Localizer antenna update#

That (I would think) would be an easy fix - just disable the RMI pointer when an ILS frequency is tuned on the Nav receiver, which is exactly what a real airplane does if equipped with a mechanical or electronic RMI.The video gives a quick introduction into Localizer Array Antenna Beamforming in SkyRadar's NavAids simulator, made for ATSEP and ATCO personnel in civil aviation. The fact that the RMI will point at a localizer is a definite bug. The Navigraph beta nav data automatically fixes all the incorrect course settings insofar as the Nav receiver is concerned, but it also requires doing the modification of the airport APX BGL file to actually make the offset and LDA localizers work correctly, and that is not something Navigraph can do.Īgain, there is no question in my mind that Asobo has done this on purpose.

Localizer antenna update#

Unfortunately, whenever there is a new sim update released, it typically puts the modified airport BGL files back to defaults. The aircraft will approach the runway at an angle, with the correct ground track, and cross the centerline at about the MDA point. I have made this modification on my own system to fix the offset localizers at KJFK 22R, KDTW ILS-Y 04L and 22R, the two localizers at LOWI, and the 40 degree offset LDA approach for runway 19 at KDCA, and all work exactly as published. If the 4 bytes in the APX file are changed to all zeros with a hex editor, then the offset localizer will work perfectly, provided that Navigraph nav data is also installed. The Navigraph beta nav data, which overrides the default NavBlue core data, will give the correct published localizer course on the PFD, but the airport BGL also has to be edited to make it work properly. The NavBlue data is what controls the automatic course setting on the PFD when an ILS is tuned on Nav 1. My theory is that (perhaps) out of “aviation naïveté” they may have mistakenly assumed that all localizers must be exactly aligned with the runway centerline, not realizing that many r/w localizers are deliberately offset for very good reasons (as at LOWI).Īsobo has also modified the localizer course contained in the default NavBlue data files (that control the placement of ILS facilities in-game) to set every single localizer to the exact runway heading, even when the real-world data is different. There is no question in my mind that the developers at Asobo did this on purpose. The presence of those 4 bytes forces the localizer to the runway heading, even if the nav data (which is contained in a separate BGL file) contains the correct localizer heading. The bytes are a 32-bit integer value derived from the localizer’s identifier using a standard algorithm which can be found in various BGL documents at places like This problem is caused primarily by a 4 byte value contained in the specific airport’s APX BGL file. This was a deliberate design choice by Asobo. This is not a bug in the sense of being a programming error. Note the blue bearing pointers in the screenshot below pointing to both the localizer antennas. Its unbelievable that they got the primary navaids so wrong. This blows my mind really, this is such an iconic airport and it is one of the “hand-crafted” ones. Although this navaid is not related to any runway, both the front and back courses in MSFS are 078 deg, following it puts you in a dangerous location… When following this LOC on approach you will pass the airport on the right at 7500 ft, you’ll then need to circle for either runway. This localizer should have a front course of 066 degrees and a back course reciprocal of 064 degrees.

LOC / DME OEJ is located approximately 10 nm off-airport and does not end up at any runway.

This localizer should be aligned with the Innsbruck valley with a front course of 255 degrees, in MSFS however the localizer is aligned with the runway (258 degrees).

LOC / DME OEV is located at the airport and is used for the LOC / DME East approach to runway 26 which is offset in real life.

The runway headings are 078 / 258 degrees.

If we take Innsbruck - LOWI airport as an example, there are two main navaids:

Bearing pointer or RMI give bearings towards the localizer antenna, this is impossible in real life.

Currently all approaches which are offset in real life are aligned with the runway course in MSFS, see my Innsbruck (LOWI) example below.

There are two big problems concerning ILS / LDA approaches, in short: