PMDG 747-400X ILS LOC localizer tracking problem

[Guest JacobKoziarz]

OK - I have to give in and post. I searched and tried and tried and I can't figure it out.One time it works, the other it doesn't - ILS approaches. Working FMC flight plan, ILS approach selected in FMC, frequency confirmed as correct and active in NAVRAD, and LOC needle won't fill in, it just will not track it - G/S will fill in and track sometimes, but LOC will not. And it only happens 50/50 - everything looks ok - I can't find anything wrong. Happens for both straight on approach and at an angle, high and low altitude. I don't have "Allow G/S capture before LOC" selected in the PMDG menu" All are straight approaches aligned to face runway head on from major distance.Any ideas ?JacobKoziarz

[downscc 1,327]

"LOC needle won't fill in?"Do you mean that there is no LOC active, no course deviation indication?Is this for many locations/one location?Does the ILS Ident/Freq appear in the top left corner of the PDF? Is it green?Sometimes works/others times not work at same location?Sorry for the questions, just trying to get a picture of what you're experiencing (screen shots help).What if you are sitting on the runway, is the LOC okay and centered?There's a reason, just gotta find it.

[Guest JacobKoziarz]

No need to be sorry for the questions - the more the better - makes me understand more and more. I will have to repeat. This is not the actual screenshot, but from PMDG course lesson 4. I'm pretty sure this is exactly what it looked like - radio/dme white like in the shot and DME tracking distance. G/S needle filled in, LOC needle not filled in and never became active. I did not observe course deviation indicator. Approach to GCLP 21L or 21R - the one with ILS feathers on FSX Map. Maybe this airport only has G/S tracking ?Sorry for poor quality response, I'm writing this from work and have no access to the sim.

[Mats_J 2]

Jacob,It seems you do not have the LOC or APP modes on the A/P engaged or armed. Should show LOC and G/S in white below active mode before capture and get green and active once captured.On the leg to capture the ILS you need to arm the LOC and APP mode for the AFDS to capture the ILS.Hope it helps,

[Guest JacobKoziarz]

Thanks Mats."Filled in" - solid purple/magenta diamond vs, just outline - I don't know what the professional term is to describe it - active vs non-active ?This is exactly what I don't understand - I thought from what I read that you first allow the needles to fill in - wait for LOC needle to fill in - press LOC to track, wait for G/S needle to fill in and press APP for autoland.Also - I did try to press LOC/APP repeatedly during approach and close to the runway too - LOC needle never filled in and never tracked.From what I have observed - if I don't wait for needles to fill in - engaging (arming) LOC/APP will not work. After all - nothing happens until those needles fill in.I guess I don't have correct understanding of ILS approach considering your comments.All my successful ILS approaches start with filled in diamond needles before I engage LOC/APP.Thank you.Jacob.

[Guest JacobKoziarz]

After all - I did exactly what's described here - pages 177 on:Solid diamonds waaaay before engaging LOC/APP:http://www.speedbirdonline.co.uk/downloads..._1.0_206648.zip

[downscc 1,327]

I just looked at your picture, both the LOC and GS indicators are alive and near center (on course on glideslope) but like Mats pointed out, you're not in the approach mode (for whatever reason).I also noticed you're approach KLAX on ILAX about 20 nm out... so, GS LOC and DME are working. Just gotta figure out now why you're not "coupling" the approach to the A/P. Are you aware that the APP light goes out once the approach is captured? If you are pushing the button multiple times you could be turning it off.I think a picture of the panel would make it easier to figure out, with the MCP panel visible.

[Guest JacobKoziarz]

Pic is from the manual as pointed out with everything working perfectly. I don't have a screenshot of my situation. What I'm trying to say is that I follow directions as per the tutorial and I get everything as per the Pic, except for the LOC needle becoming alive (not filled (solid), but only outline sitting in the corner and not moving). G/S becomes alive and tracks fine. I've seen this at other airports too - one time perfect landing, the other same problem - same airport, same runway - LOC will not track and G/S will.Would this be affected by a Hold pattern entered into FMC as part of the flight plan ? But it's only a hold for TO/GA - landing is still setup etc.

[downscc 1,327]

If the localizer isn't alive, then either you're out of range (default MSFS localizer range is 24 nm) or the nav has the wrong freq. The goaround hold won't affect it, most approaches have one of these.I know you're saying you followed directions exactly, but either you missed something or if it were just one airport it's possible that the scenery is out of date... the PMDG doesn't have a known bug in it with these symptoms.The easiest way for us to help is to see the screen shot where it might be possible to find what's missing (or amiss).

[Guest JacobKoziarz]

Frequency correct and A (Active) - confirmed. LOC was dead all the way to the touchdown as the G/S continued to touchdown.Thank you. I'll try to reproduce one tonight.

[Guest JacobKoziarz]

Gentlemen,Once again - thank you for your help. Turns out that my flight plan using FSX Map waypoints was to blame (it really makes pmdg go nuts !!!). I exported an rte from simroutes.com, added dep and arr rwys and this time a picture perfect LAND3 autoland. No more FSX Map with PMDG. I learned a valuable lesson nevertheless. I cannot believe how beautiful these autolands are.Thank you.Jacob.

[downscc 1,327]

I'm very glad that got resolved.When I use a route planner (e.g., FSBuild) I always delete the departure and arrival segments in the imported plan and insert from the Dep/Arr menus. This ensures that the route is compliant with the navdata that I am using. None of the route planners are as current as one wishes, and this seems to eliminate many other unintended consequences.

[Guest JacobKoziarz]

Thank you. From now on I'll just use simroutes.com - it exports rte without dep/arr rwy info. And use DEPARR in FMC as well.