SurClaro Flight Simulator Resources

Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2005 9:24 pm Post subject: Instrument Landing System

Here is a letter that my father sent to me last week that I want to share with the rest of you. Fortunately my father has a great memory for details. I am impressed that he can still document specifics that he has not dealt with since enlisting in the US Navy during WWII: Cool

The ILS equipment was also known as SCS51. The transmitting equipment consisted of a localizer and glide path. The localizer was located at the end of the airstrip in the center. A lot of these naval air landing fields were only 2000 feet long. The localizer put out a 10 degree beam down the center of the runway and could be received up to 100 miles out if the plane was flying very high (10,000 feet and above). The beam could be affected by rain or snow and could be off by 1 or 2 degrees. It could be adjusted electronically back to the center of the airfield. The glide path transmitter was located on the left side/middle of the airstrip and sent a radio beam down to the approach of the airstrip and out a considerable distance. The lower part of the beam was shaped on the bottom to simulate a standard rate of decent of 500 feet per minute.

The receiver that picked up the localizer beam fed a meter in the aircraft with a vertical needle indicator. The glide path receiver would feed a meter with a horizontal needle indicator. When the plane was starting an approach to the field in bad weather or at night, he would look at this ILS meter and keep the needles in the form of a cross. The localizer needle would be vertical at zero degrees. The glide slope needle would be horizontal at 90 degrees. The Pilot would hold the needles in a plus sign and head for the runway. If the plane drifted to the left of the localizer beam, the needle moved to the right. He would fly slightly right to bring it back to zero degrees. If the pilot fell below the glide path the glide path needle would go up and he would fly up to bring the needle down to the 90 degree position. To help the aircraft determine his relative position, there were three transmitters that would send up a vertical cone beam on 75 MCS. The Inner Marker is located one mile from the beginning of the air field, the Middle Marker is about 5 or 10 mile out and Outer Marker is 25 or 50 miles out. When the pilot crosses the Outer Marker, he hears a coded “H” (dot dot dot dot). The Middle Marker, he hears an “S” (dot dot dot). When he crosses the Inner Marker, he hears an “I” (dot dot). Since he is only one mile from the runway when he hears the Inner Marker, he can take over visually sometimes. GCA (Ground Approach Radar) does the same thing by voice to the pilot and he is tracked by a radar scope that puts him 16 feet from the edge of the runway. During the Berlin Airlift, GCA was bringing in planes ever two minutes.

ACRT (PA)
USN –WWII
Former Instructor
NAF Gainesville, Georgia

I have included a picture of Dad next to the R4D at the Middle Atlantic Aviation Museum (MAAM) home of the Briefing Time B-25 Billy Mitchell. Dad attended the AVSIM conference with me last year. Dad worked with the Navy R4D during WWII.

Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2005 6:05 am Post subject:

You didn't say how old your father is. I'd give my left *** to have his memory. I'm 45 and sometimes it is like I have .......What was I talking about?

Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2005 12:50 pm Post subject:

Yes, I was wondering how old your father is. Sounds to me that he must be in a very good health. As far as me, well my memory, it is like they say, I have a good memory but short. lol...hihihi

Hi five to him..................

Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2005 2:06 pm Post subject:

Dad was born in December 1922 which makes him 82 years old. He never stops telling me stories about WWII. Every time that I send him an email about my various activities, he replies with a very lengthy story about his days in the Navy. If I tell him that I watched a show on the History Channel or when my son and I visited the EIGHTH ARMY AIR FORCE MUSEUM, he comes back with a page full of detailed facts. I a very jealous of his memory because I can not find my car in the company parking lot when I leave work at night. Cool

Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2005 3:18 pm Post subject:

When is the last time your Dad piloted a plane? If he is as sharp as he sounds, I wouldn't mind going up with him!

Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2005 3:42 pm Post subject:

Dad has never piloted an aircraft. His US Navy background is in electronics. During his Navy days, he specialized in Radar. However, he has spent some time in Navy Aircraft such as the R4D pictured above from the Middle Atlantic Air Museum. Because of his extensive training in Radar, he has a wealth of knowledge concerning the VOR, Glidepath, Localizer, NDB, Radio Direction Finders, etc. Cool

Posted: Sun Apr 03, 2005 12:13 am Post subject:

OK Skipperdan, time to teach your Pop how fly! Do it now while he is still young enough to enjoy it. Applause