fsx-ms IFR flight but ILS approach not an option?

[HighBypass 2,338]

To date I haven't used any real VATSIM people or any addon ATC packages for FSX:SE so I bumble along using the default ATC which as we all know has limitations    I do inject real world METARs via FSOpen Clouds though, but the sim usually integrates that in quite well - ATIS gives an appropriate runway use based on the wind.

 

I was flying back from Chambery to Leeds Bradford (Freemium 757). The weather was foggy over parts of England. ATC told me to expect vectors for visual RWY14. OK fair enough, it might be clear When I got the last vector telling me how far I was from the airport and to report runway in sight.... there was just a blanket of fog around and below me.. When reporting runway not in site, all the scripted ATC did was to re-iterate my position in relation to the airport. When I opted to select another approach, the only other option I got from the ATC menu were Visual approaches to the disused 9/27 runways. (closed in 2005 I believe). No ILS for 14 or 32 were given. The only other option was to generate an IFR plan to another destination.

 

Perhaps the program doesn't take account of the enhanced fog generated by FSOpen Clouds to combat the stock fog appearing out of nowhere?

 

I declared missed, got vectored back around and let the ILS do its job - I lied to ATC, said I could see the runway and carried on the approach...the runway appeared out of the murk much nearer to the minimums 

 

It seems ILS is not always a valid option in sim as far as ATC is concerned when it thinks the airport is visible for miles.

 

No one said the ILS was inoperative that day....

 

All good sim fun!

[ryanbatc 12,037]

Well the data is from late 2005 so I'm not surprised. If you have access to approach plates you could fly your own assuming the airport has a VOR or NDB approach.

 

Most airports don't have an ils. Usually only larger ones or ones that serve at least a regional airline.

[HighBypass 2,338]

Thanks Ryan,

 

Leeds Bradford does have ILS on 14/32. This is replicated in FSX and I was able to use it to successfully land the second time. Even the old rwy 27 had ILS I believe, yet FSX didn't give me any ILS option for any runway. Its as if the program locks itself into a particular type of approach: You WILL carry out a visual approach!! :smile: 

 Whilst I was searching to see if the old runway had ILS in the real world I came across this from within UK2000's forum.

 

http://www.uk2000scenery.org/forum/index.php?topic=7405.5;wap2

 

Interesting reading in that the 2700ft approach altitude (which was given to me also) gave intermittent ILS signal, not that I could notice. Perhaps this was the reason for ATC not giving me an ILS approach option despite ATC vectoring you to an approach usually at altitudes way above that and miles away from an airport.Also I don't have UK2000 scenery for EGNM, just a freeware one.

[noparts 0]

This is not an isolated problem, High; lately, I can't get any ILS info on the map, when I'm filing a flight plan - that is to say, when I click on the map to get the complete list of frequencies for a particular airport: eg: ATIS, Tower, Ground, Approach, etc; the last section is for all of the runway information, and while it does list them all, it only gives the runway#, length, and surface! Not only is there no ILS ID or frequency, but the runway heading is missing as well. I know all the numbers for KSFO, as I fly there almost daily; but all of the other major airports - over the entire state - are ILS-less too! Like you, if I use real-world weather, at least for these last few months, if I lie to ATC, (just to get the hand-off to the tower) I often won't see the runway until I'm over the threshold. The only choice I get at SFO, is Rwy 1L, the shortest available and no ILS, even when they are up and running. I've tried it using BC, since at least 19L has ILS; of course I have to slide over to to 1L once I clear the mountain - and if I can see the runway at that point. Otherwise, I'm hosed and must declare missed. Occasionally, when I request another approach from ATC early enough, I'll get the "Circle-to-land" for 10L. Problem is, I did it once and when I touched down, the tower chastised me and told me to clear the runway, because I was not cleared for that runway! I fly a 707, and I have no problem with a visual to a 7000' general aviation runway, on a clear day; but when it's less than a mile, or zero vis? That's when I get angry. I mean, I filed an IFR flight plan, for crying out loud! I can't imagine trying any of these real-world; or under a hood!

 

This is nothing new either. Microsoft has used the same ATC model, for the last few releases - adding a few new lines of code, so it seems like it's revamped, but it isn't. Is there a worthwhile third-party app that does ATC better than out-of-the-box?

[charliearon 2,890]

@noparts

 

No ILS freqs on any map for any airport?? Are you running Acceleration or FSX deluxe? If no Acceleration, do you have SP1 and 2 installed?

[Bill Griffith 160]

I looked at all of the ATC programs out there and decided that I wanted voice communication so I went with VoxATC.  I really enjoy having ATC now.  It isn't perfect but it is a world of difference from the FSX ATC.  Check out all of those ATC programs.  Most any of them are better then the FSX ATC.

 

Regards,

Bill

[SirBismuth 9]

Lol, I know the feeling.  Years ago on FS9 I was flying my ERJ into Bangkok and got cleared for a visual approach.  It was night and the weather was NOT friendly (heavy rain and cloud cover down to minimums), so obviously I could never report the runway in site.  Went missed 3 times before I changed to an ILS runway, the crosswind landing was fun but at least I could get down.  Funnily enough, after I touched down, the clouds seem to evaporate.