ILS Guidance for Manual Approaches

[r_stopnicki 92]

Hello:

 

I have been enjoying the B777 quite a lot and slowly learning the complex systems.

 

I have found that if I am on an automated final approach, when I disconnect the A/P and A/T to continue to fly the approach manually (I have sight of the runway on an airport-ILS that is not auto-land capable), the ILS pointers (LOC and G/S diamonds) disappear from the Primary Flight Display. 

 

Sometimes there is a VASI at the airport for some visual guiidance, sometimes there is not ....

 

I do not understand why the ILS pointers should disappear. Is this correct?

 

Thank you for any advice.

Roberto 

[ICEWOLF378 0]

No it is not normal.It sholudn't be disappear.Are you sure the flight directors are on?It should only disappear above 50 AGL.For a detailed solution you can give us the runway info.

VASI lights aren't required if there is a ILS guidance system as I know.

 

Efe

[777simmer 117]

Are you sure you were on an ILS approach to begin with?

 

Lnav and Vnav displays the same magenta pointers on the PFD.

 

So, when you do a ILS approach, make sure the correct frequency is tuned on the NAV RAD page in the CDU. It should not say PARK behind the ILS frequency on the NAV RAD page! If it does say park, then type in the ILS frequency and course manually.

 

Then, when on an intercept heading to the localizer course, arm the APP mode.

Once both LOC and GS have capture you are on an automatic ILS approach.

If you now disengage the AP the LOC and GS pointers should still be displayed on the PFD.

[g_precentralis 191]

No it is not normal.It sholudn't be disappear.Are you sure the flight directors are on?It should only disappear above 50 AGL.For a detailed solution you can give us the runway info.

VASI lights aren't required if there is a ILS guidance system as I know.

 

Efe

 

You can tune and follow ILS without FD.

[r_stopnicki 92]

Hello!

 

Thank you for the comments.

 

In all cases, I was fully established on ILS's, with an automated approach underway. I just disconnected the A/P and the A/T when in sight of the runway, to try to finish both the final approach and landing manually.

 

As a matter of fact, I am not doing anything different that I have done with the NGX (and other A/C) for quite a while and was expecting the B777 to behave similarly.

 

I had a few "strange" behaviours of the A/C on approach to some airports. The one that I have described and "Terrain" warnings, when fully established on an ILS and fully configured for landing. 

 

It is very possible that it is all an issue with the sceneries (FS Global 2010)  I am using. While I cannot remember the airports (EINN was one where I got the "Terrain" caution during an ILS approach) I will record any other airport and circumstance when these happen again and I will update this post.

 

Thanks again for the comments.

Roberto

[VLJ510 16]

Just so you know Boeing recommends letting the A/T control speed on landing with the 777.  Unlike with the 737NG where they recommend when A/P is disconnected you should also disconnect A/T too.

 

Not sure about your ILS problems but I haven't seen this while flying the PMDG 777.

[scandinavian13 5,192]

 

 

I do not understand why the ILS pointers should disappear. Is this correct?

 

Are you sure they're ILS pointers?  ILS should be diamonds on dots.  The navigation performance indicators are carats ( < ) on lines.

 

 

 

on an airport-ILS that is not auto-land capable

 

Any ILS is auto-land capable.  The plane makes no differentiation between a CAT I or CAT III ILS signal because they're the same type of system.  The only difference is that the latter has more stringent requirements for monitoring and failsafes.

[r_stopnicki 92]

Hi Kyle:

 

Yes, I meant the diamonds (I took the "pointers" description from the FCOM). 

 

They are solid on the LOC and G/S as the airplane descends on the ILS, on APP mode.

I wanted to "try my hand" at a few manual landings, so, when I had sight of the runway (VASI, etc.), I disconnected the A/P and then the A/T and sometimes, the solid diamonds disappeared. I had expected them to stay on, regardless of A/P or A/T setting.

 

I am trying to replicate the issue, so that I can post more detail here.

 

Thank you for your response.

Roberto

[g_precentralis 191]

We would appreciate video if you can recreate.