Lesson: Perform a ILS autolanding in a plane (UPDATED)

This lesson describes the recommended way to perform a ILS autolanding with a winged aircraft and FS(X)Pilot

GENERALLY for fixed wings:

Please set the general realism slider (realism menu) to middle or left position and AUTORUDDER ON. Exception: aerobatic flightplans. Here autocoordination ON please.

In Version 2.0 of FSPilot or FSXP, ILS landing has become even less complicated.
In general, there are two options for you:

Method I
This method is easy, will work on any airport with ILS runways, you do not have to know anything about the surrounding NAV aids !

We assume you fly about 10000 ft above ground, can be stable descend at -600 ft/min or so. Approximately 100 nautical miles inbound your destination airport (lets say you want to land at Frankfurt airport) please type into the APPanel:

(1) 'find bestrunway eddf'
FS(X)P checks the surface wind in the area and selects the best ILS runway according to runway length and wind. Two GPS waypoints are created: Approach entry and ILS entry waypoint. Altitude will be set to a value of 3500 ft above runway altitude.
(2) 'select approachentry' and press NAV
The aircraft (AC) will turn towards the first GPS waypoint, which is usually 12 degrees lateral from the ILS path and 12 nm away from the airport.
1 nm inbound the approach entry point type :
(3) 'select ilsentry'
The AC will turn towards this GPS waypoint, which is always exactly on the ILS glidepath. 1 nm inbound the ILS entry point:
(4) 'select bestrunway' and press the 'APR' button on the APPanel
AC will select the ILS runway determined earlier and start to climb a bit unless on the glideslope. Then autoland.

Method II (defining the approach waypoints and headings by hand)

Please select EDDM as your airport and a Learjet as your plane in FS2004.

(1) taxi to the runway 08l and hold; flaps to notch 1
(2) open APPanel and EFIS and arrange that on screen
(3) define 5000ft altitude, 220 knts IAS, 1000 ft/min climb and 83 degrees heading in the AP Panel
(4) press AP main button (lit red)
(5) press SPD button (lit green): Aircraft (AC) will accelerate
(6) press HDG button
(7) press ALT, LVL, VS buttons (lit green): AC will climb and level out at 5000 ft, heading 82 degrees
(8) at 2000 ft: retract gear, flaps to notch 0

Now select the fix DM055 in the APPanel by simply entering 'select dm055' and press return. AC will turn left.
Fly until you reach this target.

At DM055 we will start the ILS approach.

(1) enter 140 degrees into the heading reading field
(2) press HDG: AC will turn left. Wait until heading is approx 150 deg.
(3) enter 'select EDDM 08L' into the textbox of the APPanel and press return
(4) On the EFIS text field, you will read: EDDM 08L, the ILS frequency 110.3, and the approach course 83 deg.
(5) In your cockpit, NAV1 will be tuned to the ILS frequency and the approach course will be automatically set.
(6) Press NAV: AC will continue heading 140 until it intercepts the glideslope, then turn left
You can still correct the initial heading to the glideslope by changing the heading in the reading field
(7) directly after press NAV: Press APR. FS(X)Pilot will start altitude control. This is relatively fault tolerant. May climb a bit until on glideslope, then descend as expected.
(8) set flaps notch 2 and stepwise reduce IAS to 180 knts
(9) at 2000 ft: operate gear

The learjet will land relatively close to runway centerline, depending on the wind. After touchdown, wheelbrakes and reverse thrust will be automatically operated. When ground speed is below 25knts, AP will be switched off.
Try this at back or crosswinds or bad vision; or vary the initial headings to the glideslope. You will se how fault-tolerant the procedure is. If you fly heavy jets, such as a B747, do not expect this all to to work 100%. In bigger jets you have to carefully control the IAS and flaps.

Recommended IAS (speed) settings for some FSX planes on final:

B737 180 knts
B747 210 knts
A321 190 knts
Lear 45 180 knts



PMDG 747: You MUST set the ILS frequency manually. Howto's are found in PMDG's forums. Unfortunately, this can only be done in the FMC.

Have many nice landings !