Not receiving ILS

[DaveH 14]

A couple of time I do not receive an ILS signal, even when close to an airport.  I use the frequency given in the Approach page of the FMS.  I have the "nearly" latest version of NavData ( I am waiting for the next version at end of month ).

Any ideas ?

[Jim Erwin 7]

Which airport? It's possible that the frequency has changed from what is in FSX or P3D. Even if it affects more than one airport, I think the knowledgeable people on this site will need more details about the airport, the ILS you are attempting to use, how and where you are entering the frequency (I assume you are flying the NGX), etc. They will tell you what they need to know to help you. 

Jim Erwin

[DaveH 14]

Thanks, Jon.  I was flying into KMSP yesterday in the snow, for ILS RW35.  As I said, I had chosen the ILS 35 approach in the FMS, and had entered the freq from both the FMC Approach page and from the downloaded FAA sheet.  I did have them entered in both ILS receivers preparatory to using autoland.  I did (of course) notify Approach Controller that I was not receiving ILS.  Yes, the 737NGX.

Dave Hinson

 

Edited April 16, 2018 by DaveH
Addition

[Adrian123 1,015]

Which Sim? FSX,P3D? I'll give it a go if I know which one. Have them all. :)

[Jim Erwin 7]

I just set up on the ground on Runway 35 with the ILS IBMA 110.95 entered on both sides. The frequency checks with Navigraph and what is shown on FSX:SE for that runway. The ILS shows on the instruments. I haven't been able to fly the ILS to this runway but everything seems to be okay. 

Sometimes in the real world such aids are out of service and NOTAM'd. I don't think that's true in the simulator.

I hope someone else can explain what happened to you.

Jim Erwin

[Adrian123 1,015]

I just flew the RWY 35 ILS appr. In P3DV3 using Carenado PA31 and FL GTN 750. Frq. 110.95. Vloc.Never did pick up the ILS! Odd. Ive never used 35. Always used 31,12 or 04 for Departure. P3dV3 doesn't show an ILS for RWY35!!! The RWY but no ILS. Need updated Afcad.

Edited April 16, 2018 by Adrian123

[kevinh 409]

Runway 17/35 doesn't even exist in FSX, let alone have an ILS to tune. So it's not surprising you can't pick it up. It opened in 2005 so I suppose it was too late to make it into FSX.

If you've installed KMSP scenery with the runway then check your FSX map to see what frequency it is using. The frequency could be out of date. Either manually tune the old ILS frequency or update your installed navaids using this website:

http://www.aero.sors.fr/navaids3.html

Edited April 16, 2018 by kevinh

[downscc 1,327]

Always check the FSX Map, click on the airport and open up the airport information window, which lists all ILS and frequencies.  You can spot obsolete frequencies and runway numbers quickly.  Obsolete runway numbers is not a big deal but a different ILS frequency will adversely affect your arrival.

[DaveH 14]

Thanks, guys, for all the suggestions.  My problem is, as you can probably surmise, old scenery.  No RW35.

Funny thing is, though, I did do an RNAV(GPS) Z approach to RW35, but I suppose those are not coded in the airport AFCAD.

Thanks again, all.

Dave Hinson

 

[downscc 1,327]

2 hours ago, DaveH said:

Funny thing is, though, I did do an RNAV(GPS) Z approach to RW35, but I suppose those are not coded in the airport AFCAD.

If you are using the FMS in the PMDG aircraft then you are using terminal procedures as encoded into the navdata.  The FMS is unaware of procedures in the scenery AFCADs included, it only uses navdata or ILS/VOR signals.

[Jim Erwin 7]

i had a new AFCAD for KMSP installed on FSX:SE and therefore had Runway 35 and the ILS. If you have FSX, that solves the problem. I don't know if anyone has created one for P3D. 

 

Jim Erwin

[elButz 1]

theoretically this shouldn't be a problem... EDDF in stock FSX/P3D has only two runways. Aerosoft added the third one and put all respective ILS frequencies in, I have not encountered any problems ever when approaching the "new" runway there.

Maybe it's a FlightBeam thing? At their KSFO (I think 28R) the ILS frequency is different to the real one, so you can't rely on the FMS (Navdata) or Charts, because those use real world frequencies...

Maybe, if you download ADE, you can change the frequency, if the runway already is in there. And/or check if you need to configure the scenery through the config tool. FlyTampa use the method of interchanging 4 different AFCADs on their EHAM scenery, so maybe the runway you're approaching isn't in the AFCAD because the developer wants to avoid AI traffic collisions.

[downscc 1,327]

10 hours ago, elButz said:

Maybe it's a FlightBeam thing? At their KSFO (I think 28R) the ILS frequency is different to the real one, so you can't rely on the FMS (Navdata) or Charts, because those use real world frequencies...

Say what?  I've personally checked the KSFO Flightbeam navaids using the FAA NFDC data and found that the DME transmitters were not exactly in the right locations but close enough for simulation.  ILS28R IGWQ is correctly using 111.70; perhaps you are confusing the ILS with the LDA IFNP using 110.75?  The LDA is like a localizer but it is offset and uses a different course.

AI traffic does not use the ILS.  The approach must be defined as a sequence of waypoints in the scenery or AF (AFCAD) file for the AI traffic to follow the ILS course, which means you can have an ILS defined but traffic ignores it or you can define an approach without an ILS actually existing and AI will blindly follow it.  Therefore, ILS frequency has no impact on AI traffic.  As for using different AFCADs, this has nothing to do with ILS either but is a trick that FlyTampa uses to create parallel traffic patterns in two different directions.  Again, the AI traffic is following approaches defined in the AFCAD independent of the navaid definitions.  Other developers use different methods such as phantom runways.

A look at the FSX or P3D map will reveal what the ILS frequencies and course are in the scenery, regardless of if they are default or addon sceneries.  You are correct in that one may use ADE to change ILS properties or add one where one doesn't exist.