Using the localizer

The localizer is part of the ILS system. It is usually lateral and located under the Artifcial Horizon (it is in most planes, not too sure weather it is on the Cessna Skylane RG)

The idea is to keep the needle centered at all times, so if you approach the runway at an angle, the needle wont be centered but as you reach the line of the runway the localizer needle will start to move into the center, it shouldnt move too fast, but this depends on what angle you approach at

So you will start a turn to face the runway, not a big turn, just a small one so when you finish you should be facing the heading of the runway with the localizer needle centered. If its not centered, thats ok you can make small adjustments from there.

The idea is if the needle is moving to the center fast, you should turn fast (more bank) and if its moving at a slow steady rate, you should turn at a slow steady rate. This will help you capture it nicely

I hope this helps!

Any more questions just ask! 🙂

Tim

This is for FS2004 but you'll get the idea of what the ILS is about from it:

https://forum.flyawaysimulation.com/forum/topic/8080/ils-approach-guide-tutorial/

😛

Hi,

I've read a lot of stuff about this but I'm still struggling. I find myself "chasing the needle". Luckily there is a lesson on just this thing so I'm practising this.

Problem seems to be once the radio is set the needle slowly starts to move a few degrees. Then suddenly it picks up speed and its as far from the centre as it can go. If the needle moves to the left of center then I try and steer t the left a bit but the needle keeps moving. I then find myself having to bank as far as possible to get the needle to head back into the centre. The needle will then go straight past centre and to the right.

This being said I'm making some progress because I landed nearly succesfully earlier on the grass at the side of the runway. I had to do a lot of last minute turning and by then I was hitting the dirt before I had chance to move across to the runway.

This certainly seems the hardest bit to master.

You need to make subtle changes to the control surfaces. Try and predict the movement of the aircraft relative to the centerline. If the horizontal indicator very slowly starts moving to the left for example, then its safe to say that it will go more and more to the left if your course is left unchanged. If it starts moving slowly, then make a tiny adjustment to center it again.

SUCCESS!!

Well kinda, i managed to keep the needle centered however the runway appeared to be at an angle so I ended up making a couple of adjustments right at the very end and lost the needle center. I still landed but next to the runway, it was enough for the lesson though as I was congratulated and told I had 4 defaults (or something similiar).

My query, when you see the runway in sight and the needle is still centered but you seem to be off course. Do you trust that the needle is 100% correct or go with what you can see?

IE, should I have just carried with the needle being centered and landed wherever as long as the needle was centered. Or was I right to make a few adjustments and follow what I could see even if that resulted in the needle jumping off course to the far right?

Goose8674 wrote:

SUCCESS!!

Well kinda, i managed to keep the needle centered however the runway appeared to be at an angle so I ended up making a couple of adjustments right at the very end and lost the needle center. I still landed but next to the runway, it was enough for the lesson though as I was congratulated and told I had 4 defaults (or something similiar).

My query, when you see the runway in sight and the needle is still centered but you seem to be off course. Do you trust that the needle is 100% correct or go with what you can see?

IE, should I have just carried with the needle being centered and landed wherever as long as the needle was centered. Or was I right to make a few adjustments and follow what I could see even if that resulted in the needle jumping off course to the far right?

ILS approaches are only used in the real world in IMC so you probably wouldn't be able to see the runway due to poor visibility in which case you'd follow the needles. Follow the needles until you reach low altitude, by then you can use visual reference to center your aircraft for landing.

No, you shouldn't just land anywhere that the needle tells you. Visual reference is preferable because its more accurate and easier to fly actually seeing the runway.

Flight Simulator Navigation
➡ www.navfltsm.addr.com/index.htm

Just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who helped me out and posted on this thread.

I have now completed the following lessons on MS FS98:-

Intro Flight: Cessna Skylane RG at Meigs Field

Intro Flight: Cessna Skylane RG at SFO

VOR Approach With Procedure Turn: Cessna Skylane RG

Landed succesfully on the runway. The SFO lesson was the big one because involves flying from San Francisco to Oaklane and landing. On the this particular one I had 10 deviations on altitude.

I've now printed off a rain forest worth of stuff regarding navigation and am going to read through that. As my next goal is to set the navigation instruments myself and do a short flight with my trusty Cessna.

I think I just got hooked 🙂

If you're using FS98 and you like it, you're going to love FS2004, it's at Wal-mart for $30. Do what you need to do to get it(beg, barrow but don't steal). As long as your computer can run it, you'll love it. You'll need a joy stick if you don't have one(min $20). The difference is like night and day.🙂

FS2004 Requirements
Windows PC
2000/XP – 128 MB Ram(I recommend 512)
98/Me – 64 MB Ram
Processor:450 MHz minimum (I recommend 1 Ghz min)
Available hard drive space:1.8 GB
DirectX 9 or later (included with Microsoft Flight Simulator: A Century of Flight)
Video card: 8 MB/3D with DirectX 7.0 or later drivers(I recommend min. 128 MB card)

I've yet to experience the wonders of FS2004 as I still have FS2002. I went out to buy it recently and nowhere had it except an outlet which was really overcharging. What are the biggest improvements with 04 over 02? I hear that the ATC is much improved.

FS2002 is good, the difference is not as great as from FS98 to FS2004. The GPS is much better, it looks like the real thing. The historical aircraft are great. the weather, ATC and the over all program is improved. It's worth getting even with FSX coming out, unless you have a really fast computer. 🙂

Checkout website:
http://www.microsoft.com/games/flightsimulator/

Key new features:
Dynamic weather system based on realistic atmospheric physics, with true three-dimensional clouds that form and dissipate, and automatic real-world weather updates when you're connected to the Internet.
Weather “themes” that generate a wide variety of stunning—and challenging—flying conditions with just a few clicks of a mouse
Enhanced interactive air traffic control (ATC), including traffic at all airports around the world (including non-towered airports), altitude changes en route, pop-up IFR clearances, and precision and non-precision approaches to multiple runways
Interactive 3D “virtual” cockpits—tune radios and operate key aircraft controls and avionics by pointing and clicking in the virtual cockpit view.
Scenery improvements, including taxiway and runway signs, enhanced auto-gen 3D objects, more high-detail airports, and improved lighting and sky effects
Garmin 500 and 295 series GPS with color moving maps and airport/facility information
Improved full-color map view with terrain display
Improved support for 3D graphics hardware acceleration in multiple windows and across multiple monitors
Learning Center--a “Web site on the disc” available while the simulation is running that includes a Key Topics visual guide to the features in Microsoft Flight Simulator, direct links to flights and lessons, flight briefings, how-to procedures, aircraft handbooks, and more.
New and expanded lessons and ground school topics
Kiosk mode for unattended demonstrations

I was actually thinking about going for 2004 and to be honest I'm kinda caught in two minds. On one hand I want to get FSX but I'm not sure if my PC will run it well enough to get a smooth flight. The MS specs seem to indicate my PC can run it however I have a few problems with the demo but that could just be because it is a demo and far from the completed game.

I have a joystick and I'm pretty sure my setup could handle 2004 but I'm kinda hoping FSX will work properly on my PC.

Specs are AMD 2200, 1799MHZ, 512 MB Ram and GEFORCE TI4400 card.

According to MS that should be okay.

Decisions, decisions..

In that situation I would always go with the least demanding title in this case FS9. The ability to run FS9 or any previous software is a gradual step to FSX. 👍