Approach Lock/Glideslope

[Guest]

When I am approaching an airport and disengage the GPS and click on the APR, the aircraft will make the appropriate turn to line up with the runway. SOMETIMES, when I intercept the glideslope the autopilot will disengage the ALT HOLD and start the aircraft descending at the appropriate rate of FPM right to the end of the runway. However, sometimes the program will not intercept the glideslope and the aircraft will stay at the same altitude unless I manually reduce the altitude. Any ideas on why this works sometimes and not others? Any help is appreciated.Jim Engh

[Guest The Ancient Brit]

Jim: I assume we are talking FS2K2 here. The autopilot in FS2K2 is less forgiving than the FS2K autopilot and needs a little nursing. I would suggest two precautions. Always approach below the Glide and fly into it. Reduce your speed as much as you dare. With the default B737-400 I reduce speed to 125 knots. This is completely unrealistic, the real aircraft has a much higher approach and finals speed and it does follow real world procedures in allowing for any possible go round, however it does work a treat in Flight Sim. It all depends on how real you want to make it. Denis Egan.

[Guest]

Denis- - thanks for the response. Yes, I am talking about FS2K2 - - - should have mentioned that. Glad to hear that it may not be a major glitch in the program. Do you find that one aircraft (747 or 737 or Lear) is more prone to the glideslope not working? Thanks.Jim Engh

[Guest The Ancient Brit]

Jim: I have to admit that almost all my flying in FS2K2 has been done with the default B737-400 since I create the RTWest plans with it. Using the slow IAS125 approach speed, (I said in my previous posting I used 125 knots, IAS125 works out at 130 knots for most of my approaches), intercepting the Glide from below and with a 3,000 ft AGL approach height, I don

[Guest]

the altitude glideslope will not work unless you come in UNDER it and TOWARDS the runway.

[Guest hotwheels71]

Hi, Denis. Right now I'm at flight level 3-0 on a flight across South America in my FS2004 Lear Jet, and while I sip my coffee and munch on my pastry, I thought I'd look up some info on using the Approach on autopilot, as I'm not sure how that works. I found your post here from 2002, where you reference a briefing you provide on how to do it. Would you mind posting that, or letting me know how I can still get it? Thanks! (If Denis isn't lurking on AVSIM anymore, does anyone else have some good references?) --Judd