ILS approach?

Question

My friend told me that for an ILS approach, you tune your NAV1 to the airport's ILS frequency, and the plane will automatically align itself with the runway and the pilots do not need to keep it aligned, only control the pitch and adjust the throttle. Is this true? Does the plane really align itself without assistance?

Answer 1

Tom is right.  Basically the answer is no, unless it has autopilot and the autopilot is engaged.  

I've done Instrument training in both airplanes and helicopters and none of the aircraft I've flown in training had autopilots so I had to do all the flying myself.  Of course the bigger aircraft usually do have autopilot.  Helicopters almost never have autopilot, but then again, they often avoid doing ILS approaches as well.

Thats beyond your question though, hope it helps.

Answer 2

When you are first learning, you will do all the alignment yourself.  You won't have to worry about automated cockpits for some time, so don't get ahead of yourself.  With some advanced aircraft, the throttle is taken care of also.  So, I would suggest you be careful who you listen to when it comes to advanced flying in sophisticated aircraft.  For now, focus on learning the basics in small planes, as much of this information is just going to confuse you.  Good luck and have fun.

Answer 3

I would recommend to stop playing with the computer games and start reading books about flying if you really want to be a pilot.

Answer 4

No, planes don't automatically intercept or track localizer courses.

Tune the nav 1 or nav 2

receiver

to the runway's

localizer frequency.

The course selector or omnibearing selector is set not to runway heading, but to the localizer course.

An approach's  minimums are determined by lighting systems, flight checks, terrain and obstacles in the area of the approach and missed approach paths, and inputs from air traffic control facilities.

Automatic pilots do not always do a good job of intercepting  localizers; a 30º intercept angle might not be shallow enough.  Overshooting can be a problem, and if there is traffic on a parallel localizer the collision hazard is great.

Answer 5

The ILS (Instrument Landing System) is available per runway, not per airport. A signal is sent out like an imaginary slide upwards into the glide-path on final approach. The ILS frequency is put into the 'NAV1' as you say and the course setting on the heading is the same as the runway heading. With this set, the instrument shows the deviation away from the centre line and the glide-path.

With autopilot on, the plane can align itself in both direction and descent. Of course the pilot may also use autothrottle, depends on the aircraft, flight, weather, etc.

Answer 6

ILS? Is that the little guage on the panel where there always seems to be a swordfight going on when the weather is at its lowest?

Nothing automatic about it. You gots ta fly it yourself.

Answer 7

the ILS does not provide any means of remote control of the plane. that means, the plane has to be equipped with autopilot capable of cooperation with the ILS readout. if it is not equipped with such an autopilot, the controls of both heading and descent are to be performed manually.

Answer 8

The ILS system transmits signals that the aircraft picks up and displays to show the pilot how close or otherwise he is both in azimuth to the localiser and to the glideslope.  It's correct that the appropriate frequency for that runway's ILS has to be entered, but the aircraft has to be in range to pick up the signals.  They're transmitted like a cone aiming away from the runway heading and you have to be within that cone to pick up.  The readings are shown on the instrument and either the pilot has to adjust the heading and descent rate to match or, if the aircraft has an appropriate autopilot it may be capable of doing this itself.  Not necessarily so, though.

Answer 9

Some runways have a ILS. If you dont have the right autopilot you need to fly it all the way down. CAT IIIc ILS approaches is all autoland landings you only sit and watch the A/C do every thing from the initial approach to the flare and the down the run and taxiway.

Answer 10

Advanced aircraft with coupled autopilots can do automatic approaches, but you still need to stay right on top of it to make sure it does it right.  And most airplanes are not equipped that way.  It's expensive gadgetry.

As in all autopilot situations, the autopilot, contrary to popular opinion, does not do the flying for you--it just reduces your workload and keeps things more precise.

There are autopilots that can also couple to the glide slope and essentially "land automatically."  But you are still the one in charge.

But the real answer to your question is that in most airplanes, the ILS needles tell you where you wish you were, but you are the one to turn the wishes into reality.  The first time you do one under the hood, and your instructor keeps saying "don't chase those needles," you'll see what I mean.

Good luck!