Navigation aids (ILS, VOR, PAPI) should be on all the time

[andyw248]

In the United States and Canada, navigation aids like VOR, ILS, and PAPI are on all the time. On uncontrolled airfields, where they may not be on to save energy, they can be activated by clicking the microphone on the airport frequency multiple times, and then all airport lighting will be on.

 

I think I just found out why the above is not true in DCS. Reading through Chuck's excellent guide for the MiG-21 (which I just purchased), I read (in his section dealing with PRMG):

 

"As in real life, PRMG systems are set for certain runways only, not for every single one . Tower Controllers in DCS will allow you to use certain runways in certain conditions only (bad weather and great winds for instance) . As an example, PRMG systems will not be available if you have no head winds . However, PRMG station will be available if you have a strong headwind ( 5 + m/s) or low visibility, which will trigger the runway 090 in Krasnodar -Center to become the “active” (available) runway . If a PRMG beacon cannot be detected (even if you entered the right PRMG channel) in one of your missions, maybe the runway is not “active” since weather conditions do not require you to use a PRMG system ."

 

This makes sense to me: In the Soviet Union, nav aids were only switched on when conditions required it. But when new maps came out, such as Nevada, Persian Gulf, Syria, Marianas. etc., the team didn't realize that in other parts of the world nav aids were just left on 24/7. 

 

I think this just needs to be fixed. It's kind of odd to impose a restriction that was valid for a certain region and a certain environment to all the other maps that were added in the meantime.

Edited July 15, 2021 by andyw248

[Tippis]

Yes.

 

Not only should these beacons (and things like active runway choice) be under full mission-designer control, but it would also be possible to add beacons to the map. The code is in there already, but the only one it really works for is TACAN (and just generic NDBs to a lesser extent). This in spite of RSBN being designed as a mobile system that you can set up anywhere as needed. Being allowed to place beacons of all kinds would also alleviate the issue where some modules have to hard-code their navigation systems into the module rather than rely on what's actually on the map, and it causes discrepancies between how two aircraft use what should be the same systems.

 

PRMG is just the tip of the iceberg here, and it applies to just about all other landing aids and navigation markers as well.

[Recoil16]

Putting light and beacon activation at airfields under mission creator control either via the ME or mission scripting would be a huge step forward regarding this issue, absent a more realistic implementation.

It's a complicated topic that would require a lot of logic to implement in a smart and realistic manner, so giving mission creators a simple on/off switch would cut around a lot of the nonsense without the trouble of considering the dozens of variables that go into deciding active runways and which systems should be activated.

 

Of course I would be happy if the default behavior would be modeled more realistically nonetheless.

[Flappie]

11 minutes ago, Recoil16 said:

Putting light and beacon activation at airfields under mission creator control either via the ME or mission scripting would be a huge step forward regarding this issue, absent a more realistic implementation.

It's a complicated topic that would require a lot of logic to implement in a smart and realistic manner, so giving mission creators a simple on/off switch would cut around a lot of the nonsense without the trouble of considering the dozens of variables that go into deciding active runways and which systems should be activated.

 

Of course I would be happy if the default behavior would be modeled more realistically nonetheless.

 

I couldn't agree more!

 

This issue has been raised internally, by the way.

[Bankler]

Any update on this? Last evening we did some IFR practice. I realized that in order to enable the ILS on Kutaisi RWY 07, I had to set the headwind to at least 6 knots. First, I assumed it was related to which rwy is the active one. But even with the 2 kts wind we usually use, the AI aircraft used the correct active RWY (07), but only with 6 kts+ the ILS was enabled. So it's not really related to which runway is active. Changing the wind like that caused problems and extra work, having to change carrier routes and stuff. It makes little or no sense that ILS should be dependent on wind.

 

Please, just keep it simple. Let it be on at all times.

 

(As a side-note, I would LOVE a feature where you can enforce which runway is the active one, so that the AI uses a certain one under calm wind conditions)