747 localizer approach to left of runways

[GJD41 0]

Ok, I am fully perplexed.  When I fly the PDMG 747 the landing using auto land is to the left of every ILS runway by 50 feet.  Even if I do an ILS manual approach, the localizer shows the needle to the right of center,thus resulting in a left of the runway landing.  I have manually entered the ILS freq into the FMC and loaded it via the software as well.  No good results. Yes, I am locked on it and my GS is right on during approach.

 

 

 However, when I the fly the PDMG 777, no problem at the same runways and same airports.  Localizer and GS are stead on.  

 

So, I am wondering if there is a software bug.  I am using FSX.

 

thanks

Greg

[vhgjg 0]

Yes I have the same issue, along with the route in the nav display is offset by about 25 degrees... I can understand the drift if there is a 100kt crosswind however, not with a 25kt headwind... also I flew the 737NGX along the same route with the same weather settings and no offset/drift was experienced, plus the ILS approach was perfect (in the 737NGX).

[hopskip 253]

Classic corrupt registry behavior. 

 

To fix the corrupt registry you will need to install the Registry repair program from

http://www.flight1.com/view.asp?page=library

 

It Must be run as administrator.

 

My preferred method is Run http://www.flight1.com/view.asp?page=library the Flight1 Registry repair once as administrator, then run http://forum.avsim.net/topic/336155-magnetic-variation-updates-for-fs9-and-fsx/ Magnetic variation fix, then run flight1 registry repair as admin a second time. Then test.

 

The issue is nearly 100% reproducable by having a correct registry (MD11/747 flying perfect centrelines alligned) then installing an FS9 afcad file or airport bgl with runway or navaid data in it. MD11/747 will now fly offset heading which is equal and opposite to the largest Magnetic Variation that you fly over in a single sim session. If you fly the atlantic from East Coast USA to UK then you will have about 13° offset. If you fly down to Antarctica past S65° then you will be looking at near 80° offset.

 

"Reinstalling Flight Simulator" will NOT fix this issue! It's actually a corruption of a WINDOWS file that causes this (Basically un-linking FSX from related files in Windows itself.)

 

Another issue I have found is that once an incorrect afcad/.bgl file has been introduced, each time the scenery library is re-built (say, by switching regions in FTX, or installing anything at all) this issue will re-occur. So my suggestion is: Run the registry fix Each and Every single time you install any new scenery (or switch regions in FTX) ever.

 

(Right click - Run as Admin on the fixer is REQUIRED and not optional!)

 

This issue effects the PMDG 747-400X (the first version from ~2008) and the MD11. It does NOT effect their "new" products such as JS4100, 737NGX (SP1c) or 777 (RTM -200LR, SP1 or -300ER) which seem to have been programmed differently (presumably by not receiving magnetic variation data from FSX's default files directly).

 

It also doesn't effect default products (That presumably receive their "GPS" signal with the same error as the magvar file, resulting in" variable% error - variable% = 0 difference"

 

The PMDG 747 and MD11 however have their own "IRS" coding that results in "variable% - "Real simulation of an IRS" = Variable% error."

[GJD41 0]

Hopskip....will give this a try this weekend when I get back home to my simulator.  Will update results.

 

tnx,

greg

[vhgjg 0]

thanks hopskip, worked for me...  still a bit duped since I only purchased 747-400X only two days ago... you'd think Precision Manuals would have sorted that issue out by now i.e. sold the product with the updated magnetic variation (magdec.bgl) file lol!

[kevinh 409]

thanks hopskip, worked for me...  still a bit duped since I only purchased 747-400X only two days ago... you'd think Precision Manuals would have sorted that issue out by now i.e. sold the product with the updated magnetic variation (magdec.bgl) file lol!

The magdec update isn't essential, I've never installed it and I don't have a problem with ILS alignment. To be fair, the link to the fix is in a post by Ryan Maziarz of PMDG, so it is official. Incorporating a global FSX fix in PMDG product installers would be problematic. You won't find the fix in the latest 777 installer either.

 

As for the registry issue, which is the most common cause of the problem you reported, that's not really PMDG's issue to fix and as Trent's post says can recur if you install new scenery.

[GJD41 0]

Ok, that fixed it!  Followed hopskips method and now the plane's localizer is working.  thanks all for advice.

[kevinh 409]

Ok, that fixed it! Followed hopskips method and now the plane's localizer is working. thanks all for advice.

Then you should mark Trent's post as best answer, not your own.