Hello,Ok since I know now how to use autopilot properly and to fly to my destination but the only problem is that I get the ILS frequency all in the radio stack an the NAV1 button on after that when I decend and maintain 2,200 ft as asked by ATC I switch the Approach button but the approach does not do anything. I put the runway heading in the Course section and turn on the Backcourse with it but it still don't work. I also have it on NAV instead of GPS anybody know why this does not respond and I keep flying over the runway I supposed to land and the airport. Anybody know what might have gone wrong or I didn't do? I would like a long explanaition on an ILS pilot please.Thank You

Hi. You normally set the course box on the AP as corresponding to the runway that you are aiming for, for orientation purposes - but this is not what the AP looks for when turning onto the localizer. Assuming you're on a 30 degree (or thereabouts) intercept for the runway heading/localizer at your preferred altitude (my standard is 3,000 feet), you need to make sure of a few things:- that you plan to intercept the localizer at about 18-20 miles from the threshold- that you are following your intercept course using the HDG (heading) system, not the course indicator on the AP- that you are not above the glideslope, as the AP will not capture the glideslope from above. So when the localizer and glideslope become active, the glideslope bug should be at the top of the indicator.- that as soon as both localizer and glideslope are captured, you turn on the approach (APR) switch. On the AP, you will have HDG, ALt and APR illuminated. Under these conditions, the plane will turn onto the localizer first and then glideslope, so that you have time to make the appropriate speed, trim and flap adjustments on the approach. At 2,200 feet AGL, you'll capture the glideslope at around 7-9 miles out from the threshold.;)

Hello,Ok since I know now how to use autopilot properly and to fly to my destination but the only problem is that I get the ILS frequency all in the radio stack an the NAV1 button on after that when I decend and maintain 2,200 ft as asked by ATC I switch the Approach button but the approach does not do anything. I put the runway heading in the Course section and turn on the Backcourse with it but it still don't work. I also have it on NAV instead of GPS anybody know why this does not respond and I keep flying over the runway I supposed to land and the airport. Anybody know what might have gone wrong or I didn't do? I would like a long explanaition on an ILS pilot please.Thank You

A full ILS consists of two signals or beams - a localiser (which defines the horizontal course corresponding to the runway centreline) and a glideslope (which defines the vertical course needed to touch down at the right point on the runway). They're almost always combined on a single frequency, and an ILS approach involves tracking both signals until shortly before touchdown. If your aircraft is overflying the runway it sounds like it's following the localiser but not the glideslope. Firstly, are you sure the runway has both? Some approaches are localiser only, in which case you'll need to descend manually. You can check via the airport frequencies page in the GPS: any frequency which says "LOC [runway number]" is localiser only. You mentioned Charles de Gaulle in your other thread - that has full ILS to all 8 runways, so this wouldn't be a problem there. Secondly, following the localiser only is exactly what an aircraft will do if you engage backcourse mode. Don't - that's for following a localiser signal (only) from the wrong end, as it were. So if runway 27 has an ILS but runway 9 doesn't, you can use the runway 27 backcourse to reach runway 9, but you need to descend and land manually, as a backcourse has no glideslope signal. If there is a glideslope, engage approach mode (may be shown as APP, APR or ILS, depending on the aircraft) and leave it there. Thirdly, watch your speed. No aircraft will be able to follow a glideslope accurately at 250 knots (and if it did, it'd plough into the runway). Descending at the rate the glideslope demands means getting the speed down and keeping it there. The speed you need depends on the aircraft; using the autothrottle, if there is one, will help, as will lowering gear and flaps at the right moments - but you can't just tune into the ILS and expect the plane to do the rest (at least not without using autoland, which is another story altogether).

The correct procedure is more or less as stated. However, make sure you do the following steps in order:-1. You should not be much above 180 kts IAS. when attempting to intercept the ILS.(this is usually the maximum speed that "real" ATC like as it helps in separation.2. Set your AP from GPS or HDG(depending on your navigation mode at that time) to NAV in order to intercept the LOC at any distance from 8DME to under 20DME. Make sure that you are at or below 3,000ft.3. Your intercept angle should be around 30-35deg deviation from the LOC bearing.4. DO NOT set APR until you see the glide slope bar become live and only then if it shows you are below the glide slope.Although it is dependent on the local airport and terrain and continuous descent procedures the most common intercept "height"(your altimeter should now be set to QFE as in 3 above also) is 2,500ft. In other words you have captured the localiser at around 10DME to 13DME(but NOT less than 8DME).5. As your a/c descends start to slow it down (not with speed brakes as by now you are too close to terra firma!)6. As for 5 making sure you follow the flap schedules published in the a/c flight manuel.7. Many airfields have backcourse restrictions. Don't use it unless you really have to i.e there is NO ILS beam in the direction you are landing it being only on the opposite rwy.Job done!!!!vololiberista

The correct procedure is more or less as stated. However, make sure you do the following steps in order:-1. You should not be much above 180 kts IAS. when attempting to intercept the ILS.(this is usually the maximum speed that "real" ATC like as it helps in separation.2. Set your AP from GPS or HDG(depending on your navigation mode at that time) to NAV in order to intercept the LOC at any distance from 8DME to under 20DME. Make sure that you are at or below 3,000ft.3. Your intercept angle should be around 30-35deg deviation from the LOC bearing.4. DO NOT set APR until you see the glide slope bar become live and only then if it shows you are below the glide slope.Although it is dependent on the local airport and terrain and continuous descent procedures the most common intercept "height"(your altimeter should now be set to QFE as in 3 above also) is 2,500ft. In other words you have captured the localiser at around 10DME to 13DME(but NOT less than 8DME).5. As your a/c descends start to slow it down (not with speed brakes as by now you are too close to terra firma!)6. As for 5 making sure you follow the flap schedules published in the a/c flight manuel.7. Many airfields have backcourse restrictions. Don't use it unless you really have to i.e there is NO ILS beam in the direction you are landing it being only on the opposite rwy.Job done!!!!vololiberista

Thank you but how do I know if I'm under the glidescope or on the localizer I see two pink things showing and beeping sounds but they are always at the side not in the middle

Thank you but how do I know if I'm under the glidescope or on the localizer I see two pink things showing and beeping sounds but they are always at the side not in the middle

you could've had the wrong ILS frequency. Check the Map inside FS to get the right frequency. by the way, are you flying an advanced systems a/c like PMDG, level-d, etc. or simply a default a/c? if flying the latter, don't expect the AP to do a good job on autoland specifically when there is crosswind.

you could've had the wrong ILS frequency. Check the Map inside FS to get the right frequency. by the way, are you flying an advanced systems a/c like PMDG, level-d, etc. or simply a default a/c? if flying the latter, don't expect the AP to do a good job on autoland specifically when there is crosswind.

No I have got the right frequency and I'm flying addon flights actually I never really fly default aircrafts

Also make sure both autopilot command switches are on

Also make sure both autopilot command switches are on

Yes I did that but I think I'm going wrong on the glidescope and localizer. Does anybody know what that is and how to get it right. I get two pink things on the side of my x and y axis but they at the edge and I hear beeping sounds

Yes I did that but I think I'm going wrong on the glidescope and localizer. Does anybody know what that is and how to get it right. I get two pink things on the side of my x and y axis but they at the edge and I hear beeping sounds

The two 'pink things' (presumably bars or pointers on the PFD) represent the position of the localiser (x axis) and glideslope (y axis)relative to your aircraft. They are supposed to be at the edge of the display but will move towards the centre of each axis as you capture the ILS. If the localiser indicator is to the left of centre you're right of the localiser, so you need to turn left, or maintain a heading around 30 degrees less than the runway heading, to intercept the localiser. If the localiser indicator is to the right of centre, the opposite is true. Either way, the indicator will centre itself as you approach the localiser, and the autopilot should turn the aircraft onto the runway heading as it does so. If the glideslope indicator is above centre you're below the glideslope (and vice versa), so you need to maintain your altitude until you intercept the glideslope. Again, the indicator will centre itself as you approach the glideslope, and the autopilot will begin a descent to follow the glideslope after that. Once they're both centred (and vololiberista's instructions really ought to get you to that point with little problem) you're on the ILS. Keep them there (or let the autopilot do that) and you'll touch down on the centreline every time. The beeping is I guess probably the aircraft crossing the outer (low tone), middle (medium tone) and inner (high tone) markers on the inbound course. Not directly connected with the ILS although it does show you're roughly on the localiser.

<br />The two 'pink things' (presumably bars or pointers on the PFD) represent the position of the localiser (x axis) and glideslope (y axis)relative to your aircraft.  They are supposed to be at the edge of the display but will move towards the centre of each axis as you capture the ILS. If the localiser indicator is to the left of centre you're right of the localiser, so you need to turn left, or maintain a heading around 30 degrees less than the runway heading, to intercept the localiser.  If the localiser indicator is to the right of centre, the opposite is true.  Either way, the indicator will centre itself as you approach the localiser, and the autopilot should turn the aircraft onto the runway heading as it does so.  <br /><br />If the glideslope indicator is above centre you're below the glideslope (and vice versa), so you need to maintain your altitude until you intercept the glideslope.  Again, the indicator will centre itself as you approach the glideslope, and the autopilot will begin a descent to follow the glideslope after that.  <br /><br />Once they're both centred (and vololiberista's instructions really ought to get you to that point with little problem) you're on the ILS.  Keep them there (or let the autopilot do that) and you'll touch down on the centreline every time.  <br /><br />The beeping is I guess probably the aircraft crossing the outer (low tone), middle (medium tone) and inner (high tone) markers on the inbound course.  Not directly connected with the ILS although it does show you're roughly on the localiser.<br />

<br /><br /><br />So now how do I get them to intercept quickly and the most efficient way to do it? What is a reasonable speed when I'm at about 3 to 4000 feet. Thanks Tim

<br /><br /><br />So now how do I get them to intercept quickly and the most efficient way to do it? What is a reasonable speed when I'm at about 3 to 4000 feet. Thanks Tim

If you are following a flight plan the default ATC will give you vectors to intercept the LOC. If on your own, you want to be about 2500-3000 above ground elevation in ALT HLD and on an intercept path about 20-30 degees angle to the LOC so that you intecept it about 8-12 miles from touchdown. Speed at this stage....in a 737 you want to be 180KIAS at intercept, slow to 160 KIAS when the GS is captured. I would advise you do some of the lessons in FS9 starting in a light aircraft so that you get the hang of this. Also have a look at some approach charts so you can visualise the advice you have been given.Peter

If you are following a flight plan the default ATC will give you vectors to intercept the LOC. If on your own, you want to be about 2500-3000 above ground elevation in ALT HLD and on an intercept path about 20-30 degees angle to the LOC so that you intecept it about 8-12 miles from touchdown. Speed at this stage....in a 737 you want to be 180KIAS at intercept, slow to 160 KIAS when the GS is captured. I would advise you do some of the lessons in FS9 starting in a light aircraft so that you get the hang of this. Also have a look at some approach charts so you can visualise the advice you have been given.Peter

Cheers and thanks for everyone I've just landed a 737 by myself safely thank you guys

<br /><br /><br />So now how do I get them to intercept quickly and the most efficient way to do it? What is a reasonable speed when I'm at about 3 to 4000 feet. Thanks Tim

If you care to read my post above it quotes 1.The correct intercept speed 2.The most efficient way 3.The quickest 4.Why are you trying to intercept at 4,000ft????? It is NOT common practice to do so.vololiberista

If you care to read my post above it quotes 1.The correct intercept speed 2.The most efficient way 3.The quickest 4.Why are you trying to intercept at 4,000ft????? It is NOT common practice to do so.vololiberista

Oh sorry I meant 2,500ft