Up until now I have been fly from airport to airport using GPS, and then landing on the closest/easiest runway I see. 🙂   Well, I want to take this experience to the next level and start to land using instruments, and try to do things correctly. I am using the C172 (G1000) and just taking short hops from KDEN to KCOS. I watched a good video on this and it seemed pretty straightforward, but the video started off without stating where they got the ILS frequency from.

So...I have a few questions....

1. Where do I get the ILS frequency for the runway I am going to land at KCOS? I am going to land on runway 35R. 

2. Are the tower and ILS frequencies auto loaded into the plane, assuming I have selected everything correctly on the world map screen in MSFS?  I have the flight plan saved using SimBrief, which I load into the sim on the world map screen.

3. What is a good tool to use for flight planning? Is SimBrief a good choice?

Thanks guys.

Rob 

 

 

36 minutes ago, RobJC said:

Up until now I have been fly from airport to airport using GPS, and then landing on the closest/easiest runway I see. 🙂   Well, I want to take this experience to the next level and start to land using instruments, and try to do things correctly. I am using the C172 (G1000) and just taking short hops from KDEN to KCOS. I watched a good video on this and it seemed pretty straightforward, but the video started off without stating where they got the ILS frequency from.

So...I have a few questions....

1. Where do I get the ILS frequency for the runway I am going to land at KCOS? I am going to land on runway 35R. 

 

 

 

One general approach (pun!) is to use the Sky Vector website. https://skyvector.com/airports

Enter KCOS ( ICAO ID) for Colorado Springs into the airport search field at the top. You can then scroll down to the instrument approach procedures. If, for example, you want to fly the ILS to 35L, click on that approach and on the approach diagram Plan view (in the middle of the chart) you will find the freq for the ILS (Localizer freq) -- 109.9 in this case, along with other information like the altitude you should fly to intercept the ILS Glide Slope on the Profile view at the bottom of the chart.

There are quite a few videos on YouTube on how to read an approach chart (plate) that you might find helpful.

Al

Edited December 10, 20205 yr by ark

32 minutes ago, RobJC said:

Up until now I have been fly from airport to airport using GPS, and then landing on the closest/easiest runway I see. 🙂   Well, I want to take this experience to the next level and start to land using instruments, and try to do things correctly. I am using the C172 (G1000) and just taking short hops from KDEN to KCOS. I watched a good video on this and it seemed pretty straightforward, but the video started off without stating where they got the ILS frequency from.

So...I have a few questions....

1. Where do I get the ILS frequency for the runway I am going to land at KCOS? I am going to land on runway 35R. 

2. Are the tower and ILS frequencies auto loaded into the plane, assuming I have selected everything correctly on the world map screen in MSFS?  I have the flight plan saved using SimBrief, which I load into the sim on the world map screen.

3. What is a good tool to use for flight planning? Is SimBrief a good choice?

Thanks guys.

Rob 

 

 

1. Where do I get the ILS frequency for the runway I am going to land at KCOS? I am going to land on runway 35R. 109.1 is the LOC for 35R NOT 109.9 as stated above.. https://flightaware.com/resources/airport/KCOS/IAP/ILS+OR+LOC+RWY+35R

2. Are the tower and ILS frequencies auto loaded into the plane, assuming I have selected everything correctly on the world map screen in MSFS?  I have the flight plan saved using SimBrief, which I load into the sim on the world map screen. In the real world G1000 they are. I can't remember off the top of my head as to whether they get loaded to nav. Tower is most certainly not, you'll have to dial all COMs in but when you load an approach, the ILS should go in the standby NAV (that you'll have to flip to the primary).

3. What is a good tool to use for flight planning? Is SimBrief a good choice? Skyvector is fine. I use lots of tools for real world flying. Windy and weatherspork for weather and Garmin Pilot for actual route planning. Skyvector with get you used to looking at airspace and VFR maps.

Edited December 10, 20205 yr by Ajb376

Thanks guys! This is exactly what I was looking for. 

One point to think about.....unless the sim database is updated on a regular basis......the freq's from an external site may not work as they won't match. Not sure in FS 2020 how they update that info, but I know back in FSX it was an issue.

 

5 hours ago, PIC007 said:

One point to think about.....unless the sim database is updated on a regular basis......the freq's from an external site may not work as they won't match. Not sure in FS 2020 how they update that info, but I know back in FSX it was an issue.

 

They actually just had a navdata update so I expect most to be in sync. That said, real world updates in monthly cycles so this will hold true. 
 

Interestingly, there are some opposite issues of what you’re describing. For instance fly the ILS into KAVL and you’ll find it takes you to the brand new runway in Asheville that the sim has yet to model. You’ll land on a grainy and blurry mess. 

I  would advise new users to download LilNavMap and use that to create plans.

The first half of this video is making the flight plan in LNM, the last half is making bush trip files which is off topic. But the first part is very good.

(In a later video he had learned not to use 'add a waypoint' but instead 'append a waypoint' to keep from having to drag the waypoints around like he does).

 

How to add Google Maps into LilNavMap (right click on "the file" and choose SAVE AS). It will add google maps into LilNavMap.

 

For new flyers, once you drag the mouse around creating a flight plan in LNM, then save the plan from the File menu. Then from the MSFS main menu click on Load/Save and Load that .pln file and Fly.

If your plane has the Garmins etc. the plan will be loaded in it.

If you have a simpler plane with round gauges, the plan's waypoints will be displayed in the sky (unless you turn them off in MSFS options).

Or if you have 2 monitors you can navigate while you're flying by watching the moving map in LilNavMap after opening your saved .pln file in LilNavMap | File | Open Flightplan.

+1 for LilNavMap, great program.

9 hours ago, RobJC said:

Up until now I have been fly from airport to airport using GPS, and then landing on the closest/easiest runway I see. 🙂   Well, I want to take this experience to the next level and start to land using instruments, and try to do things correctly. I am using the C172 (G1000) and just taking short hops from KDEN to KCOS. I watched a good video on this and it seemed pretty straightforward, but the video started off without stating where they got the ILS frequency from.

 

You can get ILS frequencies in the sim - when setting your departure and arrival airports on the 'World Map' page, click the 'Open Filters'  tab, scroll down and enable the Navaid filter. Zoom into the arrival airport and if there LocalizerDME's you will see them marked just beyond the end of the runways - click on that and a pop up box will give details including the ILS frequency.  

Thanks guys. I will check out your suggestions. 

Little Navmap is a must for flight planning and if you plan on doing more IFR flying, then charts are a must. You will get all your necessary info from there.

MSFS don't have all real procedures for SID and STARS , you will see a lot of procedures in littlenavmap that aren't in MSFS,  with the same navigraph cycle installed on both programs (in my case 2013 airac)