ILS frequency, aircraft not aligned with runway

[skynerf 0]

Please forgive me if this has been covered before but it hasn't showed up in my results. I just got back to FSX and learned to navigate by VOR and program the autopilot but it doesn't work quite how I want.

 

I key in the ILS frequency of the destination runway into the gps, switch to GPS from NAV, take-off, switch on autopilot (altitude, VOR hold, airspeed etc) and I can see the aircraft becomes aligned with the runway on my flight instruments yet when I get closer to the destination airport the runway is skewed and positioned perpendicular with the aircraft...

 

I thought that if the aircraft shows aligned with the runway on my instruments it should also be aligned with the actual runway. Am I forgetting something?

 

This is on a boeing 737 aircraft

 

Thanks!

[LeeL 272]

Do you mean the plane doesn't descend on the ils?

 

First off sorry if your doing this but from your post in not sure.....

 

Tune in the ils frequency into the nav 1. Not a vor frequency. Also be sure to put the runway ils course in ( can be found next to the ils freq in the fsx map when u click on it) and last of all to descend on the glide slope you need to be in NAV not GPS! That's important. When you want to fIy to whatever is set in nav 1 you must be in NAV if you want to follow the gps you must be in gps mode. Also remember to push app on the autopilot when the ils is active

 

Hope this was clear, if you have questions just ask

 

Lee

[ltnicolas 5]

Yes, as said before

* Check that tha NAV/GPS switch is set to NAV.

* Check that you have tuned the ILS frequency in the NAV radio.

* Check that the OBS (the knob you use to select VOR radials) is set to the runway heading. Not necessary but a visual cue.

 

 

Also check that you are not trying to land in an airport that has a LDA approach, instead of the normal ILS.

This is, that the localizer is not alligned with the runway. Examples: PAJN, PAPG, PAWG

[Dicko 3]

Please forgive me if this has been covered before but it hasn't showed up in my results. I just got back to FSX and learned to navigate by VOR and program the autopilot but it doesn't work quite how I want.

 

I key in the ILS frequency of the destination runway into the gps, switch to GPS from NAV, take-off, switch on autopilot (altitude, VOR hold, airspeed etc) and I can see the aircraft becomes aligned with the runway on my flight instruments yet when I get closer to the destination airport the runway is skewed and positioned perpendicular with the aircraft...

 

I thought that if the aircraft shows aligned with the runway on my instruments it should also be aligned with the actual runway. Am I forgetting something?

 

This is on a boeing 737 aircraft

 

Thanks!

Some airports in FSX have runways that when you line youself on the runway for take off and dial in the runway heading, they don't match. Some are a few degrees out. If you have Flightbeam KSFO, line up on 28L and dial in the runway heading, you will find a discrepency of a few degrees. Same at KATL. It seems some airports are not orientated correctly.

[pocketwatch50 6]

I've found this is very common.Many airports are off varying amounts. Some very minor and some by quite a bit. I know of no fix for this.

[FIVE-BY-FIVE 453]

FSX is so annoying with all these issues.

[wims80 121]

The magnetic variation some people are talking about in this thread is infact possible to fix with a freeware addon. Check it out at http://www.aero.sors.fr/navaids.html

[FIVE-BY-FIVE 453]

The magnetic variation some people are talking about in this thread is infact possible to fix with a freeware addon. Check it out at http://www.aero.sors.fr/navaids.html

 

I tried it and my planes are still off by 1-2 degrees.

[mjrhealth 820]

Its easy to fix, download ADE , airport design editor, open the BGL for that airport, check to see that the ILS feather is aligned with the runway, if not enter the correct heading, confirm it is correct, then compile put into FSX and your good to go, takes all of 5 minutes.

[FIVE-BY-FIVE 453]

Its easy to fix, download ADE , airport design editor, open the BGL for that airport, check to see that the ILS feather is aligned with the runway, if not enter the correct heading, confirm it is correct, then compile put into FSX and your good to go, takes all of 5 minutes.

 

Thank you, I will try it

[Dicko 3]

Its easy to fix, download ADE , airport design editor, open the BGL for that airport, check to see that the ILS feather is aligned with the runway, if not enter the correct heading, confirm it is correct, then compile put into FSX and your good to go, takes all of 5 minutes.

It's the orientation of the airport, specifically the particular runway headings and not always misaligned ILS feathers.

[kding 0]

After watching Flying Wild Alaska, I have been spending some time exploring the Klondike.

Loading an adding airport at PAWG led me to PAPG.

 

I thought the misalingnment of the vector at PAPG was an error as well, so I looked here to see if anyone fixed it. Then it occurred to me to check the FAA Tpp. There I found that the beacon is alingend correctly per the published RNAV and LDA/DMA approach plates.

 

Looking more closely, it appears that the approach is dictated by the surrounding hills/mountain obstructions that interfere with normal approaches via a runway aligned flight/glide path.

 

So maybe not all of the strange things in FSX are errors. LOL

 

:rolleyes:

[mmann 72]

Its easy to fix, download ADE , airport design editor, open the BGL for that airport, check to see that the ILS feather is aligned with the runway, if not enter the correct heading, confirm it is correct, then compile put into FSX and your good to go, takes all of 5 minutes.

Agree 100%. I have used ADE many times in the past to cure my ILS problems at various FSX airports.

[L.A.M. 0]

Please forgive me if this has been covered before but it hasn't showed up in my results. I just got back to FSX and learned to navigate by VOR and program the autopilot but it doesn't work quite how I want.

 

I key in the ILS frequency of the destination runway into the gps, switch to GPS from NAV, take-off, switch on autopilot (altitude, VOR hold, airspeed etc) and I can see the aircraft becomes aligned with the runway on my flight instruments yet when I get closer to the destination airport the runway is skewed and positioned perpendicular with the aircraft...

 

I thought that if the aircraft shows aligned with the runway on my instruments it should also be aligned with the actual runway. Am I forgetting something?

 

This is on a boeing 737 aircraft

 

Thanks!

 

Hi Skynerk and all,

 

From my limited experience all I can say is that the numbers on any runway like 26, 18, etc is just the heading on your compass assuming you keep it in line with your magnetic compass and properly calibrated but by no means they are precise, so assuming your are heading 270 and ATC tells to land on runway 8 guess what you have to do to reach runway 8 and as you turn final to runway 8 you'll see on your compass and HI that 8 is approaching the nose of your plane and then you align and land.

 

The number on the runway are not precise but the numbers on your approach plates and airport and facilities directory are very precise and that's where you'll find out that runway 16 is 162 on your HI/compass and 18 in reality is 184, etc. Just browse the FAA website for airport and approach plates/procedures and you'll see the real numbers for your airport's runways.

 

ILS is another story and it's a PRECISE approach compared to the non precise VOR, NDB and GPS approaches. If you check the approach plates, all of them will give you the exact heading that you are supposed to follow and in those plates you'll see the numbers 182, 243, etc.. ILS is a precise approach because it provides the precise vertical and horizontal position of your airplane while you are flying the approach so it's your duty and responsibility to keep those gauges dead center with a minor + or - deviation but believe me in real IFR you want to be dead center on those gauges/dials or LCD. At the moment some airports already offer GPS precision approaches but I'm not up to date on this information but is coming no doubt about that.

 

Now the ILS is precise and it will take you dead center straight down the runway otherwise how will you do a CATII or CATIII or a 0/0 landing in your airplane? So while flying the ILS with your GPS make sure that the OBS letter are on or Nav but not GPS.

 

FSX is not precise and ADE that can master it by dedicated guys like Ray Smith and all the great folks that burn their brains and eyes correcting runway headings and correcting ILS, VOR, NDB and what not that are installed on the airports surrounding areas that are needed to make the approach plates work right.

 

I understand your issues but again from my limited experience they are totally 2 different things, ILS, NDB, VOR are made for flying. Runway headings are just that a general direction for you information while flying the an approach.

[stans 703]

Now the ILS is precise and it will take you dead center straight down the runway otherwise how will you do a CATII or CATIII or a 0/0 landing in your airplane? So while flying the ILS with your GPS make sure that the OBS letter are on or Nav but not GPS.

 

That is very important. Make sure the ILS frequency is active on your NAV1 radio and switch your navigation from GPS to NAV. Like others have said, some airports in FSX have the ILS localizer beam skewed from the runway heading. This can be corrected by using Airport Design Editor X and it is freeware.