Hi all. Sometimes during an approach in FSX, ATC guided me to turn to a heading until established on the localizer when I am still about 60nm to 70nm away from the runway. I did what I was told but when I'm left with about 25nm to 30nm, I notice I'm getting further away from the airport and can't intercept the localizer. I have to declare missed approach serveral times before I managed to intercept the localizer. Is that an ATC bug? Btw, what does a Backcourse do and when should I use it? Thanks=)<BR><BR>

This happened to me plenty of times. Actually, not only has it happened with FSX ATC, it has happened with several of the add-ons that I have tried, though payware add-ons reduce the occurrence of this.Honestly, all I can tell you is that you have to be aware of your surrounding so that if FSX ATC tells you to turn heading so and so to intercept the localizer and you know it is a totally bogus heading, you can ignore it and intercept the ILS on your own. Situational awareness is key to be able to tell when FSX ATC is BSing you and when it's making sense when it comes to intercepting the localizer.

An ILS equipped airport may have the localizer extending from one side of the runway.That same localizer can also be received from the opposite end of the runway and used to approach it when you fly it in the opposite direction.That is the backcourse. The glideslope cannot be used on the backcourse.

An ILS equipped airport may have the localizer extending from one side of the runway.That same localizer can also be received from the opposite end of the runway and used to approach it when you fly it in the opposite direction.That is the backcourse. The glideslope cannot be used on the backcourse.

Also, be aware that if you are flying a Backcourse, your movements left to right and right to left will be backwards.

Also, be aware that if you are flying a Backcourse, your movements left to right and right to left will be backwards.

Unless you have a 'BC' button on your AP

Thanks guys for the reply. But what abt the ATC error?

Thanks guys for the reply. But what abt the ATC error?

Welcome to the world of default ATC.You will find a few of these errors around the FS(9 or X) world but there won't be any changes to the default ATC in the foreseeable future. So the choices are to learn to live with it or obtain a commercial ATC alternative such as "Radar Contact'. Such is life.

What were you flying? You need to descend at about -2000FPM to arrive in time. You you descend and something like -1200FPM, you will never make it.It has always seemed like they time it for different for different aircraft. What the calculation is based on and whether it depends on the aircraft is unclear to me. When flying jets, the above has always seemd like was the correct way to do things with the default ATC.

I flew on diferent aircrafts (SMS Overland). I descend usually at 2200 fpm. I mentioned earlier that I was still abt 60nm+ to my destination and ATC guide me to turn to a heading until established on the localizer so reaching my destination or not is not a problem. As a result, I need to declare a missed approach when im approaching <40nm so that ATC will give me a more proper heading. If i declared too early, the same problem will continue. To add on to my frustration, sometimes ATC will assign me another side of the runway to land on which wasted my time=(

Request the full procedure with transition and ATC will clear you direct to the initial fix.scott s..