LOC and APP

[RogerD 1]

How soon after the loc is captured and the plane starts to turn should you hit the APP. button? Do you have to wait for plane to be lined up straight with the runway or do you hit the App.right after intercept?

[PaulKent 0]

you can press APP before even capturing the LOC. Not sure if you are meant to but it does work. You might be in HDG SEL or LNAV and VNAV PTH or ALT HOLD and under this when pressing APP you will have LOC and G/S modes in white, meaning that they are armed, and become active once you are close to the extended centreline and glideslope

[Veracity 8]

Hi The important aspect of capturing the GS is to ensuring you're doing so from underneath. You want to be below it for a nice smooth transition. Intercept the LOC around 180-170 with flaps 5 set. Once the GS is alive and coming down, select APP, lower the gear and select flaps 15. Continue reducing airspeed in 10 knot increments until you're at the designated VREF + wind component and you should be stable and "in the slot" as they say. Have a safe landing. Regards,Paul Wood

[Spin737 102]

Above, below, prior to LOC capture or after capture, it doesn't matter. Just don't blunder through the final approach course and check your FAF crossing height.

[G550flyer 1,007]

In the real world, we never select app until loc is captured. I usually select app when the flight guidance system indicates a capture and the plane starts the turn towards the course. If I'm above the glide slope(it happens), I will vert speed down to capture it. You have to be careful when you are higher than the glide slope intercept altitude and the glide path itself, there's a chance that you can capture a false glide-slope. Bottom line is that you want to capture it from below. I will capture it above intercept altitude. If intercept alt is 2400, and I'm at 3000, I will arm app and stay at 3000 til GS capture. But as i said you have to be careful when you are higher than the glide path and a good distance away. You will get some bad vectors sometimes that put you above the glide path and cause you to go through the LOC. As for the flight sim, do as you please. Would be nice if flight sim simulated the false glide slopes. I see them from time to time.