ILS approach & weather

[Guest desmondw]

Hi Folks, I wonder if it is a thing that can be fixed by a novice like me or something I will have to live with. Problem 1:I am turned onto the ILS for Runway 34 at CYYC, the needles are perfectly lined up and I switch to Approach on the auto pilot. The plane turns about 16 degrees left and brings me in to a perfect ILS landing with the needles still reading to my right. Is this to do with magnetic variaton? and can I do anything to correct this. It also happens on arrival at any of the English airports.Problem 2: I save the weather cycle report & it is in the METAR folder as a .txt file and clearly reads that last Sunday at KLGA the wind was 29024G30KT, FLY2 translated it as 123 degrees at 347Kts every time I tried it. It was the first time I had ever crashed on Push back!!!I notice that quite often the weather in the cycle is not what FLY2 gives me when I use METAR.Any advice would be greatly aprieciated. Thanks

[Guest DSandberg]

The current release of Fly II does continue to have some known problems with METAR weather at times. If you are doing anything else with weather in the sim before or after loading METARs (I mean in a single execution of the program), you might be able to get somewhat better results by booting the sim afresh before beginning a flight with METAR weather ... and then be certain to not do anything with the weather UI other than loading the METAR file.Did you really get the sim reporting a wind speed of 300+ knots, or was that a misprint? I've never seen or heard of that before. I'd be interested in seeing the METAR cycle file you used ... maybe there is something new that's confusing Fly's METAR import routine. If you still have it and can take the time, maybe you could ZIP up the file and email it to me at mystic_fm AT excite DAUT com (email address disguised to avoid spambots)?(Since you didn't mention it, I assume you were not using InfoMETAR?)- David Sandberg

[Guest]

Desmond,The ILS problem may be that you're lining up the needles before you select APCH on the A/P. Try this: Commence your approach about DME 15 from the YYC VORTAC, on about the 180 radial on a heading of 300 and an altitude of 5800 feet. Your A/P should be in Heading Select Mode. Now, tune to the localizer for RWY 34, and when the needles appear, punch the LOC button on the A/P. Your heading should remain the same, and most aircraft will now indicate both LOC and HDG SEL on the A/P. Allow the A/P to handle the intercept of the localizer beam. Once it does, and you're on a heading of 341 with the localizer needle centered, check to see that the glide slope indicator shows that you're BELOW (needle will be above center) the glide slope. NOW punch the Approach button and let the A/P handle the intercept of the glide slope. As you pitch down onto the glide slope, you'll want to select landing flaps and gear down, since the proper technique is to be stabilized on approach airspeed by the Final Approach Fix.The key is to plan your approach so that you have a less than 30 degree turn to make on intercepting the localizer and below the glide slope. Hope that helps!

[RandallR 446]

Desmond,Which aircraft are you using? The CDI/GS, HSI, etc. are different as you move to more advanced aircraft and avionics.For instance, in the Cessna it would be a good idea to align the CDI with the localizer before you make the approach - that would be approximately 340 degrees for Runway 34 and will "synchronize" the indicator heading with the gyro compass when you are on the localizer. You would then want to make your intercept of the localizer at no greater than 30 degrees (no more than 10 degrees bearing from the left side - no less than 310 degrees bearing from the right side).In aircraft like the Malibu or Navajo, you would use the more advanced HSI to make your approach. However, you must manually align the approach course to the localizer with their instruments also. For instance, if you leave the approach course at 0 degrees, then lock on to the localizer for Runway 34, the AP will turn you onto the localizer, but the course needles will be pointing 20 degrees off to your right, because you left the setting at 0 degrees.In some of the more advanced aircraft, the HSI will automatically align the indicator to the correct compass heading without any input from you, though that is only for localizers. For VOR or NDB approaches, you must still dial in the course setting.

[Guest desmondw]

Hi All, I thank you all for your advice on my problems, I tried going to YYC VOR & going out on the 180 radial then coming in at 300 degrees, then allow the ILS to intercept & the result is the same, I come in on the perfect ILS landing but my HSI needle, perfectly lined up on 360 degrees, 15 degrees to my right. I am FLYing the FEDEX DC9, but after reading your post I tried the Cessna, the both needles are cross haired perfectly on the correct reading of 345 degrees, so it seems to be right on. My problem apears to be with the Heavy's, I did try it with America West 737-500 which has a different panel & it also brought me to a perfect ILS landing but my HSI was reading about 360 degrees with the needle perfectly lined up. I will try it with the Sahara when I get time. Thank you all once again & if you come up with a solution I would love to hear it.