The 'Official' Screenshot & Tips thread 4 FSX enthusiasts & flight simmers.
- Thread starter Soya
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Jason, are you using the iFly or PMDG? I've just tried this approach in the PMDG without any issues although I didn't get the ILS ident to show up on the PFD or NAV display. I'm using a custom panel setup though to mirror the older generation 737s more closely.
Have you installed the latest nav data?
Have you installed the latest nav data?
Jason I have done a video for you. Have a look and see if its any help. Ignore the popping noise, sound card is broken and I haven't installed my new one. I also left the cockpit in 2D to make it easier for you. Sorry for the dark cockpit, not sure why I did a dawn flight 
I also recorded it at 1080 but fraps really brings the frame rate down to about 17fps.
I'm also no pro and I know I don't do everything 100% but I land this bird every time.
Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAwWjoUGZSk
Part2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1DTVN3q78Y
1. So I've started the video just before hitting SUGOL at 10000, you can be at SUGOL between 10 and 7.
2. Once I passed SUGOL you will see that I stopped LNAV and hit heading mode and vectored myself towards the start of the LOC(for some reason the flight path takes me right over the airport) but I like flying the plane this way plus ATC will do this to you too.
3. I also clicked on V/S and put 2000 in the ALT. 2000 is the height I need to be to catch the G/S.
4. You will see that I'm clicking on the heading button a few times to get to the LOC.
5. I open the radio stack just to check my ILS settings.(on the ifly I have my radio settings to auto so it does it for me but just check in case it's not right.
6. Once I've passed 6000ft I check the QNH for Schiphol and change the settings.
7. At the start of video 2 I click the LOC button when I'm about 20NM from it, you will notice the VOR/LOC is in white on the PFD.
8. Next the VOR/LOC go green meaning its been captured and the plane will start to turn on its own.
9 You will also notice that once I caught the LOC the Diamond went solid.
10. Diamond starting to move down meaning we getting closer to the G/S a lot of people click the APP now. I click it when the Diamond reaches the horizontal line.
11. As soon as the diamond crosses the line I click the APP. You will see the G/S light come on.
12. Slowly bringing my speed down, gear down. Flaps are then used.
13 Touch down, a little hard but all good.
I hope that helped and any questions please ask.
I also recorded it at 1080 but fraps really brings the frame rate down to about 17fps.I'm also no pro and I know I don't do everything 100% but I land this bird every time.
Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAwWjoUGZSk
Part2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1DTVN3q78Y
1. So I've started the video just before hitting SUGOL at 10000, you can be at SUGOL between 10 and 7.
2. Once I passed SUGOL you will see that I stopped LNAV and hit heading mode and vectored myself towards the start of the LOC(for some reason the flight path takes me right over the airport) but I like flying the plane this way plus ATC will do this to you too.
3. I also clicked on V/S and put 2000 in the ALT. 2000 is the height I need to be to catch the G/S.
4. You will see that I'm clicking on the heading button a few times to get to the LOC.
5. I open the radio stack just to check my ILS settings.(on the ifly I have my radio settings to auto so it does it for me but just check in case it's not right.
6. Once I've passed 6000ft I check the QNH for Schiphol and change the settings.
7. At the start of video 2 I click the LOC button when I'm about 20NM from it, you will notice the VOR/LOC is in white on the PFD.
8. Next the VOR/LOC go green meaning its been captured and the plane will start to turn on its own.
9 You will also notice that once I caught the LOC the Diamond went solid.
10. Diamond starting to move down meaning we getting closer to the G/S a lot of people click the APP now. I click it when the Diamond reaches the horizontal line.
11. As soon as the diamond crosses the line I click the APP. You will see the G/S light come on.
12. Slowly bringing my speed down, gear down. Flaps are then used.
13 Touch down, a little hard but all good.
I hope that helped and any questions please ask.
Hi Vuvu, I think the reason why the flight plan takes you over the airport is if you have selected one of the ILS approaches in the ARRivals page where the procedure involves flying overhead first before flying a procedural approach. That would explain why you appear to be well below the recommended VNAV path. If you select only the arrival runway instead of a full approach then it shouldn't take you overhead.
Ringo I'm not with you? What you mean below the recommend VNAV path. You have to be at SUGOL between 7000 and 10000? I always add a Trans on to my flights(if they available)?
In the arrivals page I choose 18C and the SUGOL Trans. Are you saying just choose 18C and ignore the Trans?
Exactly what I did, cheers mate. I think ATC would do that anyway if they were on-line?
Anyway the video wasn't to pick on my bad points
it was to help the others who were having an issue and I was trying to show them an easy solution and showing them what is needed.Well just tried again at ILS18c Schiphol and same thing happened. It seems to turn way too early. G/S showed up when I had the "LOC" button pressed but when I tried to press "APP" it wouldn't switch on. Frustrating stuff!!!
I did manage to take some pictures to see if that helps.
Hi Jason,
Just a couple of questions whilst I have a minute, what frequency did you have tuned? It seems to be identing SP whereas I would expect to see ZWA. Even if you had the right frequency tuned you're attempting to intercept at the EH630 at 2000ft from about an 80 degree cut. This would be a test for any aircraft as the EH630 is the final approach fix and is only 6.2D from touchdown. If you used heading select to put you on a 30 degree intercept at this point you'd have more luck.
You also stated that APP wouldn't engage. Your third screen shot shows that this has infact engaged as you can see the green GS FMA. Ignore the lights on the MCP these only show that a mode can be deselected. It's all about the FMA's when you need to know what modes are selected.
Soldato
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Jason2 is still suspended.. Although an FSX convert, his quips in GD don't help.
V, good vid, nice livery although I'm surprised it's not SAA?
V, good vid, nice livery although I'm surprised it's not SAA?
Jason2 is still suspended.. Although an FSX convert, his quips in GD don't help.
V, good vid, nice livery although I'm surprised it's not SAA?
Lol I didn't even notice that. That'll teach me for thinking I can do something normal like post on a forum after my new arrival
my minds obviously elsewhere.
Soldato
- Joined
- 17 Nov 2005
- Posts
- 3,092
- Location
- Swindon, UK
Lol I didn't even notice that. That'll teach me for thinking I can do something normal like post on a forum after my new arrival
Congrats Chaders.
Hi mate, all I'm saying is that the approach you selected could well be the reason why you are being taken directly over the airport. On the nav display you should see your current vertical path and if you are massively below that profile then it could be that you are cutting short your route when actually you had selected an approach that takes you overhead, then outbound, followed by the final approach.
Associate
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- Behind you
I'll admit I've only skim read the answers after this post but I couldn't see anyone pointing out the obvious problem. Your final is waaaaay too short. You're setting up for a ~5nm final when you should be looking around the 15-20nm mark. As a result, the Glide Slope is coming in before you are on the localiser and the autopilot wont play ball with that. You should be well and truly established on the localiser before the glide slope even pops up on the screen. The cause of this is that FMC STARs don't really cover the actual approaches, they're supposed to just get you into the vicinity of the airport. As mentioned earlier, in reality at some point you would either follow a procedural approach plate (but I won't go into that here), or be vectored by ATC to the localiser, with an example I made from your screenshot as shown:
http://i49.tinypic.com/2zs4itz.png
This should set you up for a nice long final. If you're just simming offline then you'll have to judge it/fly it a bit yourself with the map in FSX and the DME readout.
I did a quick mockup to try and explain. Note that I have already descended to 2000ft and slowed to 180kts (to match your screenshots). However flaps 5 is better here, 15 is too much. Here's me after all my imaginary ATC vectoring and am shortly about to be closing in on the localiser from 18 miles out:
http://i47.tinypic.com/effg3q.png
Once you're on that final vectored heading (should be about 30 degrees off the final track, in this case 150), now is the time to hit the vor/loc button. On the top of your PFD (primary flight display) you should see vor/loc at the top in white, meaning that its armed but not active:
http://i45.tinypic.com/35jf8uc.png
Soon the localiser should go from an outline to a solid magenta colour on the ND (navigational display) and start moving in and as you've been seeing. This is often referred to as 'localiser active':
http://i49.tinypic.com/2ai3e3c.png
Once its about halfway from the edge to the center (called half-scale deflection), the white vor/loc text should go green, meaning its now activated and the plane should line up with the localiser (hdg select will automatically disengage):
http://i46.tinypic.com/2v0nbj4.png
If the GS starts moving down at all before any of this then you're still too close and you should try again. You can see from the next screenshot i an lined up with 10nm to go:
http://i45.tinypic.com/2pynlaq.png
Once you're sitting on the localiser and stabilized you should hit the APP button. Again on your PFD you should see G/S in white, once again this means it is armed and waiting for the GS to come in:
http://i47.tinypic.com/6pxn3p.png
Once the Glide Slope becomes 'active' you should drop the gear and set flaps 15, once the GS is at half scale deflection you should go flaps 30/40 and set your approach speed (usually weight/flap setting dependant but 145kts is a good ballpark figure). Also arm your spoilers and set the autobrake if you know how. Once the GS is close to centered, the white G/S goes green, Alt Hold should disengage and the plane should follow the GS. All of this happens quite quickly but with bit of practice and each step flows nicely into the next. Only downside is that I couldn't take separate screenshots so this ones a bit busy (note that I still have 6.5nm to go and have only just got onto the GS):
http://i49.tinypic.com/2nr5ah.png
If you want it to actually land by itself, now is the time to engage the second autopilot. If not, then you should disengage the autopilot/throttle at 200ft above the ground at the latest and manually land it.
http://i45.tinypic.com/wv4v2r.png
So, in summary, autopilot ILS - make yourself a much longer final and make sure to get on the localiser first before the GS, otherwise it spazzes out!
Pictures changed to links due to image size.
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Chaders will correct me if I'm wrong but I don't see the length of final being an issue here given that the A/P isn't trying to capture the G/S as he is only in VOR LOC mode. I landed somewhere the other day and the published approach had a final of around 7 miles. The waypoint EH630 expects 2000ft at 6.2 ZWA which suggests that capturing loc/gs shouldn't be a problem.
I think in real world you would always expect to get loc established before g/s but in this case I don't think there is an issue with loc capture.
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Regardless of whether this is Jason's problem or not, I would like to say thank you thingemajib for the informative post.
Finding the localiser and capturing the glide slope is something I definately need to practice, and your pictures make it much easier to understand what happens.
I have never even tried approach mode on the secondary display, so I feel a practice session coming on
Finding the localiser and capturing the glide slope is something I definately need to practice, and your pictures make it much easier to understand what happens.
I have never even tried approach mode on the secondary display, so I feel a practice session coming on
Hi Ringo,
You're bang on mate. Although his 80 degree intercept is never going to end well that close in.
If you look at Jason's third shot you'll see he did infact activate APP mode as he's captured the GS (shown on his FMA) I think he was just confused by the fact the APP light on the MCU goes out at G/S capture. He also seemed to think it was turning early to capture the LOC, to me it looks like its turn is perfectly timed given his speed/intercept angle.
What I don't in Jason's or thingamjib's shots is why the ILS is identing SP and not ZWA. We're you guys going into a default AMS? If so it may just be old AFCAD data causing that.
I'm using standard scenery and it is showing as SP when I'd have expected the ZWA ident instead. Must get some scenery sorted for it.
(unrelated) Congrats!
Lol I didn't even notice that. That'll teach me for thinking I can do something normal like post on a forum after my new arrival
Yes, a big congrats mate! Happy for you. Enjoy it.
Ahh that explains it. I figured it would be a default AFCAD issue.
Thanks for the Congrats gent's, She arrived on the 5th and we're all doing great. It has somewhat hampered my simming time though
Wow, that cockpit looks complicated. Hats off to you all for not only understanding how it all works but being able to explain it to someone else. I haven't quite ventured into the glass cockpit era yet as you will see from the screenshots I've posted below!
Heading for the airstrip at the top of the lake. You can just make it out by the tall trees.
90 degree turn gets me lined up with the "runway"
Looking good (for a change!)
Down with plewnty of runway to spare
Take care everyone and congrats Chaders on your new arrival.
Heading for the airstrip at the top of the lake. You can just make it out by the tall trees.
90 degree turn gets me lined up with the "runway"
Looking good (for a change!)
Down with plewnty of runway to spare
Take care everyone and congrats Chaders on your new arrival.