Before starting a long flight, I programmed the FMC for the correct STAR and arrival on ILS runway 26L at London Gatwick (EGKK).

 

However on approaching Gatwick, the ILS frequency (110.9) was not 'picked up' so 'LOC' and 'APP' couldn't be selected.  I also tried manually entering the frequency on the FMC RAD/NAV page (LSK pre-populated with 'PARK'), but got the message 'invalid entry'.

 

Any ideas what may be wrong....?

 

Thanks!

 

 

Any ideas what may be wrong....?

 

Check that the airport scenery uses the same frequency as the current nav data. If you're using default scenery there, you're using scenery that is just about a decade old. You can check this be using the FSX map function. Click on the green LOC icon for the runway and it will tell you what the sim is using for the frequency. Compare this to your nav data, or to a current chart.

 

Full names - first and last - in the forum too, please.

Hi Kyle

 

Thanks for the reply (and sorry about the name...)

 

I've just flown a circuit using runway 26L (UK2000 scenery) in a Beech Duke, and the ILS frequency of 110.9 is correct and works fine.

 

I don't know how to check the currently installed nav data (which the 777 relies on..?), but online charts also indicate the same frequency.

 

Any ideas?

 

Toni Rauch

 

 

Thanks for the reply (and sorry about the name...)

 

You're welcome, and no worries - people miss the rule all the time.

 

 

 

I've just flown a circuit using runway 26L (UK2000 scenery) in a Beech Duke, and the ILS frequency of 110.9 is correct and works fine.

 

Are you sure you selected the ILS 26L approach in the FMC? It's going to pull the freq in the database for whichever approach you select. If you selected the right side (26R), as an example, it would be tuned to the wrong freq.

Hi again Kyle

 

I just checked and I had picked runway 26L as opposed to ILS26L...!

 

I guess that's why I had the problem.

 

That said, is there a way 'in flight' to tune the radios before an approach so that the plane picks up the correct ILS frequency, or is it that the only way to change the runway from e.g. 26L to ILS26L is by using the FMC DEP/ARR page?

 

Thanks,

 

Toni Rauch

 

 

That said, is there a way 'in flight' to tune the radios before an approach so that the plane picks up the correct ILS frequency, or is it that the only way to change the runway from e.g. 26L to ILS26L is by using the FMC DEP/ARR page?

 

Selecting it from the DEP/ARR page is the easiest.

 

Manual tuning can be done from the NAV RAD page, but must be in the form FFF.FF/CCC (F is the freq, and C is the course - note the CCC, so if it is a freq of 111.3 course of 10, then it must be in the form 111.30/010)

Duly noted, and educated....!

 

Many thanks for all the help.

 

Toni Rauch

 

 

Many thanks for all the help.

 

Welcome!

Just want to add that you can always tell whether an ILS has been tuned and what frequency has been tuned by looking on the RAD/NAV page under "PARK".  Also, selecting an  RNAV approach rather than an ILS approach won't autotune the ILS frequency.

 

Mike

Thanks Mike!

 

Toni Rauch