On an ILS approach, has anyone been able to identify any of the marker beacons, as they fly down the localizer?  I believe I heard the OM at KLAX, runway 06L once or twice (- -).  Or, maybe it was wishful thinking...

And, have you flown any planes whose PFDs showed the marker lights flash, as you passed over them?

MSFS says,  "Ctrl-3"   toggles the markers on and off, but I haven't been able to get it to work for me.  Has anyone else?  And, is there another way to get them to be seen and heard?

  I read elsewhere that markers were de-activated at many US airports in 2015, but I'm hoping it isn't true.  

-- If you've received marker's aural signal (- -), (. -), (. . .), please tell me how and at which airports; and on which runways.  Also,  if you've seen the marker lights appear on any plane's PFD. 

If an airport has markers on their ILS approaches, I'm surprised our planes don't show them on their PFDs as we pass over them. Just as they did in FSX and before...

Lee Graves

   

 

I know that many countries have now abandoned markers due to the propensity of GPS.. Canada being one.. but I fly regularly in the UK and can confirm that I have seen the outer and middle markers going on and off in the cockpit of default aircraft and heard the tone (morse like blips) from both outer and middle.   Inner are really hard to find these days as most have been removed.

I can't give you a specific airport right now, but I have both seen and heard them in the UK 🙂

Graham.

There are many more markers in MSFS than exist in the real world. It appears that the markers in the scenery come from a very old database - perhaps even from the original FSX database. 

The outer markers at my home airport in New York State still are present in MSFS, even though they were decommissioned in 2014. The OP mentioned KLAX. MSFS does still have outer and middle markers for all the westbound runways, even though the actual markers at KLAX were removed years ago.

There are still some active r/w marker beacons in 2021, but far fewer than there used to be. One type that still exists at many larger airports are inner markers on CAT III runways like 04R at KJFK

The best way to determine where markers still can be found in MSFS is to use Little Nav Map - it will display all markers found in the default scenery

Say what you want but I use to find inner marker at my home airport  IRL. But yes for 99% airports I fly, no more makers are gone and substituted just GPS fixes. On a the other hand trade off with GPS. While markers are gone, there are many GPS approaches appeared. Which in turn made my flying life made easier! 🙂

4 minutes ago, JRBarrett said:

There are many more markers in MSFS than exist in the real world. It appears that the markers in the scenery come from a very old database - perhaps even from the original FSX database. 

The outer markers at my home airport in New York State still are present in MSFS, even though they were decommissioned in 2014. The OP mentioned KLAX. MSFS does still have outer and middle markers for all the westbound runways, even though the actual markers at KLAX were removed years ago.

There are still some active r/w marker beacons in 2021, but far fewer than there used to be. One type that still exists at many larger airports are inner markers on CAT III runways like 04R at KJFK

The best way to determine where markers still can be found in MSFS is to use Little Nav Map - it will display all markers found in the default scenery

Thanks Graham and Jim for your help...It all makes sense, but nonetheless I cannot seem to find the proper setting or keystroke to receive them in the planes I fly...  What am I missing?

I, like all of us, am always trying to add all the realism possible to our flights (always available in all past MS sims I can remember for the past 2-3 decades, or more), but MSFS has me stymied...I hope someone can enlighten me...

Thanks again for suggestions...

Lee

 

 

Might be of some interest:

https://aerowinx.com/board/index.php?topic=6349.0

4 minutes ago, sd_flyer said:

Say what you want but I use to find inner marker at my home airport  IRL. But yes for 99% airports I fly, no more makers are gone and substituted just GPS fixes. On a the other hand trade off with GPS. While markers are gone, there are many GPS approaches appeared. Which in turn made my flying life made easier! 🙂

Thanks, Sd_Flyer--Have markers (when available) always given an aural sound in your MSFS cockpits (without anything special on your part?)  when you passed over them? And, by any chance, was there also an indication on the PFD?  Neither is happening to me, unfortunately...

Lee 

 

 

 

 

33 minutes ago, jcomm said:

Might be of some interest:

https://aerowinx.com/board/index.php?topic=6349.0

Thanks, jcomm--The Aerowinx NG FMC--What a great piece of equipment...I feel much the same about PMDG's great MD-11 (and its impressive FMC), which I flew a great deal in FSX.  In fact,  right through the day before I downloaded MSFS2020...

BUT, can it get marker beacons to appear in my airplanes  (LOL)?...(We can reminisce later about these 2 heavyweights...)

Lee

 

The Garmins show it as a small 'O' 'I' or 'M' near the top of the altitude tape.

Edited April 6, 20215 yr by marsman2020

Yes, I've heard the marker beacons sound off at several airports (including some approaches where there aren't supposed to be any).  In some cases, the audio was so faint I could hardly tell they were operating - I increased the audio on the panel as high as I could and they were still barely audible -I did report the issue.

Also worth double-checking your general volume settings to make sure all the sliders are up (or down - I finally managed to get rid of the ATC voices that were badgering me constantly:).

I've heard a couple of markers. Last time was flying circuits at Lajes in the C-17. I do miss them a bit. They're a reassuring sound when you're approaching in IMC.

Captain Moore

1 hour ago, leegra said:

Thanks, Sd_Flyer--Have markers (when available) always given an aural sound in your MSFS cockpits (without anything special on your part?)  when you passed over them? And, by any chance, was there also an indication on the PFD?  Neither is happening to me, unfortunately...

Lee 

 

 

 

 

Well they are all part of ILS! Markers in order: outer=FAF, GS intercept altitude is coming, middle = you better see approach lights, inner =  if you still don't see runway you probably should have gone missed or you are screwed LOL

If you ask me now would I rather have markers or GPS. I'd say GPS!

 Many years ago at my airport  there was an accident. Jet run off runway and destroyed part of ILS  in tragic crash. At that time we had only alternate VOR approach, which was OK, but kind of useless because marine layer often rendered  VOR MDA obsolete. So every time we were coming back early in the morning or in the evening the odds we won't land by deviate or go missed trying.

One would think  ILS would be rebuilt very fast! Right? Yes it was! But it needed FAA certification in special airplane (King Air if my memory served me right) which had other jobs to do. And so we waited long 4-5 months before ILS was re-certified .

Nowdays we have GPS approach! ILS minimus 201ft AGL, GPS minimums 202ft AGL ! GS out of service? No problem! LOL

7 hours ago, jcomm said:

Might be of some interest:

https://aerowinx.com/board/index.php?topic=6349.0

jcomm--Please accept my apology for obviously misreading and missing the point of the link you sent me.  I got hung-up with the great NG FMC and skipped over the other important stuff, about what has happened to many US marker beacons.  It explains some of what I had already read...

Now, please tell me if you have found a way to receive those beacon signals that DO still exist... My being able to do this was why I posted this thread in the first place...  

Can you, or anyone reading these posts, help me do that?,,,I hope so...

Many thanks for all suggestions...

Lee 

4 hours ago, leegra said:

jcomm--Please accept my apology for obviously misreading and missing the point of the link you sent me.  I got hung-up with the great NG FMC and skipped over the other important stuff, about what has happened to many US marker beacons.  It explains some of what I had already read...

Now, please tell me if you have found a way to receive those beacon signals that DO still exist... My being able to do this was why I posted this thread in the first place...  

Can you, or anyone reading these posts, help me do that?,,,I hope so...

Many thanks for all suggestions...

Lee 

Lee,

I really can't help you... I totally gave up on MFS, and pretty much all flight simulation platforms used by most users around here.

I keep ELITE 9 XTS, Aerowinx PSX, and have been long considering Airlinetools Flightdeck A32x... So, no chance for any testing with MFS, FSX, XP, P3D....  sorry.

(*) the pic on my avatar is taken from  ELITE v9 XTS Kingair 200 panel 🙂

Edited April 7, 20215 yr by jcomm