December 10, 2021

So what does ILS stand for? The ‘I’ for instrument the ‘L’ for landing and the ‘S’ System so the instrument landing system is a ground-based radio navigation system giving pilots the lateral and the vertical guidance towards the runway as they are in approach in IMC. To fly an ILS approach the aircraft must be fitted with an ILS receiver large enough to be displayed, and converted into signals picked up on the cockpit instruments.. Frequency and identifier code the ILS inbound course and glide slope angle, the given minimum descent altitude or Heights depending on the ILS category and last, but not least the go-around procedure Okay now, Let’s talk more about the ground-based system now the system consists of two Antennas sending out on one tunable frequency the so called localizer antenna is normally located beyond the end of the runway and  generally is built up out several pairs of directional antennas. They send radio singnals horizontally in the axis of runway. copyright@HAVKAR Let’s look at this picture right here the localizer antenna is emitting two lobes which are frequency modulated to 90 Hertz on the left-hand side of the runway centerline, and 150 Hertz on the right-hand side. To get a better understanding about the localizer antenna imagine each light beam a massive light beam, now 90 Hertz side would be a yellow light and 150 Hertz side would be a blue light. Now, Let’s say you’re slightly to the right of the runway centreline so the light you would be seeing is primarily blue Meaning you would have to fly more to the left where the light beam is overlaping  creating a green light. And then you know you’re on the centerline. Obviously there is know such light besides the PAPI, but that’s a whole another story. But you get a understanding how to interpret the converted ILS signal on your ADI. Your HIS or PFD. Now, instead of colours you have this diamond. Indicating your position relative to the runway centreline so if the diamond would be to the right or let’s say the runway centreline you are left of it, and have to correct your heading to the right to join the localizer and voice versa also important to know at the same time the localizer transmits the so called ILS facility. Identification code, so what’s the good for now because the frequency range for the ILS is fairly small you could pick up the wrong ILS frequency of a nearby airport. Therefore, each ILS sends their own individual Morse code. For example, the ILS Identification code for John F Kennedy Airport runway 0 4 right is India Juliet, Foxtrot kilo… ILS receiver instrument or you have to actually listen to the Morse code and compare it to the one on your ILS approach chart, we  have now established a lateral guidance towards the runway Let’s talk about the vertical axis. Now, this axis is Defined as the glide slope, now the glide slope antenna is similar to the localizer antenna only sending out the signals to the Vertical axis towards your runway and is based perpendicular to the touchdown zone. Now imagine the light beam example I’ve mention a minute ago it works, the same just at a 90 degree angle to the localizer beam. Normally  the glide slope angle towards the runway is 3 degree and it indicates whether your aircraft is above or below or on the glide slop path with the help of another diamond present in your instument. So there’s another diamond presented on your instrument showing your position relative to the glide slope, now if the diamond is above the center I’ll give you the indication you are below the glide slope so then you have to reduce a vertical speed or even level off to Recapture the glide slope if the diamond is below the center of the instrument you’re then too high. So again correct your vertical speed to rejoin the glide slope now this sounds easy, But be aware if you pitch further down you gain speed if you level off you reduce speed. So it’s all a matter of pitch and power and at the same time extending slats flaps and doing ATC communications.So it’s not that easy obviously there are glide slopes which are steeper very often due to mountainous area or obstacle clearance Limits which need to be met, For example runway two-four at naples  Italy is known for its steeper ILS approach than usual.  Ok we’ve now established the two main components of the ILS providing horizontal and vertical guidance towards the runway. But how do you know how far away from the runway threshold which is ? Absolutely essential for your speed management. Now let’s say you’re at 2,500 feet and you know that glide slope angled towards the runway, Or you could quickly get out out your calculator and do the math all in bad weather and whilst monitoring your instruments. Know it’s kind of difficult So therefore all the ILS systems have three marker points the outer marker the middle marker and the inner marker. So when flying over the outer marker a little blue light  will start flashing on you instruments and the corresponding beeping code can be heard, Comparing that with your map you then know ok. I’m passing the outer marker You should have that altitude at that given distance the outer marker and the middle marker are still out there. But I haven’t  heard an inner mark in a very long time nowadays They’re 3rd antenna installed called the DME distance measuring equipment, Which will give you a slant range towards the runway now making it a lot easier to monitor your distance. But your aircraft has to be fitted with the appropriate DME receiver and an instrument with which you have to tune in the course. DME frequency but even better are the ILS, which comes with a built-in DME indication