I am using Radar Contact. RC gives me vectors to the final approach course. I engage VOR/LOC & the PMDG 737NGX turns onto the approach course. Both Flight Directors are on, the approach course is set, both radios are tuned to the proper frequency. The FD shows VOR/LOC. I am below the glideslope. Autopilot is set to CMD A. The FD slows MCP speed, ALT ACQ. At about 10 miles from the airport, I press APP on the MCP. Nothing happens & the aircraft continues toward the runway, passing above the glideslope. What am I doing wrong?

Make sure GlideSlope is turned on in the FMC. I think it's on the same page you set you approach flaps and reference speed. This drove me crazy one night for about and hour. Theres a thread on it if you search around a bit.

The glideslope diamond is above the level line (I am below the glideslope), but then moves down to the bottom & the aircraft does not descend. The problem is that pressing APP on the MCP does not engage approach mode.

Hi, make sure you've selected the glidescope to ON in the APPROACH REF page. If you select a STAR for arrival, make sure you select the ILXX (where XX is the runway designator). I'm not sure if you select runway XX in the STAR page, the AP will descend on the glidescope. (=reply imnsims2). If you select ILSXX in the STAR page, the problem should be solved.

I am having a ILS landing problem also but a little bit different. Still allow me to (mis)use this thread. I have since last thursday (that is before applying the SP!, so this has nothing to do with) problems with autoland on ILS.The approach is looking good. The Loc is captured and followed. The G/S is capatured and followed (so this is different from the orignal poster) but somehow the G/S doesn't always take me to the threshold. I end up too high and need to disengage AP and land manually (which is though if you are already high over treshold depending on runway length.This is not always happening. sequence of events1. Flight from EHAM to ENBR with STAR (no atc guidance) =====> came in too high2. Flight from EHAM to UMBB without STAR (atc vectoring) ======> came in too high3. Flight from EHRD to EHAM (without flightplan,ATC, manually tuning NAV radio's) ====> perfect4 Flight from EHRS to EHAM with STAR (no atc, but deviating from route) ===> perfect5. Flight from UMBB to UKLR (flightplan under fsx atc, no star) ====> perfect6. Flight from UKLR to LIMC (flightplan under fsx. atc, no star)===> came in too highThe approach page always shows proper navigation freq's and G/S on in green.What am i doing wrong?

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The glideslope diamond is above the level line (I am below the glideslope), but then moves down to the bottom & the aircraft does not descend. The problem is that pressing APP on the MCP does not engage approach mode.

What exactly do you mean "does not arm approach mode"? There is no approach mode, there is VOR/LOC and G/S. If you mean VOR/LOC would work but not G/S, then there is a nasty bug that still hasn't been fixed in SP1. Say you fly an ILS once, go around, then fly the same approach again, G/S won't arm anymore (probably there are other conditions that will trigger this annoying behavior but this is one of them, as arming VOR/LOC and G/S is completely independent from whatever approach is loaded or not loaded in the FMS... excluding IAN obviously). For some weird reason you have to reselect the approach on the DEP/ARR page before G/S will arm again...

I am having a ILS landing problem also but a little bit different. Still allow me to (mis)use this thread. I have since last thursday (that is before applying the SP!, so this has nothing to do with) problems with autoland on ILS.The approach is looking good. The Loc is captured and followed. The G/S is capatured and followed (so this is different from the orignal poster) but somehow the G/S doesn't always take me to the threshold. I end up too high and need to disengage AP and land manually (which is though if you are already high over treshold depending on runway length.This is not always happening. sequence of events1. Flight from EHAM to ENBR with STAR (no atc guidance) =====> came in too high2. Flight from EHAM to UMBB without STAR (atc vectoring) ======> came in too high3. Flight from EHRD to EHAM (without flightplan,ATC, manually tuning NAV radio's) ====> perfect4 Flight from EHRS to EHAM with STAR (no atc, but deviating from route) ===> perfect5. Flight from UMBB to UKLR (flightplan under fsx atc, no star) ====> perfect6. Flight from UKLR to LIMC (flightplan under fsx. atc, no star)===> came in too highThe approach page always shows proper navigation freq's and G/S on in green.What am i doing wrong?

Are you at ther correct approach speeds "every" time? If you are too fast you will overshoot the glideslope.vololiberista

I am using the vref as stated on the approach ref page. Only on UMBB to UKLR i might have been a bit hot. (was flying without load at that time).Noticed another thread about this subject also (ngx floating on landing). Will check vref on every approach from now and stick to it (i tend to add 5 knts as safety margin but this might not be a good approach with the ngx)

Hi,make sure you've selected the glidescope to ON in the APPROACH REF page. If you select a STAR for arrival, make sure you select the ILXX (where XX is the runway designator). I'm not sure if you select runway XX in the STAR page, the AP will descend on the glidescope. (=reply imnsims2). If you select ILSXX in the STAR page, the problem should be solved.

I must admit, I'm a little confused regarding the "GS on" in the FMC. I understood "GS on" was only for an IAN approach.I though with it off it was a conventional ILS approach. With it on, it's an IAN approach. Am I right or wrong?However, today with GS off in the FMC, the same thing happened to me, it reused to capture the glideslope, and glideslope not available appeared in the FMC.Perhaps someone with a handle on this can clarify.

You don't need to be on approach speed to join the glideslope. The autopilot will happily drive down the approach at 250knots if you let it. If you are vectored onto final 20 miles out, you are not lilkely to be at REF+5 until your at or inside the FAF. If you're getting high on the glideslope, I wonder if you've really got it captured. What does the FMA say? Also, remember that the MCP doesn't tell you what mode you're in, that's what the FMA is for. Get us some screen shots and we can help out.

You don't need to be on approach speed to join the glideslope. The autopilot will happily drive down the approach at 250knots if you let it. If you are vectored onto final 20 miles out, you are not lilkely to be at REF+5 until your at or inside the FAF.If you're getting high on the glideslope, I wonder if you've really got it captured. What does the FMA say? Also, remember that the MCP doesn't tell you what mode you're in, that's what the FMA is for. Get us some screen shots and we can help out.

Why would you want to "drive down the GS at 250kts!!" It's totally unrealistic and very very dangerous flying.vololiberista

Why would you want to "drive down the GS at 250kts!!" It's totally unrealistic and very very dangerous flying.vololiberista

That's not something one does normally, but yes. I have done 250knots until 10 or 12nm out and then dropped the gear, etc. So, it's not totally unrealistic. In fact it was RW, so that's about realistic as it gets.The point was that you don't simply get high on the GS because you are fast. That isn't how the AFDS system works.

You even drop your gear at too high a speed!!!!!!!!!!!You would only do that in an emergency flight manual permitting for something like an emergency depressurisation dive.vololiberista

The GS mode will activate if the pointer is within a certain range of the middle line for at least 2 seconds. That is the way it works.

You even drop your gear at too high a speed!!!!!!!!!!!You would only do that in an emergency flight manual permitting for something like an emergency depressurisation dive.vololiberista

I can see you feel strongly about this. What are you basing your thoughts on? Are you saying you can't extend the landing gear at 250 knots? What are you seeing that is unsafe?