Simviation Forums

OK, So I'm landing at an airport, and I want to get its ILS numbers.

I go to the map, and get the runway heading, ILS number. I get that. But I'm confused as to what VOR and NBD number I put in.

The VOR should be right before the runway I want to land at, right? The blue square? And how about the NBD? Should I get the NBD beacon at the far end of the runway? I'm confused because some airports have NBD beacons before the runway and after.

Thanks!
Alex

I just get the runway freq. and put it into NAV1 and make sure it's active.

To land at most airports you only need the ILS frequency if you know where the airport is and can navigate VFR.

The best way to get the frequencies you need is to use the flight planner and tick the VOR to VOR box.  When in the cockpit you can then check the Navigation Log and it will display all the frequencies you need in the order that you need them.

I hope this helps.

Will

so whats the point of the nbd and vor numbers if all you need is the runway ILS number??

Big Al, the VOR (Variable Omni-Range) beacon and the NDB (Non-Directional Beacon) are mainly used for navigational way points, but can also be used together for landing aids should the ILS quit on you. This is unlikely to happen in 2K2 plus, you have to remember the ILS is parked at the end of the R/W, whereas the NDB and VOR's may even be located ontop of the Airport cafe.

They are used for navigation. The VOR transmits a signal, by reading the direction and angle to or from the VOR station you can find your position on an aeronautical chart and by following the radials you can fly from station to station. It's also possible to calculate your speed by measuring the time it takes you to go from one radial to another.






Cessna Manual Of Flight, Jeppenson 1985

HI
You'll find many airport runways don't have NDB's on their runways, their primary use is not for landing aircraft, but navigation.  ;)
But I think I'm right in saying the NDB has a greater range than the VOR for ILS landing, so you can use it to get lined up with the runway long before then ILS kicks in.  Having two "ushers" then showing you the way will make things easier on approach.
But remember once the ILS kicks in you should disregard the NDB and just concentrate on your instruments, and once your in sight of the runway you should be using your own two eyes.
Well good luck and happy landings.

Phil

i wouldnt rely on an NDB for lining up with anything, it does exactly what it says on the tin:) its a NON-DIRECTIONAL beacon. they can be used for navigation but never expect it to be accurate.(said during a cockpit tour video i saw by an airbus captain) thats why you have VOR's they are usually dead on accurate

OK, so I'm landing at DeGaulle airport. The tower tells me a certain runway, so I put in the VOR located at the beginning of the runway in nav2, and nav1 I put the ILS freq. from the runway I'm landing at. Why did my airplane touch down like 40 feet before the runway on the ground??

I guess I should be helping guide it in, but I was hoping I could get the airplanes to land themselves. Sometimes they come in too low and hit the ground, and sometimes they're perfect. I guess I just have to practice more

things like approach speeds, when you lower flaps and lower the gear all have an effect on that situation(or do for me) the planes on flight sim are not designed to really autoland as they dont flare above the ground and you will have a nose heavy landing. to be honest with you i never really bother with the VOR's and just concentrate on the ILS, my best suggestion, find a small airport with an ILS and take the 737 from an airport near there on an IFR and practise to you get it down perfect. i used the memphis to tupelo flight a few times to get it all down properly, theres no need to worry about other traffic at tupelo as they only have light aircraft taking off every now and then. and it has an ILS to runway 36

OK, so I put in nav1 the ILS freq of the runway. Then autopilot on and the approach button ON, right?

Now I just keep the aircrafts nose up and flair it when it goes in to land? I tried it with a 747 but the aircraft didn't want to go down in altitude (I made sure the AP altitude hold button was off) at all...

what am I doing wrong?

Now I'm using a lighter plane (airbus a320)... and it seems like the APR is taking me to the left of the runway, basically on the grass. This has happened in 2 airports. Oakland and Sacramento, California.

I must be missing something...

OK, so I put in nav1 the ILS freq of the runway. Then autopilot on and the approach button ON, right?

Now I just keep the aircrafts nose up and flair it when it goes in to land? I tried it with a 747 but the aircraft didn't want to go down in altitude (I made sure the AP altitude hold button was off) at all...

what am I doing wrong?

Big Al,

Bad news.  I have had exactly this same difficulty, and it matters not what airport or equipment you are using. The ILS in FS2002 is BROKEN  :'(.

I have landed very successfully many times using the ILS in FS2000. But the autopilot is malfunctional in FS2002. I know this because a Microsoft games support guy told me so recently.  And they have absolutely no plans to publish a patch for this terrible, glaring problem.

In FS2002 I can snag the heading of the ILS. But vertical speed never kicks in, the AP Alt button indicator light never goes off to indicate the altitude lock has been successful. My aircraft simply stays at the same altitude and merrily flys 2000 feet over the runway as though there were no ILS altitude control at all. Oh, well. At least I'm going in the right direction!

Another problem that was programmed into FS2002 is that some of the airport runway elevations are incorrect. Thus when you try to land on some of them, your tires dig deep into the runway and drag down your aircraft. Yet other runways are located underwater. I found one of these in Alaska. The strip was at the bottom of a lake!

Again, since Microsoft developers are too busy messing up new versions of the sim, there will be no patch for this problem, either.

FS2004, anyone?  ;)

[quote]

Big Al,

Bad news.

Well, ILS DOES stand for Instrument Landing System, so it's doubtful that some airports so equipped may not provide a glideslope.  Besides, these were some of the very same runways I've been happily touching down on for years in FS2000.

It's nice for you that Heathrow has at least one functional  glideslope. I guess even the guys at Microsoft can't screw up to perfection.  ;)