FSX B738 Autoland?

[Lyndon Teng]

Hey Guys

I know I'm kinda a novice in flight simming and stuff, but I got a tip-off from a friend that if you tune to an ILS frequency on NAV1 Radio (Just look up the real-world one on Google), and set APP Mode on AP/CMD the autopilot will do an Autoland for you. I fly a B737-800, just tried it out in my previous flight (EGLL-EGCC) (Yea I make terrible landings anyways, so it's worth a shot). It made the approach (RWY 06L [109.50 IMM]) flawlessly for me. However I lost my nerve and disconnected the autopilot at the last minute as it didn't seem to reduce the descent rate. I post this somewhat as a question, whether anyone has actually done this or something like this before on their flightsim, and whether it does make an autoland for you.?


Cheers,
Lyndon

 

[Zeljko Budovic]

Hey Guys

I know I'm kinda a novice in flight simming and stuff, but I got a tip-off from a friend that if you tune to an ILS frequency on NAV1 Radio (Just look up the real-world one on Google), and set APP Mode on AP/CMD the autopilot will do an Autoland for you. I fly a B737-800, just tried it out in my previous flight (EGLL-EGCC) (Yea I make terrible landings anyways, so it's worth a shot). It made the approach (RWY 06L [109.50 IMM]) flawlessly for me. However I lost my nerve and disconnected the autopilot at the last minute as it didn't seem to reduce the descent rate. I post this somewhat as a question, whether anyone has actually done this or something like this before on their flightsim, and whether it does make an autoland for you.?


Cheers,
Lyndon

That is normal, real world procedure. Real 737 pilots use autopilot and radionavigation, they disconects autopilot somewhere about 1000 feet altitude and perform manual landings. Autoland is for low visibility approach, you can do better landings than autopilot(with some practices ).
Anyway, default FSX planes can't do complet autoland, can bring you to 200 or 100 feet(not remember exactly)before you must to disconect autopilot and land manualy.
If you want more realism, you can look for some payware add-ons aircraft witch have much better system simulation including complet autoland

 

[Lyndon Teng]

Hahaha yea
That's sorta comforting

default FSX planes can't do complet autoland

yea my previous flight was with default FSX 737

payware add-ons aircraft witch have much better system simulation including complet autoland

I recently got iFly 737-800 (with the airchild livery) and im somewhat unfamiliar with the systems...
Does APP mode work on iFly in a similar or even better way than FSX default acft?

 

[Zeljko Budovic]

Hahaha yea
That's sorta comforting
yea my previous flight was with default FSX 737

Ok, but you disconect autopilot before touchdown, that's what I mean - default fsx planes cannot perform touchdown in realistic way, I tried long time ago - it was very hard touchdown, I don't know if any of passengers survived :?

I recently got iFly 737-800 (with the airchild livery) and im somewhat unfamiliar with the systems...
Does APP mode work on iFly in a similar or even better way than FSX default acft?

Yes, it works much better. And system simulation is good on ifly, you can learn real world procedures

 

[Peter Schindler]

Also note that, if your aircraft add-on is capable of performing autolands, you also need to activate the second autopilot system once aligned with the ILS path (or, in case of 3 AP systems, activate 2 of them) to enable autoland.

 

[Lyndon Teng]

Got it
Thanks a Bunch xDDD :thx:


Cheers
Lyndon

 

[Lyndon Teng]

Also note that, if your aircraft add-on is capable of performing autolands, you also need to activate the second autopilot system once aligned with the ILS path (or, in case of 3 AP systems, activate 2 of them) to enable autoland.

Hey Peter,

I just completed a flight and did what you said, enabling 2 autopilots for an autoland. however, upon enabling the second autopilot the plane went into a nosedive and I had to disconnect and land manually.
Is there any way of solving this problem?

Cheers,
Lyndon

 

[Peter Schindler]

Which aircraft add-on is it?

 

[Lyndon Teng]

Which aircraft add-on is it?

iFly B737NG I think
I can't quite remember...But for now all I'm doing is using the auto-land to help me line up with the runway...
And I'm also not 100% sure if it can complete an auto-land...

Cheers,
Lyndon

 

[Petr Sach]

Hi mate if is default boeing I would doubt that autoland is possible what you using to line up with runway is localizer which is for lateral navigation and perhaps APP glideslope for vertical navigation however to use the ils you only need one autopilot on doesn't matter if is left right or centre ,hovever if is autoland u need to have all 3 autopilot or at least 2 on . I am flying pmdg 747 ,but only manualy autopilot just while cruising. If you want to autoland when you on aprouch and you have loc armed and then become active you plane start tracking ils for RW then you press APP and your GS glideslope become armed latter active somewhere on the final all 3 autopilot become active and thats when you havce set up for autoland you need more then one autopilot it has something to do with hydraulics . Long story I am not real pilot hgope that will help but what i am sure it would be similar to your plane . 8)

 

[Lyndon Teng]

Hi Petr

Just to clarify: I do not use the default FSX boeing aircraft, and what happened when I used the iFly 737NG was I requested a visual approach, but tuned the ILS freq. to assist in both glideslope and loc. tracking. I did turn 2 autopilots on, and upon the activation of the second autopilot, it sent me into a nosedive, which I then had to manually recover, and then FSPassengers got confused and assumed it was a landing gear fault. :roll:
And sorry, I have never used PMDG before, so I don't know exactly how the differences measure up. :S
Thanks anyways

Cheers,
Lyndon
P.S. I'm not a real pilot either haha

 

[Peter Schindler]

I did turn 2 autopilots on, and upon the activation of the second autopilot, it sent me into a nosedive...

a typical 737 procedure for ILS or autoland would look like this:

ILS:
----
- dial in ILS frequency on NAV1
- set localizer/runway approach course on left CRS selector
- on localizer intercept heading press VOR/LOC > autopilot should capture localizer course
- check established on localizer and below glideslope
- when glideslope becomes active press APP
now you're set up for single channel ILS approach with manual land. However, in real aviation, even for manual landing, a dual channel approach, as described below, is recommended.

Autoland:
---------
when established on ILS or earlier:
- dial in ILS frequency on NAV2
- set approach course on right CRS selector
- check both flight directors (FD left, right) are ON
when established on LOC/GS (APP mode):
- press CMD B (for second channel, if CMD A is already active)
- both CMD switches should be lit
now you're set up for dual channel CATIII approach with autoland

Well, this is how it should go. Important is to have the same LOC frequency on both NAV radios and the same approach course on both CRS selectors before activating CMD B (or C)
If that's not given, and if you're not yet established on ILS when activating CMD B, your B system will simply take over from the A system. If, at the same time, your selected autopilot altitude is lower than your current height, you may be sent into a dive.

If you follow the steps above and still experience a major nose down attitude there's something wrong with the aircraft

Hope that's about right. If not, slap me - I'm not a pilot

 

[Lyndon Teng]

If, at the same time, your selected autopilot altitude is lower than your current height, you may be sent into a dive.

I think that might have been what happened... :idea:
I'm not sure, but I'm pretty confident that was pretty much what caused the problem
Thanks a bunch ! :thx: :thx:

Cheers,
Lyndon