Auto landing help

[Hippydude512]

I am using the Dash 8 Q400 When i try to use the GS basically i can change the Nav sourse to ILS' , but then a get red lines on the gs indicators and it dose not work , Just wondering if anyone can tell me why this is happening .

[J van E]

Perhaps because the landing runway doesn't have an ILS. There is some sort of bug in AFS2 that shows an ILS on the navigation page, where you plan your flight, while there actually isn't an ILS.

I myself only fly using VNAV now, in some sort of pseudo RNAV mode, so all the way in FMS mode: no need to switch to ILS and you can use VNAV in AFS2 on EVERY runway, even the ones that don't have an ILS or any kind of nav aid.

- While cruising in NAV mode (lateral NAV) and you are getting close to the TOD, set an altitude of something like 500 ft (doesn't really matter if the runway is higher than that): do NOT select ALT SEL but only press VNAV.

- You should see a magenta line appear on the altitude tape before you reach the TOD and at a certain moment that line will move down and the plane will intercept the VNAV path and switch to VNAV mode. (Take care of the power from there on!)

- The plane will descend on an nice smooth path all the way to the runway when using VNAV.

- Around the final approach fix (the last waypoint that AFS2 always inserts automatically) the plane will usually level off for a short while but when it is on the final approach heading it will start to descend again. (Again, take care of the power during these phases of flight!)

- When you see ALT SEL appear automatically around that time press APPR otherwise the plane might not start descending again for the landing. The appearance of ALT SEL depends on your landing altitude (in combination with the set alt, in this case 500).

- Turn off the autopilot around 500 ft AGL or so. If you don't the AP will turn itself off: you can't completely autoland this plane like you can autoland the Airbus.

And btw even if there actually is an ILS, VNAV will follow the exact same path! Flying with VNAV is a lot easier in many regards. ;)

Obviously all the above isn't totally realistic but AFS2 isn't totally realistic either at this moment so it will have to do for now.

Final note: AFS2 doesn't do realistic RNAV approaches: it has no clue where the mountains are or what official SIDs and STARs are. So take note of that...! You don't want to end a flight on the side of a mountain.

If you need more help with the Q400 let me know: it is about the only plane I fly. Without the Q400 I probably wouldn't have AFS2 installed at all anymore. It is by FAR the most interesting plane in AFS2: only the Airbus has some more system depth (MCDU) but it's a lot more boring to fly (nothing to do all the way). Unfortunately the AFS2 Q400 doesn't come close to the Majestic Q400 (for P3D/FSX) but who knows, maybe in the future...

[Jan (IPACS)]

If you don't see a glide slope appearing then there probably isn't one in the real world or you encountered the bug that J van E talked about.

But you can also fly your approach in LNAV/VNAV, just don't switch the nav source and then hit approach.