I know I'm going to look dumb but...I'm kind of new to flying and just wanted to know what does the ILS Frequency do? Does it go with Auto Pilot? Also what part does it play in FSX and real life?

Not a dumb question at all. I think we need more questions/answers about flying.The ILS frequency is what you put into your NAV1 radio if you want to use ILS for an approach to a runway. You dial in the frequency, and use the ILS to help you maintain the correct glide slope down to the runway. This includes altitude and bearing to the runway (staying lined up).You can also use the autopilot's approach mode to fly the airplane down the glideslope automatically.

beat me to it ;)you can check out this link for a little more on ILS http://www.navfltsm.addr.com/ils.htmbut it's basically what jackdanielsdrinker said :-) :-waveshocky :-hahhttp://img7.exs.cx/img7/5379/Banner21.jpg

In real life it plays some part in the navigation of the airplane at the end of the journey, but not always as not all airports or runways are fitted with an Instrument Landing System. It is separate from the autopilot but can be slaved to it in many cases, and is really part of the radio navigation aids NOT a part of the autopilot - you can still use the ILS even if you fly manually.There's lots of good information in the Learning Centre of the sim itself, and the lessons show you in an interactive fashion what use you can put those signals to.Allcott

>I know I'm going to look dumb but...>>I'm kind of new to flying and just wanted to know what does>the ILS Frequency do? Does it go with Auto Pilot? Also what>part does it play in FSX and real life?Not a dumb question at all. But, did you know...The answer is already on your computer? If you are like many people and don't want to read the Learning Center (FSX Help) while the sim is running......from the Explorer Window, navigate to your main FSX folder (usually C:Program FilesMicrosoft GamesFSX) and then drill down to this folder:/uiresLocate the file named lc01.htm and doubleclick to load it in your default web browser. Voila! Instant answers to most of your questions... ;)For example, in the Glossary you would read the following description of an ILS:"instrument landing system (ILS)A system of navigation aids and approach lights that provide both horizontal and vertical guidance to aircraft approaching a runway. The ILS is the primary precision-approach system in use today around the world. A typical ILS includes a localizer and a glide slope, as well as outer, middle, and inner marker beacons. The localizer transmits a directional signal that provides left/right guidance. The glide slope is an electronic glide path that defines the proper descent angle to the runway. Marker beacons indicate distance from the runway."

While the version for FSX has not been released yet, this is one of the main reasons why the program "FS Navigator" is so popular, especially when used on a second monitor. Not only does it display both your aircraft, and all of the actual graphic extents of all the ILS glide scopes for every runway, but it takes care of all the "overhead" in using them with just a click of your mouse. All the proper frequencies are automaically entered into NAV1 for you. It even has a "fly too" feature which uses the aircrafts autopilot which is extremely nice. Just pick a spot at the end of the visually represented glide scope and the plane will fly right to it.Before FS Navigator, I used a "triple binder book" which I made for myself, with all the ILS runway frequencies for every runway and for all major airports, for quick reference and manual load.Bob (Las Cruces, NM)

I can add to this topic:In terms of ILS and FSX versus the real world, there are many similarities and some discrepancies.As far as similarities are concerned, FSX succeeds in re-creating the vast majority of real-world ILS frequencies. A very good thing to do is start searching for "approach plates" on the Internet. Some airports publish their own plates on their own websites, or you can sometimes find plates for specific airports on Wikipedia. It's REALLY IMPORTANT to know that plates you get for free (or even ones you pay for) SHOULD NEVER BE USED FOR REAL-WORLD AVIATION NAVIGATION! This is because some plates do change over time, and it's really dangerous (and illegal) to trust your navigation to an out-of-date set of plates. However, plates that you scrounge off the Internet or wherever are usually just fine for flight sims like FSX. Approach plates with ILS information (usually they are labelled "ILS XX" where XX is a runway number, like 27 or 03R) will show you an overhead diagram of the ILS approach. There's a big, long arrow that represents the path the aircraft must take to achieve an ILS landing. In the middle of the arrow is a number in degrees that shows the exact heading needed to follow the arrow to the runway. There is also a number in a box labelled "Localizer" which is the number you enter into your Nav1 radio. If you press IDENT, then you will hear the Morse Code identifier for the ILS frequency: the dots and dashes you hear should match the dots and dashes you see in the Localizer box. The trouble with FSX is that not all ILS-equipped airports have perfect systems. In a few cases, the frequency is incorrect. You can look at the Map and click on the ILS arrow for any aiport that has ILS approaches to find out what frequency FSX wants you to use for any given approach -- use that frequency if it differs from your real-world info. In other cases, the ILS is not lined up properly with the runway. It's just a mistake in FSX. If you find your favourite airport has this issue, chances are some kind soul has made the correction, and you can search the AVSIM forum for a file that should correct the problem. Jeff ShylukAvsim Product Reviewer

>A very good thing to do is start searching for "approach>plates" on the Internet. Some airports publish their own>plates on their own websites, or you can sometimes find plates>for specific airports on Wikipedia.FlightAware (http://flightaware.com/resources/) seems to have the best free source of approach plates and all that sort of stuff that I've come across. Some small airports don't have all their documentation (KUNV, my current local field and supposedly the business uncontrolled airport in the country, doesn't have an airport diagram on their site) but the big ones have everything. The KATL "all procedures" PDF has all the arrivals, departures, approaches, and everything you'd never need. And weighs in at a whopping 37.5 megabytes and 103 pages. Haven't printed that one out yet.Yeah the FSX ATC seems to ignore the fancy arrivals that the procedures stuff tells me about, even though the flight planner sometimes listens to them. But its nice to have a picture with numbers and stuff telling me what I'm supposed to do instead of pausing and going into the map. I like having a binder with my two home airports, the busiest airports in my state, east coast airports I frequent, and others I tend to fly out of regularly.

I think the lack of a large map that doesn't stop the flight is some of the reason why I haven

Great site! Thanks, just added it.RH

>>You can also use the autopilot's approach mode to fly the>airplane down the glideslope automatically. Exactly how do you do this, I 've never found an easy to understand method??