. queste procedure NON sono selezionabili nel gioco.

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