To fly an ILS approach in Microsoft Flight Simulator X (FSX), tune the correct NAV frequency, set the inbound course, switch the CDI from GPS to NAV, and intercept the localiser from below the glideslope. Then either follow the needles manually or arm approach mode on the autopilot for a stable final approach.
How do I set up an ILS approach in FSX?
The basic process is the same in boxed FSX and FSX: Steam Edition. What matters is the aircraft panel you are using. Default aircraft, add-on aircraft and GPS units can look different, but the underlying ILS procedure does not change.
Before anything else, make sure the runway actually has an ILS. In FSX, some runways are ILS-equipped, some are localiser-only, and some have no precision guidance at all. If there is no glideslope for that runway, you can still fly the localiser laterally, but you will need to manage the descent yourself.
Step-by-step: how to fly an ILS approach in FSX
Check the runway, frequency and inbound course.
Find the ILS frequency and the runway course for the approach you want to fly. You can get this from the airport information available inside FSX, from the GPS, or from the approach you have been assigned by ATC. If FSX ATC clears you for an ILS, we still need to set the radios and course ourselves.
Tune the ILS frequency into NAV1.
In most FSX aircraft, the primary ILS receiver is NAV1. Set the published ILS frequency there, not just in NAV2. If your aircraft lets you identify the station, do that as a quick sanity check.
Set the inbound course on the OBS or HSI.
Dial in the runway heading or published inbound course so the CDI or HSI is referenced correctly. On many default aircraft, this is done with the OBS knob. Without the right course set, the display can be misleading even if the radio is tuned correctly.
Get established on an intercept heading.
Do not aim straight at the runway from anywhere and hope the ILS will sort itself out. We want to intercept the localiser at a sensible angle, usually around 20 to 30 degrees, and at an altitude that places us below the glideslope.
If you try to capture the glideslope from above, FSX aircraft often will not capture it properly. That is one of the most common reasons an ILS seems not to work.
Slow down and configure early.
Get the aircraft stable before the final intercept. In practical terms, that means approach speed under control, first stage of flap as appropriate, and gear ready at the right point for your aircraft. A rushed, high-speed intercept usually turns into needle chasing.
Switch from GPS to NAV.
This catches a lot of simmers out. If your aircraft has a GPS/NAV or CDI selector, switch it so the CDI is following the radio navigation source, not the GPS flight plan. If it stays in GPS mode, the autopilot may ignore the localiser completely.
Capture the localiser.
As the CDI starts moving in, turn to follow it. If you are flying manually, make small bank inputs and avoid overcorrecting. If you are using autopilot, hold heading mode to the intercept and arm approach mode when established close enough to capture.
Capture the glideslope from below.
Once the glideslope needle starts coming down toward the centre, reduce power and begin the descent as it centres. On autopilot, this is where approach mode should capture both localiser and glideslope if the aircraft supports it. On a standard 3-degree glidepath, a good rule of thumb is roughly groundspeed multiplied by five for descent rate.
Follow the needles to minimums.
Keep the localiser and glideslope centred with small corrections. Add crosswind correction as needed; the aircraft will not necessarily point exactly at the runway centreline. At decision height or minimums, either continue visually if you have the runway environment in sight or go around.
What needs to be set correctly for an FSX ILS to work?
| Item | What we set | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| NAV radio | ILS frequency in NAV1 | The aircraft must be receiving the runway ILS signal |
| Course | Inbound runway course on OBS/HSI | Gives correct localiser guidance on the indicator |
| Source selector | NAV instead of GPS | Lets the CDI and autopilot follow the ILS rather than the flight plan |
| Intercept | Shallow intercept angle, usually 20-30 degrees | Helps the localiser capture cleanly without overshooting |
| Altitude | Below the glideslope before capture | Most FSX aircraft will not capture a glideslope from above |
| Speed/configuration | Approach speed, flap and gear managed early | Makes the aircraft stable enough to track the ILS accurately |
Can I use the autopilot to fly the ILS in FSX?
Yes, in many FSX aircraft, but with limits. The usual method is to use heading mode to fly the intercept, then arm APP or APR mode so the autopilot can capture the localiser and glideslope.
The exact button label depends on the panel. Some aircraft also have separate NAV and approach functions, and some complex add-ons use custom avionics logic. The principle stays the same: the radio must be tuned, the course set, and the source switched to NAV.
Do not assume an autoland. Most default FSX aircraft can track the ILS well enough for the approach, but they are not reliable hands-off landing machines. We would normally disconnect and land manually once the runway is in sight and the aircraft is stable.
How do I fly the ILS manually in FSX?
Manual ILS flying is mostly about staying ahead of the aircraft. The localiser is sensitive, especially close to the runway, so we use tiny corrections rather than large turns.
A simple way to read the instruments is this:
- Localiser needle left: the beam is left of you, so turn left.
- Localiser needle right: the beam is right of you, so turn right.
- Glideslope needle above centre: you are below the glidepath, so reduce your descent or climb slightly to rejoin it.
- Glideslope needle below centre: you are above the glidepath, so increase descent if still stable; if badly high, go around rather than forcing it.
Think in trends, not snapshots. If the needles are moving quickly away from centre, your correction was too late or too small. If they swing through the middle and keep going, your correction was too much.
Common FSX ILS mistakes
- Still in GPS mode. This is probably the number one reason the localiser will not capture.
- Frequency in NAV2 instead of NAV1. Many aircraft display the signal, but the autopilot may only follow NAV1.
- Trying to intercept from above the glideslope. FSX often will not rescue a high approach.
- Wrong runway end. The ILS is normally usable only from the published runway direction.
- Localiser-only approach mistaken for full ILS. If there is no glideslope, the vertical needle will not behave as expected.
- Approach speed too high. Fast aeroplanes overshoot localisers very easily in FSX.
- Oversized heading corrections. This leads to weaving all the way down final.
Does the procedure change in FSX: Steam Edition?
No. The ILS procedure is effectively the same in FSX and FSX: Steam Edition. Any difference you notice is usually down to the aircraft panel or avionics package, not the simulator itself.
If you use add-on aircraft from our library at Fly Away Simulation, some may include custom autopilots or more realistic radio stacks. Even then, the essentials do not change: correct frequency, correct course, NAV selected, localiser first, glideslope from below.
What if the ILS still will not capture?
When an FSX ILS refuses to behave, we check four things first: the correct runway data, NAV1 tuning, the GPS/NAV selector, and altitude on intercept. Most problems turn out to be one of those.
If all four are right, look at your intercept geometry. A 60-degree slash across the localiser at high speed will often overshoot, and no amount of button pressing will fix that. Slow down, set up earlier, and let the aircraft capture cleanly.
That is the real trick with ILS flying in FSX. The radios matter, but a tidy setup matters just as much.