Hi. I noticed when using ILS for landing at some smaller airports, (ie, no tower), that the ILS will line me up with the runway heading properly, yet I don't get the glide slope indicator moving. Is this to be expected sometimes, an FSX boo-boo, or am I not getting something quite right? Usually my ILS works perfectly so I am pretty sure I understand how to make it work.  Thanks  Rick

...... AND.. your next question would be, "How do I maintain proper altitude throughout the approach ?"

That information is on the approach plate.. learning to  read/use  them is a  fun/important  part of instrument flying..





(which of course I'll be happy to help you with    )

A great place for approach plates is airnav, here: http://www.airnav.com/airports/

Just type in the airport you want and scroll down to "IAPs - Instrument Approach Procedures"

There you'll find any approach plate you'll need, as well as take-off minimums and departure procedures.


You'll find a lot of different types of approach procedures there.  There are (if I can remember them all):

- ILS (Instrument Landing System) procedures, which you seem to know about already.

Ex: ILS 18 into KMSN

- LOC (Localizer) procedures, which Brett was talking about, they use the localizer for runway alignment, buy it is up to you to follow plate for step-down altitudes.

Ex: LOC 18 into KMSN It's the same plate as the ILS procedure because you use the same navaid.

- VOR procedures, which use VOR radials to get you to the airport (and sometimes lined up with the runway) where you align yourself with the runway once you're in visual range.  They use the same step-down altitude procedure that the LOC approaches use.

Ex: VOR 18 into KMSN

- NDB procedures, which I've never flown as they're not all that common anymore, but as far as I know, they are similar to VOR approaches, only different.  I may need a little help explaining that one better...

I don't know of any examples...

- RNAV/GPS (Area Navigation/GPS) procedures, which use GPS navigation signals (most commonly now) or other navigation signals to align you with the runway.  These approaches will mostly use step-down altitudes like VOR and LOC approaches, but it is becoming more common that they are precise enough to give a glideslope indication so you can fly it like an ILS.

Ex: RNAV (GPS)  18 into KMSN

Those are the most common approach procedures and navaids, but you'll also see TACAN, MWLS, or other types of approaches that are either used very rarely or used by the military.

As far as reading them goes, here is a thread where Brett and I worked through the approach plate for the VOR 34 approach into Seattle:

http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1187494292



Wow, that thread is almost two years old now, seems like just yesterday.  Time flies I guess...

Our posts are dove-tailing, and getting edited.. LOL

RickG.. make sure you re-read them 

And yeah.. that was a fun, short thread..  geeez.. time DOES fly.

When you have a question.. link the plate, and we'll take it from there..  hopefully we'll cover a few different approaches.

I've never looked for Canadian plates.. I'll look into it..

If you do get to the point where you're wanting to learn this stuff.. your first forray will be difficult and frustrating.

The sim is an EXCELLENT training device for this stuff. Set weather/visibility for the minimums on the plate your using.. place yourself at an airport about 50nm away. Carefully plan how you'll get yourself there (VOR/NDB) (NO GPS).. and TAKEOFF  

Don't bother with FSX ATC at this point.. just plan your flight to get you efficiently to the initial approach fix (IAF).. have that plate where you can easily read it, and have a timing device handy (the panel timers works, but I long ago got myself used to using my watch).

Don't use any wind at first.. until you can fly the plate flawlessly (including a missed approach and a few laps around the hold).. then start mixing in wind.

Being able to hold altitudes and headings, and execute stable climbing/descending turns BY INSTRUMENT ALONE takes a  LOT  of practice...  flying accurate holds in a stiff wind takes even more.

It's worth the effort  

I just checked approaches for KBLI... The only approach for runway 34 is an RNAV(GPS).. so you  WOULD  use a GPS for that approach. If KBLI is your destination in the GPS.. you'll be able to "Select" that approach..  and it actually loads into the GPS.. all you need the plate for, is altitude references..  THAT's how powerful the GPS is...

BUT, you still want to learn to get around, and shoot approaches without it.. THOSE are the approaches that really teach you instrument flying..  A monkey can shoot GPS approaches.. (almost..lol)  ..

I'm going to find a nice VOR approach for you, in that area, and post back  

OK Brett, mission accomplished. I did that flight a number of times coming in from different angles, as well as a few go-arounds and all worked well.  Couple questions on the approach plate tho. Near the bottom of the diagram where it says your altitude should be 2000, and your go-around instructions, does that 140 degree bit mean that I was supposed to approach the runway on a heading of 140? And what does that 320 degrees part mean? Thanks