Pageg8 DME, ILS
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Contents
Contents
In the Beginning;
ILS
Charts in the Making;
IFR Approach
basics;
Prevention Plan for ILS
Mistakes;
Need to Know ILSThings;
Use all your Navaids;
At the Marker;
ILS
Specifics;
About the ILS;
Flying the ILS;
Downwind
ILS Approach;
Personal IFR limits;
DME;
DME
Arc;
Bracketing;
Centered method:;
10
Degree Method:; DME Arc Another Way;
ILS Approach;
ILS
Method;
ILS another way;
Single Pilot ILS; ...Taking
Charge; ...Pre-approach ILS Se-tup
order of Importance; ...Eight Stages
of the ILS;
Fly the ILS with
Rudder;
ILS Partial panel;
...Partial Panel is an Emergency; ...Instlructional Exercise;
A
Better ILS; ...ILS Dot Measure;
...lILS Accidents; ...ILS
Safe Space;
Downwind ILS;...Category I ILS;
ILS
Failure;
Catching ILS Malfunctions;
Emergency;
ILS
and TERPs;
PTS for ILS;
ILS Test:; ...ILS-IFR-PTS;
Rule of Thumb Compass Turns; ...ILS
Glideslope; ...The ILS from 200 Feet;
In
the Beginning
For many years the search was on for a zero-zero system. This
has only in the recent past become possible. Once a 200-foot minimum
was accepted as the best available things began to improve.
In 1918 the first marker beacon was demonstrated. In the early twenties the first four-course radio range was demonstrated. This could get you from point to point but not on the ground.
In 1928 the concept of an ILS with the heavy equipment on the ground and the indicators in the airplane was accepted. A cooperative effort by the Guggenheim Foundation used Jimmy Doolittle to contact the Sperry Gyroscope Company to get them to develop two needed instruments. Sperry created an artificial horizon (Now called an attitude indicator) and a gyrocompass (Now called a heading indicator) which gives precise and easily determined information. Doolittle used a localizer beam to guide him to the airport and a fan-marker as a means for determining distance from touchdown. The last remaining necessary instrument came from the Kollsman Instrument Company. In August of 1929 Kollsman perfected a barometric adjustable altimeter that gave vertical information within 20 feet. At the end of September Doolittle flew a localizer approach to touchdown
At the same time a high frequency glide slope beam was being developed at College Park, Maryland which by 1931 was blended into a three element landing system consisting of a localizer, marker beacons and glide slope. Marshal S. Boggs made a blind landing on a runway whereas Doolittle had landed on a large field. Boggs' localizer was accurate to 20' at the threshold. The glide slope was accurate to five feet when 30' above the ground. Boggs made over 100 such landings but always with a safety pilot. Jim Kinney took over for Boggs who was killed while on vacation. Kinney completed the first IFR flight from takeoff to landing by flying in clouds from College Park to Newark. Lindbergh made two ILS approaches using a safety pilot. The project was killed in 1933 by the withdrawal of federal funds due to the depression.
When the federal government dropped the ball the airlines were interested but an ILS system cost over sixteen thousand dollars and $600 more to equip an airplane. Then when the expensive airmail contracts were canceled, the U.S. Army began flying the mail. In five months there were 66 accidents. Then the government became interested in a landing system, not the ILS, but an NDB system with markers. Using this system Lt. Al Hegenberger made the first solo blind landing ever at McCook Field Ohio. Because of Hegenberger this system became the government's favored system and it was so primitive that it could be federally financed because it was not an airport improvement. The airlines were unhappy, knowing that the ILS was waiting in the wings.
TWA developed and tested a high frequency ILS system in Germany but again it was not precise enough for the airlines. In 1935 some scientists who had left the previous government ILS started their own company and developed a portable ILS that could be moved from runway to runway. This system was supported by and adopted by the Navy for land use.
In 1934, United Airlines acquired the original Newark ILS equipment
and moved it to Oakland, CA. This was installed as a permanent
ILS as modified in 1936. In March of 1936 R.T. Freng in a Boeing
247 flew an autopilot coupled ILS approach. Over 3000 such approaches
were flown over the next two years. Other airlines, and the military
services were involved.
When five airline crashes occurred in December the government
initiated a well financed airport modernization program. In 1938
the first passenger-carrying airline landed at Pittsburg, PA using
the ILS in actual conditions. The first United-Bendix ILS systems
were installed at Burbank, Oakland, Kansas city, Chicago, Cleveland
and Newark. In June of 1938 the 1926 was erased from the books.
However, before WWII began only one government installed ILS existed.
During the war eight civil airports and 29 army fields got ILS
installed. During the war the military favored the Ground Controlled
Approach system which was radar controlled from the ground. This
system is expensive and manpower intensive. The ILS finally won
out but only as a low approach landing system. I have read of
one instance where the portable version of the ILS saved a C-46
on one engine in a Himalayas airport of northern India during
WWII.
ILS
Charts in the Making
Charts are made following the rules of FAR 97 which requires
that a text presentation of the chart be made as a proposal or
a proposed rule making based upon the U.S. Standard for Terminal
Instrument Procedures or TERPS. +Safe flight is the primary basis
of chart design.
1. Obstacle clearance slope is folded in with the need for a smooth descent.
2. TERPs standards are followed as much as possible.
3. Non-TERPs standards must be fully documented.
4. User and other agencies have time to make comments.
Segmentation:
1. Initial approach made of DME arc, radial, course, heading vector
or a combination as the initial approach fix (IAF) as a beginning
point. This segment has 1000 feet of altitude above an obstacle
and narrows from 4 nm to each side of center at 13.5 miles from
the threshold down to1/2 m at the inner marker. A secondary area
gives 500' obstacle clearance beginning at the 4-mile primary
area to 6 nm and narrows to the same 1/2 mile at the inner marker
as the primary area.
2. Intermediate approach begins at the end of the initial approach segments where you configure the aircraft and adjust the speed while setting up on the positive approach course.
3. Final approach begins at the FAF and ends at the runway of missed approach point.
4. (Optional) The circling approach has a region adjusted to the speed of the aircraft. The maneuvering area allows the aircraft to remain with the airport in view while it flies to arrive in alignment with the runway before initiation of the descent.
5. The missed approach is a point from which the aircraft rejects landing as a possibility and climbs to depart the procedure.
IFR
Approach basics
Flying the ILS requires the pilot to process four times the
information a surgeon doing a major operation. Outcome is result
of three basic factors:
1. Pilots knowledge of aircraft
2. Pilots ability to fly smoothly and competently
This is region of greatest weakness. Pilot must have feel
for what the airplane is doing. You must learn to slow the aircraft
to approach speed at a time and place commensurate with your altitude
and the required airspeed configuration.
3. Situational awareness.
You must know exactly where you are in relation to the airport
and final approach fix. When you are in strange territory and
have unfamiliar approaches and departures, the wisest thing to
do is to ask for help from the locals. You can expect that every
departure will be somewhat different due to local procedures that
often bypass those published. Expect to get an amended departure
in the run-up area that differs from everything you have planned.
Expect that with the advent of GPS that even your enroute plans
will be augmented by GPS-direct to an intersection that bypasses
a busy corridor.
The criteria of IFR proficiency is based upon your ability to adapt to the unexpected. An instrument departure is given in your clearance as a road map. Before flying any part of the departure, enroute, arrival, or approach you MUST review not only what you expect but what you may get. Major problems can result if any part is totally different from what you planned. As to what causes these differences it may be due to weather, aircraft performance, human limitations, or even ATC restrictions. Getting or requesting radar vectors is often a valid option.
In the planning of IFR flight you must pick off as much in the way of names, courses, distances, frequencies, and change-over points, and minimum altitudes from the plates and charts as seem to follow your route. Expect ATC to be as helpful as they can be in giving you requested altitudes, deviations, or special considerations. Let them know if you have a problem and keep them advised of any significant changes. You want to know your chart information so well that any search only takes the recommended three seconds off your flying scan.
In the flying of IFR scan is your first priority. If a clearance
disturbs your scan tell ATC to give you a heading long enough
for you to get the rest of the clearance. Single pilot IFR is
ten times more difficult than two pilot IFR. Even with autopilot,
single pilot IFR requires more practice and proficiency that is
required when two pilots divide the work load.
The student who chases the localizer and glideslope needles by
jockeying the power and elevator is going to be in ILS
trouble when the funnel narrows.
Solution:
--Cover up the AI.
--Have student concentrate on the DG, VSI, and airspeed.
--Set power to get the desired approach speed and descent rate.
--Crosswind components usually decrease with altitude.
Prevention
Plan for ILS Mistakes
Just as an accident is preceded by a series of judgment mistakes,
so is a defective ILS approach preceded by a series of
planning errors. Well away from the airport get the ATIS; Check
the FSS for recent NOTAMS. Review the plates.
Confirm the basics of the Missed. Listen to what is happening
to aircraft ahead of you. Check to make sure that you
get what you expect in descent and headings. Set up your GPS as
a situational awareness guide. Expect to execute
the missed. Review your pitch and power setting for every stage
of the approach. Remember: Wind will never be what they say it
is.
Need
to Know ILS Things:
1. Know the dimensions of the localizer course.
2. Intercept and descend on localizer before reaching the marker.
3. Set power and trim for stabilized approach airspeed.
4. Keep track of where you are and what to expect.
5. Have the needed numbers before you need them.
Cockpit Requirements
--Set the radios
--What you hear...not what you expect
--Familiarity with region
--Know point to point distances and times
--Organized copy sequence
Use
All Your Navaids
1. ADF needle on frequency and pointed to marker.
2. Set and verify frequencies
3. Check for flags
4. Move with the marker to find primary heading.
5. Write and use your pitch and power transition settings.
At
the Marker
1. Be prepared before you get there.
2. Write, know and set the numbers. Verify.
3. Inside the marker you just listen to ATC.
4. Maintain orientation and situational awareness
ILS
Specifics
1. One mile out one degree is 100' or one dot. 200' equals
200'.
2. ATP standards are one dot deflection calls for a missed approach.
3. If you have not stabilized your descent you will lose the localizer
as well.
4. Pitch to an airspeed and power for descent rate.
5. Inside the marker pitch to glideslope and rudder for localizer.
6. Know the pitch-airspeed-trim setting for the glideslope.
7. Localizer sensitivity is 2.5 degrees from center to side.
8. If localizer needle waves, change propeller rpm.
The ILS has two fixed beams , the localizer provides left/right
orientation and the glide slope provides vertical slope.
However there are several glide slopes, only one of which is correct
and verified at the final approach fix by the altimeter
check. The false glide slopes provide a very steep approach which
may be difficult for slick aircraft to follow. By the
time you recognize the problem the missed is the only option.
By keeping the localizer and glide slope indicators centered you
will be flown right to the end of the runway. This can be done
by the pilot or by the flight director. The ILS problem is that
only one aircraft can use the ILS at a time or about 20 per hour.
Cat 1 ILS at DH requires:
1. See runway environment
2. Continuously able to make normal descent to landing
3. Required flight visibility.
About
the ILS
Until the GPS WAAS system is perfected, nothing gets you closer
to the runway than the ILS. The lateral and vertical guidance
will fly you into a blackboard-sized space called the decision
height or (DH). The DH is the missed approach point. You either
see the runway or you go missed.
The components of the ILS are a localizer, markers and glideslope. The localizer is an antenna that sends a beam along the runway centerline out some 18 miles and up to 4500 feet. It also sends a signal out backwards called the backcourse. Depending on your equipment you will always fly to the needle to center it. The difficulty of a backcourse is that you will not have a glideslope and may need to fly away from the needle to keep it centered. This reverse sensing is also true if flying outbound on the localizer. The localizer's full deflection is 350' to each side of the center line at the runway threshold this full deflection is only 2.5 degrees wide to each side. The OBS has no effect as it does with a VOR. The pilot is well advised to set the OBS to the runway direction the approach. On the missed immediately set the OBS to the VOR intercept that is usually a part of the missed. Be ready to change the frequency. Having a heading bug to set in the course or possibly the wind direction will give an added assist.
The glide slope is offset from the runway and sends a signal that is fifty-feet above the runway initially and slopes up on the true glide path to 1400' AGL near the outer marker. At ten miles out a full-deflected glide slope is 1500 feet off the center. At the threshold the full deflection will be close to five-feet. At the middle marker it is 200'. The glide slope is 1.4 degrees to full- high or full-low deflection.
Marker beacons are disappearing to be replaced by radar or intersection fixes. The middle marker is no longer required. Still remaining are the false glide slopes waiting for aircraft to be vectored into harms way. Only the outer marker remains to show the pilot the point on which to measure his altimeter setting accuracy.
A localizer has a four-letter code beginning with I to verify the localizer frequency. Failure to identify the code is a checkride bust waiting to happen. The Category I ILS has 200 -foot minimums while requiring 1/2 mile visibility. Larger airports with RVR reading and runway lights have different visibility minimums.
Flying the ILS requires gentleness and accuracy of control movement. One technique I advocate is the use of yoke for altitude and decent control and rudder for heading changes. Airspeed is set with power. Airspeed can be set best by the use of pre-determined power settings.
Flying
the ILS
The basic skill required of all instrument approaches is that
of fly headings and altitudes. If this basic skill has a deficiency
then the pilot will be overwhelmed by the additional details required
of by the approach. Because of the funnel like increase in required
flying precision of the ILS, the pilot must sense the changing
sensitivity control requirements as the approach proceeds. The
winds of change are a part of flying the ILS. My particular hometown
LDA approach has more unusual wind directions and velocities than
anyone would normally expect. Just two days ago I has occasion
to have a student track the localizer with 90-degree 40-knot winds
directly from the right up until we reached the outer marker.
The wind changed from the right at only 20 knots inside the marker
and at the runway gusts were 20 knots right down the runway. Keeping
the needle even close was a composite of luck and skill.
Speaking of winds, a tailwind, decreasing headwind, light and variable wind, or no wind at some point on the approach will play havoc with your ability to time the approach, providing you remembers to start the timer. The vertical speed required to fly the approach is based upon ground speed. Your ground speed can be/will be just as variable as the wind. Accuracy is a crapshoot. Use the projected rate of descent given on the ILS chart for the ground speed you hope to maintain. A DME is a BIG help in adjusting your ground speed. My suggestion is that for a localizer type approach you select a vertical descent that will get you to the MDA about one minute before the projected time to the MDA runs out. MDA's time runs out at the runway threshold and makes the required normal landing unlikely. By moving it up a minute on the approach it at least gives you a shot at normalcy. The vanishing Visual Descent Point used to do this.
A major instructional problem is accomplishing desirable instructional ends without undue exposure to hazards. IFR actual with turbulence is such a problem. The peril of such a situation is loss of control with a resulting high speed and ultimate destruction of the aircraft. The same conditions could result in loss of control due to low speed. What needs to be taught in IFR turbulence is the maintenance of control because once lost, the control is exceptionally difficult to recover. Successful flight in IFR turbulence is a matter of personal discipline and attention to holding attitude and heading rather than altitude.
It is vital that the instrument student learn the judgmental decisions that make an approach possible. The student must be exposed to the lethal elements of any approach, distraction, below visual minimums and runway requirements. The training program should demonstrate the thought processes required to make both the 'make the approach' decision, and the 'make the missed' decision. A training program that makes every approach successful is not preparing the student for the real world of IFR flying.
I have found that the way you hold the yoke makes a significant difference as to how successfully you will fly through turbulence. A tight grip with abrupt yoke responses to turbulence seems to accentuate the problem. I have found that rudder is the best way to raise a dropped wing and correct heading changes. Yoke is best for maintaining altitude. Don't sweat the altitude changes. Get a block altitude if you can, declare an emergency if you must.
---Hold your headings, ignore distractions and stay ahead of
the approach plate.
---For ILS corrections less is more
---Keep your bank corrections at less than five degrees.
---Use a count system for time of bank correction.
---Use the 12-o'lock needle on the attitude indicator to keep
wings level.
---Use horizontal bar of AI to set descent/climb rate
---Trim off all control pressures
---Learn to hold headings and constant altitude changes.
---Eliminate distractions and use mental reserve to flying the
approach
---Set up everything for the approach before the marker.
---Approach Checklist Completed is last item on checklist
---Don't try to confirm checklist completed, it's too late.
---Use this system in VFR until you can do it IFR.
ILS PRM (Precision Runway Monitor)
Requirements
---Parallel runways with simultaneous IFR approach
---NTA (No transgression zone between runways
---Faster, better real-time radar in place.
---Monitoring frequency on plate below tower frequencies, one
for each runway.
---All breakout instructions must be hand-flown.
Downwind
ILS Approach
An ILS downwind approach with a DME assist in adjusting the ground
speed means that you need not arrive at the DH with excess air/ground
speed as would be the case without a means for determining your
ground speed. The slope of the ILS is predicated on ground speed
and any excess ground speed means you will overfly the slope and
have difficulty getting down. A 10-knot ground speed will double
your distance over the fence to touchdown and double your ground
roll. Any approach or landing of more than ten knots has little
chance of success.
With a wet runway your chance of hydroplaning is quite high in
a downwind situation. Nine times the square root of your tire
pressure is the hydroplaning speed of your aircraft. With a 36
pound tire pressure you have a hydroplaning speed of 6 x 9 =54.
Any touchdown speed over 54 means you are sliding as on ice. Not
a good option in a downwind landing.
Personal
IFR limits
Ceilings of 1500 and 3-5 mile visibility enroute. Emergency
airport accessibility. Every engine failure at night has ended
in a crash with few survivors. Judgment would suggest that you
have a backup vacuum and battery GPS and transceiver. A single
engine aircraft requires situational awareness very mile of every
trip.
Sayings:
You cant do the right thing if you dont know what
the right thing is.
Dont leave IFR without knowing where nearest VFR lies.
DME
A DME equipment or accuracy check is not required for IFR
or any other use but such checks are available at many airports.
The installed accuracy requirement is 1/2 mile or 3% of the distance.
Such things as terrain reflections or dirty antenna can affect
the both operation and accuracy. The DME distance is a slant range
and is not as accurate as GPS distance. At 5000 above a
VORTAC your DME will read one mile. The closer you are and the
higher you are the greater will be the DME actual error. At 13,000
you will never get less than 2-1/2 mile DME reading. The PTS requires
tracking the arc within 1 mile of the published distance.
--DME accuracy should be within 3% or 1/2 mile which ever is greater.
Code every 37.5 seconds
--DME is slant range so will be different from GPS
--Code is at an unpleasant high pitch.
--DME and transponder frequencies can conflict. Check with transponder
on standby.
--Ground speed and time to station are based on rate of change
and vary in accuracy.
History
In the last six months of WWII I was working with a radar
nav/bombardment APQ-23 set. This had the first airborne
DME which was used to measure the slant range to a target. The
bomb release point could be tracked by radar much as a bomb sight
tracks visually. The distance read-out was like an odometer. It
took 40 years to get the same ability into G.A. planes.
DME
Arc
Arc distances vary from 7 to 30 miles. At 100 kts lead turn
from radial to arc by 1/2 mile and 90 degrees change (tangent
heading). You should know that the obstacle clearance on a DME
arc is the same as an airway. Four nautical miles to each side
at the specified altitude. Minimum vertical obstacle clearance
is 1000' or 2000' if mountainous. For straight final DME segments
the obstacle clearance is 2 to five miles wide and 250'. If final
is an arc, it is 8 miles and 500'. DME arcs are usually initial
segments but can be intermediate, final or missed approach. Since
you need to refer to the DME chart often, be sure of your competency
to make rapid visual checks of the charts without losing
aircraft control. Regardless of the method the lead radial is
where you should change over to the ILS frequency. DME arcs are
usually NoPT.
DME arc practice can consist of flying semi-circle arcs and varying distances. Flying the arc can become easy by flying tangent headings while comparing the OBS setting and HI. this corrects for wind as well. The radio magnetic indicator (RMI) is a must for flying DME arcs except for the most proficient.
A DME arc procedure flown by your own navigation must begin at a IAF. ATC actually has the option of ignoring the arc and vectoring you into the initial or intermediate segment of the approach. Training can be augmented by departing via an airway to intercept the arc from the inside. Makes student identify and turn correct way.
Bracketing
Know the 90 degree heading required when intercepting the
arc from a radial. If the DME reading increases, turn into it
by 10 degrees. If the DME reading decreases, turn away by 10 degrees.
This bracketing method does not provide position guidance and
can be difficult in strong winds. It is the low workload method.
Centered
method:
--Turn 90 degrees from the interception radial to the arc.
--Turn the OBS to keep the needle constantly centered
--Keep your heading 90 degrees to the OBS radial setting.
--Any changes in DME readings must be corrected as in method #1.
10
Degree Method:
--Turn 90 degrees from the interception radial to the arc.
--Set OBS 5 degrees ahead.
--It is better to initially set 1/2 needle deflection.
--Fly until 1/2 needle deflection to the other side.
--This gives better control over the 10 degrees than with full
deflection to one side
--Turn the OBS ahead another 10 degrees.
--Bracket the DME readings as in method #1.
DME Arc
Another Way
The standard method of flying a DME arc consists of flying
toward the center of the arc and executing a turn when you are
at a distance of the selected DME arc plus 1-percent of the aircraft
ground speed. You are now ready to turn 90-
degrees to fly tangent to the arc. Advance the OBS setting by
10-degrees and fly to intersect the radial at which time
you will change heading ten degrees and change the OBS by another
ten degrees. This process is repeated plus
adjustments for wind drift until you come to the lead-in radial.
At the lead-in radial you make a 45-degree cut toward
the final approach course
Previous Paragraph written another way:
Standard instruction is begun by tracking to a VOR until the distance
equals l10% of the ground speed plus the arc DME before turning
to 90 degrees of the inbound course. This should establish you
on the arc. Turn the OBS ten-degrees in the direction of the arc,
when the needle centers turn ten-degrees into the arc and reset
the OBS for the next ten degrees. Slight deviations may be made
for wind correction and on reaching the lead -in radial you turn
a 45-degree intercept to the final approach course.
The non-conformance way, with ATC approval, is to fly a tangent
to the arc much closer in than the IAF to allow. A
DVOR (such as I have on my aircraft) will allow you to keep a
running track of radials as the are crossed. fly the arc
making corrections to stay at 90-degrees to the radial until reaching
the lead-in radial at which time you begin the turn to
intercept the inbound radial.
If your aircraft has an RMI or a DVOR you have another option since you have a constant read-out of the radials extending from the VOR. by just flying at 90-degrees to the radial you will be always flying the tangent to the arc with adjustments made for wind drift you can fly the arc and remain oriented as you approach the lead-in radial where the intercept heading is flown to the final approach course.
The non-conformance way, with ATC approval, is to fly a tangent
to the arc much closer in than the IAF to allow. A DVOR (such
as I have on my aircraft) will allow you to keep a running track
of radials as the are crossed. fly the arc making corrections
to stay at 90-degrees to the radial until reaching the lead-in
radial at which time you begin the
intercept turn.
With LORAN or GPS you can keep referenced to the radials as well as the distance. The distance will be somewhat more accurate than possible by the DME since DME is slant range. Always be prepared to suggest to ATC that you be allowed to catch a tangent to the arc inside the designated IAF or if close to a straight in ask ATC for a straight in vector to the lead-in radial DME arc intercept point.
ILS
Approach
First, set the heading indicator to the compass.
Second, slow up.
Third, get down.
Fourth, set in the missed procedure.
Sensitivity of localizer and glide slope and dual needles make smoothness an essential for success. Fly a heading and a rate of descent. Dont chase ILS needles because you will always tend to over react. If you find yourself doing this, once you have over-reacted immediately take out at least half of the initial reaction. Tendency is to over correct to get needles to stop. The smaller the heading changes on the localizer the more easy it is to keep the needle close to centered. You are dealing with two headings on the localizer. There is one heading that stops the needle and another that brings the needle in. Watch for the heading that stops the needle. Work to the sides of that heading using headings to bring the needle in. When you get close use only the rudder.
Winds change as you descend not only in direction but in velocity. The GPS can be helpful in determining wind correction angle. Always use heading bug to set in the heading you are going to fly. Again, saying the heading aloud is a good way to avoid a too rapid scan. Locking the elbow and arm aloud just prior to reaching for the radio stack is a good way to prevent the inherent turn likely to occur. Limit any time devoted to the changing of radios to three seconds between scanning the flight instruments.
Ideally once you have established the baseline descent between 500 and 600 fpm and the heading required make only minor corrections of power (50-100 rpm) and rudder. to overcome the needle dance concentrate on accurate airspeed, rate of descent and heading. It is helpful to say aloud the heading, airspeed, and descent rate, and heading as it is covered in your scan. The act of saying it slows down the scan rate but will imprint it on the mind. Heading comes first always.
Always have the plane trimmed for an airspeed hands off. Any change in power (descent rate) will require trim change. Dont trim immediately on making a power change. As with other ILS corrections you will tend to overreact with power as well. When you initially change power, be prepared to immediately counter by taking off half of the initial change. Power has a delayed reaction that takes considerable experience to make the initial correct change amount. You can practice getting better at this skill by limiting changes to 100 rpm on the ILS.
Do not look for the surface on an ILS approach until you are within 100 of your personal minimums. Lock your arm and elbow before looking or you will probably need to make a heading adjustment on coming back to the instruments. At 100 above minimums, dont look too long or you will bust minimums. This is a no-no. Missed approach procedures must be commenced no later than the proper point and altitude.
You must have the correct chart when the ILS has both regular and converging approaches. the big difference will by the missed procedure and landing minimums. At present an approach can have only ONE missed procedure.
To fly the ILS you have a choice of taking the full procedure or vectors.
Either way you want to get your airspeed and configuration set before you make the localizer intercept. You use your fastest scan for the ILS final. control input is logarithmically decreased the closer you get to the airport. Heading changes outside the outer marker are at 5-degrees and 2-degrees outside the middle marker. Glide slope adjustments are made with yoke to the slightest degree. Larger adjustments by power. Full deflection of the needles call for the missed.
The ILS approach gives accurate lateral and vertical information to good runways. You get distance and altitude information that keeps you set up direct to the touchdown point. It is accuracy that permits zero-zero landings. The ILS has a variable two axis glide path that uses the localizer for lateral alignment and the glide slope for the vertical axis.
The descent is determined by a sequence of fixes and markers that advise you of distance and height. The outer marker is an altimeter setting device, distance and communications advisory point. At 200 feet you are at the middle marker and usually decision height for landing or not landing. The inner marker is being decommissioned except where lower minimums exist. One-dot on the localizer equals 500 and 50 off the glide slope at the outer marker. One-dot at the middle marker is 150 for the localizer and less than 10 off the glide slope.
Rule of thumb for ILS is to divide your ground speed by half and add a zero. It is logical to assume that any circling approach to the non-ILS runway means you will have a tailwind on the ILS and a higher ground speed than your ias.
ILS
Method
--Fly a heading
--Initial heading changes to find the reference heading should
be 5 degrees. (10 degrees only if 1/2 deflection.)
--Make all turns by reference to heading indicator.
--Stabilize your heading and airspeed based on the wind.
--Interception angle of 10 degrees maximum to the ILS.
--Set power for glide slope descent -- correct glide slope with
yoke (slight changes).
--1/2 scale glide slope errors require power changes to avoid
airspeed excursions.
--Power is used since yoke corrections would cause excessive airspeed
changes.
--ILS Descent rule of thumb: Ground speed times five add fifty.
Flying the localizer/glide slope gets more difficult below 500' of threshold crossing height (TCH) because of increased sensitivity and visual search. If another pilot is aboard let him do the looking while you fly.
The instructor can observe how well the student is holding the airspeed and rate of descent. Changes in the rate of descent must be accomplished with no change in airspeed. Learn the skill of keeping the sound constant. As the rate of descent is less than or more than 500 fpm practice making rate changes without airspeed changes. Time the descents as well. The essence of this skill development is to control attitude and power while making small heading and vertical speed changes. This is good preparation for flying a PAR (Precision Approach Radar) approach at a military field.
An additional practice with the glideslope/localizer needles can be flown by intercepting one of the upper ghost slopes. The reason there is an intercept altitude for an ILS is that it is possible to get the needles of the ILS to function on other signals that provide a much steeper slope. Fly to an ILS runway at a high constant altitude and watch the needles. You don't usually find this in the textbook literature.
It is a good practice to initiate the descent 1/4 dot distance early. An illustrative practice of the ILS descent skill can be flown in VFR with the needles covered. At ILS intercept and initiation of the descent cover the needles and fly the descent based on the projected ground speed. Once the descent is stabilized, occasionally uncover (15 seconds) to make checks for needed corrections. A variation of this would be to establish a stabilized descent on one of the ghost slopes and fly the rate of descent with covered needles and occasional 15 second checks for performance. Once you set your known power setting for the known airspeed and known descent rate for the approach, you can control your glideslope with pitch and trim. You may find this technique much smoother and easier as a way to stay in the doughnut.
The sought for result of these training exercises is for the student to recognize that flying the ILS means stabilizing the attitude that gives the desired rate of descent and heading. When you maintain a correct approach attitude for the ILS, your airspeed and rate of descent have solved the glide slope part of the ILS equation. Scan only the AI, altimeter and needles. With a constant attitude, changes in the needles will be due to wind. If the needles move from center, first make the change required to stop the change and them make the correction. At DH take a look make your choice.
If ILS is not monitored no alternate minimums will be published. If tower is part time alternate minimums do not apply during time tower is closed. To be an alternate the procedure must be monitored and weather reporting must be available. If terminal forecast is not there use area forecast. Where nonstandard alternate minimums are published for an airport they must be used instead of the standard minimums.
ILS
another way
You can fly an ILS without chasing the magnetic compass. Fly
into the localizer needle when it moves; when it stops you stop
turning. The VSI and CDI needle can be used as primary instrument
for an ILS approach to minimums. Only fingertip pressure at all
times to check the pressure of the trim setting...trim is the
name of the game. Dance with your eyes over the instruments. The
lower you get, the more flicky the needles and the smaller any
corrections. Never go below minimums
Single
Pilot ILS
When you are flying in a familiar area you become familiar
with the local procedures. You know what to expect. This familiarity
can become a trap.
A new controller may have a different way to do things and you may have difficulty both in hearing a clearance and in making the proper readback. Most likely you will readback what you expected to hear. You are leaving yourself open for a, "Failure to follow an ATC clearance." If you have a niggling doubt about a clearance, go for a confirmation. Your questioning a clearance takes but a moment. A sense of uncertainty can be removed by your confidence in being willing to expose yourself as being vulnerable to not being certain. Do it.
It is the ambiguities of communications that cause the problems.
If you are in doubt as to the intent as well as meaning of an
ATC statement, take the conservative approach and ask for clarification,
a restatement or what it takes to get it straightened out. If
you are asked to perform a maneuver that exceeds aircraft capability
or your sense of safety, say so, and request something different.
An unclear ATC clearance or directive should be considered a challenge
to be accepted and corrected.
The pilot who chases the localizer and glideslope needles by jockeying
the power and elevator is going to be in ILS trouble when the
funnel narrows.
Solution:
Cover up the AI. Have pilot concentrate on the DG, VSI, and airspeed.
Set power to get the desired approach speed and descent rate.
Crosswind components usually decrease with altitude.
Taking
Charge
--If you know the intercept heading is off...make
your own correction.
--Dont call the airport in sight on a visual
unless it is.
--You are off altitude when ATC makes a query. Fix it and then
respond.
--Dont put anything on tape you dont want ATC to hear.
--Avoid shortcuts on the ground. Get help sooner rather than later.
--Take any fix short-cut offered by ATC if you can bring it up.
--If the ATC system dies, cancel IFR.
--Use everything on the panel only if you have sufficient time.
--To use everything you must think ahead and have the required
time.
--When ATC gives you a heading it means that they will take care
of the navigation and its time for you to the set up.:
Pre
-approach Setup Order of Importance:
--Localizer frequency
--HSI OBS
--Marker beacon
--tower frequency
LOM
DME
GPS
Ground Frequencies
On an ILS set both the one and two to the ILS.
--Two needles are better than one. There is time on the missed
to reset the #2.
Eight
Stages of the ILS
Divide the ILS approach into eight stages, arranges priorities
of when, where, and how to perform each stage.
Stage 1
--On downwind vector do prelanding of
--ATIS to determine minimums, runway, wind, localizer minimums.
--Altimeter setting and altitude to cross check Marker altitude
--Airspeed slowed to approach speed
--Avionics set all radios (4 to 7 depending)
Stage 2
--Vector to intercept. Set localizer ident.
Stage 3
--Set gear and flaps for glide slope descent on intercept.
Stage 4
Six Ts
--Turn--not required on ILS
--Time--only if localizer approach possible
--Twist--Set up missed approach
--Throttle--Throttle as required
--Talk--Call Marker inbound and check altimeter
--Track--Needle in doughnut and on heading
Stage 5
--DH + thousand feet
Stage 6
--Circling minimums or localizer approach option
Stage 7
--DH + 100 feet (Personal minimums)
Stage 8
--DH, have runway, have clearance, declare missed.
Fly the
ILS with Rudder
Without rudder input holding headings and making heading corrections
of less than 10 digress is nearly impossible. Use the rudder to
hold headings and make corrections of less than 10 degrees. It's
quicker, more accurate, and less likely to induce a correction
back in the other direction. Sure, it's a skid, just hold the
wings level and kick the rudder as required.
Fly "bugs"; "gates" and 5 degrees. Fly the localizer 5 degrees at a time by making "gate" corrections. A "gate" is the five degree space between the tics on the heading indicator. You can think of making a correctional turn on the localizer as being one or two "gates".
ILS
Partial panel
With partial panel a pilot is switching views of instrument
information from knowing what caused a particular event into a
view of what has already happened. On Partial panel you never
have the luxury of staring at a single instrument.
Flight without vacuum instruments:
--Understand flight instrument operation, characteristics and
limitations
--Situational awareness by using instrument interpretation.
--Flight control using a light touch and small precise movements.
Partial
panel is an emergency
A pilot is expected to advise ATC of instrument and equipment
failures in actual conditions. You will not receive a similar
notice from your aircraft. The actual failure will be less traumatic
if you, the pilot, know where you are. Situational awareness is
a significant reducer of stress.
Instructional
Exercise
It is possible to simulate the stress of not being situationally
aware by doing the following.
--Give a series of unusual attitude maneuvers with recoveries.
--During one of these when the student cannot see the panel turn
the HI at least 120 degrees
--Tune in a VOR or localizer that is unfamiliar.
--Expect the student to have great difficulty both in orienting
and tracking.
--Try same exercise again without the heading indicator.
--Try the same exercise again without the heading indicator on
a backcourse localizer.
It is important that a pilot practice tracking radials and localizers using only the compass. What can happen will happen. Spatial disorientation accidents can be avoided through partial panel practice.
Instructional Exercise:
--Tune and center OBS needle T)--IDENT
--Bracket course. Turn to needle at first movement
--Cut time of bracket by half each time
--Use rudder input instead of yoke
--Ignore 'nervous needles'
--Practice will make process better
Losing the AI is a good partial panel exercise. The turns or lack
of turns then rely on the turn coordinator or needle. Try controlling
this with the rudder only. Wings level = no turn. The plane can
be flown in climb, level, descent and turns without use of the
yoke. It takes a lot of confidence and judicious use of throttle
trim and rudder. It would be wise to know if your auto-pilot remains
coupled during gyro failure so you should
uncouple "George" in the event of gyro failure. The
turn coordinator is the instrument of choice for recovery from
unusual attitudes under partial panel.
A
Better ILS
Problems related to the ILS reside mostly in faulty techniques
in using the aircraft controls and lack of system understanding.
We can arrive on the ILS not knowing where we are. Instead of
trying to do everything at once get on the localizer established
and configured before reaching the marker. Decide the DH, and
MDA/Time for localizer approach as well as the missed approach
procedure and initial heading. Remember, the FAF is at the intersection
of the initial approach altitude and the glide slope. Set power
and pitch configuration to fly the localizer descent.
--The final approach can be a hands-off affair stabilized approach
if you have done the preliminaries correctly and know
your airplane.
--On the localizer limit initial heading changes to five degrees.
I usually put in the five and then take off half of it shortly
afterwards since the tendency is to overreact.
--Make your adjustments according to your rates of descent and
the heading indicator.
--Once stabilized, make glide slope adjustments by elevator and
headings with rudder.
--Do not overreact to apparent large changes in the needles when
close in. A large change close in is actually a small
change.
--Remember allow zero tolerance below the glide slope. You will
be high over the threshold but still have plenty of time to
land.
--The ILS (Instrument Landing System) is every IFR pilot's favorite.
It consists essentially of two indicators, one for "go right/go
left" and another for "go up/go down".
ILS Dot
Measure
Timing an ILS might well be considered a waste since before
you execute the ILS missed you will be well below the Localizer
MDA and any circling altitude. You have a more reliable data source
than timing by using the GPS. GPS does have geometry caused errors
but does not have the angular errors caused by VOR or ILS distance.
At a half-mile from the threshold, each dot is only eight feet of course error. On the ILS at the middle marker you are eight feet off the glide slope for each dot of glideslope deflection. The closer you get to the runway the less tolerance you will have from obstacles. An intercept that arrives at the marker a thousand feet high will require descents of 1500 fpm to correct a full fly down needle. Anything less may take you past the runway. A full course defection inside the marker cannot be saved unless you are visual.
ILS
Accidents
ILS approaches usually are in daylight but over twice as many
ILS accidents occur at night. The higher your flight time the
more likely you are to fly below the glide slope. This is most
likely to occur after the first approach.
ILS
Safe Space
The ILS gate is one mile outside the outer marker. Protected
space is 3900 to either side of the center line with 570
margin above the highest obstacle at full deflection. At one mile
from the runway you have 1300 protected space to each side
of the center line and 170 of obstacle clearance at full
deflection of the needles.
Downwind
ILS
A tailwind will have the effect of increasing your ground
speed over your indicated air speed. You must adjust power or
drag (Try full flaps to keep engine warm) to obtain a more steep
approach than normal. You must change your numbers. The rate of
descent will exceed 500 fpm. Time must be shortened. DH remains
the same but a VDP should be moved away from the threshold. If
there is water on the runway get slow early so as not to waste
runway.
Category
1 ILS
Cat 1 operations allow a decision height down to 200' and
1/2-mile visibility and runway visual range of 2400'. 1800' RVR
is allowed with touchdown and centerline lights. Even lower minimums
can be allowed by using Automatic Flight Control Guidance Systems
(AFCGS) Three elements are required: (1) An approved autopilot
coupler; (2) AFCGS, HUD or FD must be used by pilot; and (3) Pilot
must have demonstrated proficiency.
In WWII use of the term buster meant as fast as possible.
Some approaches due to terrain or airspace restrictions require
the 400fpm maximum TERPS descent. The downwind ILS personifies
these problems. The pilot problem is remaining slow while getting
down. A GPS approach with a GPS fix can solve the problem.
ILS
Failure
Be aware that ILS needles can show "perfect" approach
when electrically shorted and unable to show "OFF" flags.
Wise to get back-up information when things are "perfect".
Catching
ILS Malfunctions
--Check approach plate for date, name, and critical data.
--Audio ident LOC during approach
--Call critical altitudes on approach
--Call marker crossing altitude and compare altimeter
--Set GPS as backup
--Monitor rate of descent to plate.
--Standard descent rate is ground speed divided by 2 plus a zero.
--Glide Slope Failure
ATC can clear a pilot for the ILS with inoperative components. ATC will tell the pilot if the glide slope is out of service. It is up to the pilot to determine if a non precision approach can be flown. If other ILS components are inoperative the ILS may need to be flown at higher minimums.
When on an ILS approach you have doubts as to your instrument indications, execute a missed approach. get a safe altitude from ATC and sort out the problem.
Was on an ILS approach where ATC had held us over a thousand feet high. Autopilot locked on to false glide slope. I was safety pilot and could see point of outer marker. There was no way the autopilot was going to make the intercept at the proper altitude. Interestingly, the instruments gave no such indication. Only a study of the plate and use of DME could have revealed the problem. At his point pilot was happy with the way the glide slope and localizer were tracking. I should not have jumped on the problem. It would have been a much better lesson to have the outer marker crossed a thousand or more feet high. If that ever happens to you, execute the missed but dont turn until the time runs out.
Emergency
--Commit to memory as much as possible.
--One bar will give minimum sink flaps up.
--Use of flaps will increase vertical sink
--Open doors
Most ILS accidents (20-30 per year) seem to occur within a mile or less of the runway but 1/3 crash on the runway. Over half of the accidents occur at night when only 1/4 of the ILS approaches are made. Transitioning to the visual is the most demanding and dangerous part of an ILS but even more so at night. There is no margin for error in an ILS.
Runway accidents seems to be related to contact on slick runways and higher than normal speed. 1/6 of ILS accidents occur while making second or third approaches. An ATC warning of course or altitude is sufficient notice to begin the missed. Flights on the ILS to an airport known to be below minimums should be flown to DH for practice only with a planned missed. Don't fly a no-approach light ILS at night.
ILS
and TERPs
ILS chart is really to approaches usually with two final approach
fixes and two missed approach points. The ILS approach has a glide
slope that begins when the slope is intercepted with the intermediate
altitude and ends when the slope meets the true altitude of the
decision height/ altitude. The Localizer approach exists when
the glideslope is out. The FAF is the Maltese Cross fix and the
missed approach point is usually the runway threshold. The missed
approaches for both will have a mile and a half straight-ahead
climbs before any turns. No turns are ever allowed before 400
feet AGL.
If DME is in the title there will be no timing table. Timing tables for the LOC approach is for the distance from the FAF to the MAP. Timing cannot be used as reason for failure when making an ILS approach during the flight test. If you should lose the ILS glideslope it is best to execute the missed rather than change to the LOC. Make the missed and shoot the LOC as planned from the beginning after confirming that the minimums will give you a good shot.
PTS
for ILS
--Uses checklist and configures aircraft for conditions.
--Altitude + 100 + 10, + 10 knots
--Makes required chart adjustments to minimums and category
--Maximum 3/4 scale deflection of LOC and slope.
--Not below DH except to land
--Immediate missed at DH when no visual references.
ILS
Test
Fly last 200' of descent on an ILS with all instruments covered
except for the AI.
ILS-
IFR-PTS
Failure to time an ILS is not cause for failure of test and
ILS procedure.
FAR 91.129
Applies to aircraft on an ILS approach. It says that pilots are
expected to remain at or above the glideslope as indicated by
either the ILS or the VASI.
Rule
of Thumb Compass Turns:
--Compass turns can be made by time with a standard rate of
3 degrees per second.
--When turning Northerly, undershoot the heading by the latitude
in degrees plus half of the bank angle.
--When turning Southerly, overshoot the heading by the latitude
minus half the bank angle.
--When turning East or West from the South roll out 5 degrees
early.
--When turning East or West from the North roll out 10 degrees
early.
ILS Glideslope
Jepp gives the required descent rates for every ground speed.
You can calculate the required three-degree descent rate for any
ground speed by cutting the ground speed in half and add a zero.
There are or can be multiple false-glideslope every 3-degrees
above the plated glideslope. You can practice intercepting a false
glide slope by remaining above the charted intercept altitude
but on the localizer. The most positive check that you have for
being on the correct glideslope is to make the recommended altitude
check at the localizer outer marker. It is unlikely that you will
ever intercept a false glide slope if you fly the altitudes published
on the chart.
I have only once unintentionally intercepted and flown a false
glideslope. This occurred when my student and I were vectored
and held a thousand feet above the published intercept altitude.
We were cleared for the approach while still a thousand feet high
and outside the marker. My student failed to descend soon enough
and we intercepted the false slope. He tried to fly the slope
but in a slick aircraft the required rate of descent for the false
angle was too steep so not only did we fail the get on the false
slope we never had any chance of getting on the correct slope
by the outer marker. We broke out of the clouds high enough for
me to show the student the problem. Student has persisted in trying
to fly the steep slope using his autopilot. On the missed the
student was unable to make a smooth transition into hand flying.
After the flight I briefed the student that we would hand fly
a larger part of each flight so as to improve his competence.
It was obvious that had he performed a proper approach briefing,
he would have picked up the problem sooner. The nonstandard vector
completely fooled him and took me a while to notice.
The
ILS from 200 Feet
The most hazardous phase of the ILS is the transition from
the instruments to the visual approach. A major part of the
hazard is related to the pilots instinctive need to descend in
reaction to an illusion of pitching up. This illusion is compounded
by darkness, fog, Poor visual cues at breakout can cause dangerous
altitiude deviations. Illusions become more likely the
worse the visibility. Determining ground speed is also affected
by visibility.
The angle of the ILS slope gives the pilot a projected impact
point. Any change in speed or approach angle will affect this
aiming point which is a handsbreadth above the base of the windshield.
You can use this point on the windshield as the
glideslope index. the use of this point at breakout leads to illusion
of a nose high attitude. At 200 feet we are dealing with
the last thirty-seconds of flight.
Within 200 feet of the ground any correction for a crosswind
from the left will cause the lighting give the illusion of being
too
high on the approach. Conversely, seeing the lights from the left
will make the pilot have the senstation of being too low.
All lateral flight corrections should be corrected and needle
deflection contained within 1/4-scale deflection. An aircraft
on
a stabilized approach minimizes the effects of illusions. It is
necessary that the runway approach zone be in view for several
minutes for visual references be established correctly.
Approach lights give no vertical reference. Flashing lights can
disorient. Any loss of reference that results in instability of
the approach can be disasterous. Loss of visual reference is most
likely to cause instinctive reaction to pitch forward and
down. the vest security lies in having and using a VASI.
Return to WhittSflying
Return to IFR
Contents
Continued on All
Other Approaches