F-16 Viper ILS struggle-fest

[Twwhitey]

Lord help me but for the life of me, no matter how many tutorials I watch or how many times I try, I can't seem figure out how to get the ILS needles on the Viper to work when practicing landings.

 

Pardon the terrible screenshot but take this approach into Kobuleti for instance... I configured the following:

 

TACAN: 67X Mode: REC (but tried T/R mode as well)

ILS: ON; Channel 111.50; CRS: 248

HSI: Mode PLS/TCN

 

No matter what I do, the ILS needles in the HUD and in the artificial horizon are always pinned to the top left with those RED indicators showing.

 

Can anyone help me figure out what I'm missing?

 

Surprisingly google and forum searches yield nothing so I'm definitely doing something wrong because I've seen multiple youtube videos of this working and thought I was performing the correct steps...

 

[FoxOne007]

What is the volume of the TCN and ILS set to on the left audio panel? If they are all the way down/off the TCN and ILS are turned off, so you want to make sure that dial is at least a little bit open.

[FoxTwo]

Kobu's ils radio is... Buggy? Try Kutasi instead.

[Twwhitey]

What is the volume of the TCN and ILS set to on the left audio panel? If they are all the way down/off the TCN and ILS are turned off, so you want to make sure that dial is at least a little bit open.

 

Interesting... next attempt I'll check that. I was indeed hearing audible beeping (which I assumed was the TACAN) but I definitely have not checked the Volume or ON/OFF status of both on the audio panel.

 

Thanks for input I'll give it a check!

[randomTOTEN]

You can't just choose an ILS beam from the map and use it. Their operation is dependent on which direction the ATC flight pattern is at the airport. If ATC isn't using that runway for landings (they don't assign it to you i.e. the winds don't favor it), then that ILS transmitter won't be turned on. Same for the NDB's on the approach.

[Twwhitey]

Kobu's ils radio is... Buggy? Try Kutasi instead.

 

Ironically enough I tried Kutasi first same flight. I was using the Instant Action "Free Flight" mission for the F-16 which starts you like 50 miles east of Kutasi so I headed that way, dialed in all the specifics and basically got the same result at Kutasi so I figured "maybe that airfield is buggy" let me try another and headed to Kobuleti... same result at both...

 

Hmmm maybe the Instant Action Missions are buggy in general? Maybe I'll fire up a complete different or new mission...

[Twwhitey]

You can't just choose an ILS beam from the map and use it. Their operation is dependent on which direction the ATC flight pattern is at the airport. If ATC isn't using that runway for landings (they don't assign it to you i.e. the winds don't favor it), then that ILS transmitter won't be turned on. Same for the NDB's on the approach.

 

So that's interesting and potentially the issue.

 

The Kneeboards for both Kutasi and Kobuleti show the ILS frequencies for Runways 070 (apparently they both have 070 runways) but the Kneeboards don't show ILS frequencies for the reciprocal runways (250). I've programmed in the frequencies for runway 70 but the tower always gives me clearance for runways 250... if I've neither programmed in the ILS for that runway or they don't tell me to land on 070 I guess I won't get an ILS signal then right?

[Ramsay]

I've programmed in the frequencies for runway 70 but the tower always gives me clearance for runways 250... if I've neither programmed in the ILS for that runway or they don't tell me to land on 070 I guess I won't get an ILS signal then right?

Correct.

 

Neither Kobuleti RWY 25 or Kutaisi RWY 26 are ILS equipped.

 

You'll need zero wind or a 6 knot headwind for Kobuleti RWY 07 or Kutaisi RWY 08 ILS to work*

 

* There's a bug in 2.5.x that breaks ATC/ILS operation if there's a light headwind (ATC switches to the alternative (tailwind) direction).

[Twwhitey]

Correct.

 

Neither Kobuleti RWY 25 or Kutaisi RWY 26 are ILS equipped.

 

You'll need zero wind or a 6 knot headwind for Kobuleti RWY 07 or Kutaisi RWY 08 ILS to work*

 

* There's a bug in 2.5.x that breaks ATC/ILS operation if there's a light headwind (ATC switches to the alternative (tailwind) direction).

 

Ahhhh ok got it and that likely explains my issue. The YouTube tutorial I watched yesterday the guy landed at Kutasi and got clearance for 070 hence all was peachy in that direction and naturally there was no mention of non-ILS runways or runway specific ILS.

 

Good stuff and thanks all for the explanation I knew it was something that I was missing...

[Nealius]

What is the volume of the TCN and ILS set to on the left audio panel? If they are all the way down/off the TCN and ILS are turned off, so you want to make sure that dial is at least a little bit open.

 

TCN volume knob has no effect on TACAN on/off. That's all on the MIDS knob.

 

ILS, however, must have volume greater than zero, which makes no sense to me because a) no other aircraft require that and b) it's annoying as hell to constantly hear morse code for your entire final approach.

[randomTOTEN]

b) it's annoying as hell to constantly hear morse code for your entire final approach.

Well then don't. Volume of 1 is greater than 0, and you can't hear the code.

[Nealius]

Volume of 1 is still quite audible in my VR headset's sound system.

[Delareon]

It doesnt matter if you call the Tower or if they gave you another Runway. You can always use any ILS you want and as long its not a Bug it works. But not every Runway has ILS on every direction, thats what you should read in the F-10 Screen.

 

Did you turned on TACAN (that knob on the same Panel as the NAV Knob)?

ILS frequency, Tacan Frequency and Course is correct for your Runway? (ICP - 1)

 

I dont believe the ILS is turned off because its on by default. If so you would read an ILS OFF when you hit ICP-1