Localizer Approach

James Albright (a former G450 driver)

Updated: 2013-11-03

The localizer approach used to be the best "dive and drive" you could find because of the accuracy of the localizer beam. Now you are better off with an LPV approach. You should fly your localizer-only approach with a Continuous Descent Final Approach Descent techniques if you can. Refer to ILS for background information about regulatory requirements, equipment requirements, advantages and disadvantages, and limitations.

Everything here is from the references shown below, with a few comments in an alternate color.

Approach Category

If you have ASC 007 you are a Category C airplane unless you have a maintenance logbook entry raising your maximum landing weight. If you do not have ASC 007, you are a Category D airplane, end of discussion. See G450 Approach Category for an explanation.

Approach Selection

Photo: MCDU arrival page (CYHZ), from Eddie's aircraft.

Approach selection is made either through the MCDU (NAV > ARRIVAL) or the NAV display.

Photo: DU arrival page (CYHZ), from Eddie's aircraft.

There is an advantage to making this selection on the NAV display: if the appropriate chart is selected in green from the CHARTS page, future changes to the approach on the NAV display will automatically change the selected chart.

Preview & Auto-Tune

[G450 Aircraft Operating Manual §2B-05-50 2.A. (2)]

The PREVIEW submenu is used to select the NAV preview mode. The NAV preview mode permits the flight crew to select a short-range navigation (SRN) source for an SRN-based approach (VOR, ILS, MLS, etc.) while FMS (Long Range Navigation) is selected for display and providing lateral/vertical guidance. A long-range navigation source (FMS) must be the active navigation source in order for the PREVIEW prompt to be displayed.
When the necessary conditions are satisfied, the auto NAV preview functionality performs the following:
- Automatically selects the NAV preview mode
- Selects the SRN source for the approach procedure entered in the FMS flight plan
- Automatically sets the course on the display to the required in-bound course for the approach.
With auto NAV preview functionality, the flight crew is still required to arm the flight director for automatic transition from LRN (FMS) guidance to SRN guidance.
The EDS automatically selects the NAV preview mode when the following auto NAV preview enabling conditions are satisfied:
- The FMS is the selected NAV source
- The aircraft is within 75 NM flight plan distance and 30 NM direct distance from the destination airport
- An SRN approach is selected in the FMS flight plan
- Auto-tuning is enabled for the on-side NAV receiver
- The on-side SRN source frequency specified by the FMS approach is tuned by the FMS.
When the auto NAV preview conditions are satisfied, the NAV preview information is displayed on the PFD. When the NAV preview information is displayed, the flight crew can modify the SRN course or deselect the NAV preview mode altogether.
Alternatively, you can preset the localizer frequency and the approach back course. (This would be advisable if you expect to be on a complicated STAR with short vectors to ILS final, precluding the auto-tune function.) You would enter the ILS identifier into appropriate LSK in the PROGRESS page and the ILS approach course in the Display Controller PREVIEW submenu.

Localizer Mode Selection

Figure: LNAV Mode Selection, from G450 Aircraft Operating Manual, §2B-08-00, Pg. 7.

The book isn't very clear about this, but it is a basic function we've been doing for as long as we've had flight directors: use LNAV only for localizer only, APPR for an ILS

Approach Armed

Figure: Loc Mode Arm, from G450 Aircraft Operating Manual §2B-08-00, Figure 26.

[G450 AOM, §2B-08-120 ¶17.] The LOC mode automatically intercepts, captures, and tracks a front course localizer beam using the selected navigation source displayed on the coupled PFD. The LOC navigation source is selected using the display controller. The aircraft flies the heading intercept and is armed for automatic LOC beam capture.

Figure: Localizer Mode, from G450 Aircraft Flight Manual §2B-08-00, figure 25.

Be careful about the intercept angle. If you are in LRN mode the FMS should do a fine job of leading the turn if your speed is fairly constant. If you are in SRN mode with a large intercept angle, the FMS doesn't seem to grasp the distance to course until it is too late.

Localizer Course Tracking

[G450 AOM, §2B-08-120 ¶19.] The track submode, shown in [the figure], is annunciated the same way as LOC capture mode. There is no annunciator change that occurs at the capture to track mode transition. The track mode follows the capture mode and occurs after the beam deviation is reduced to a minimal value. In the track mode, the flight guidance computer automatically compensates for crosswinds of up to 45_ of course error.