Here is a step by step check list to use to activate auto-approach (APPR). It’s a much more detailed and realistic procedure now, in comparison to the past iteration.
The only type of approach you can use auto-approach for is an ILS approach. Once you are within 27nm of your destination, you will need to do the following to tune to the ILS frequency to gain the ability to activate auto-approach.
Click the airport to show more information
Go to runways
Click the runway that you’d like to land on. If it doesn’t have an ILS frequency then you won’t be able to use auto-approach because that’s the only approach that supports auto-approach.
Click “Set NAV 1”
Open the NAV tab
Set the NAV source to NAV 1
Make sure the radial matches runway heading, it should do that automatically
Click AP ON (assuming you have the AP on)
Click APPR NAV
Click APPR when you’d like to activate auto-approach. (You need to have VS AP on)
It will be very important that you plan beforehand when attempting any approach, but especially an ILS approach. Know the runway heading and check the approach plate for that approach. Be prepared so your workload is low when you get to that critical phase, within 27nm of the airport.
Thank you so much for the tutorial! There has been so many topics asking about it lately, it’s the perfect time to post this. I’ll use this for sure. Thank you @KyleBoas!
I’m loving the new layout, it’s not that complicated once you get used to it. It looks like the aggressive banks upon APPR activation are back though. I remember they fixed this awhile ago. Anyone have suggestions for this?
Once again wouldn’t this divert you from your initial radial. For me I am on source GPS and tune into NAV1. This keeps me on my heading and then I engage APPR. The NAV1 source just moves you to the beginning of the runway in a strange fashion
If you have NAV AP on then yes it will, from what I’ve found. Do not have NAV AP on, hand fly or use HDG ALT SPD AP, or have a FPL that intercepts the ILS you plan on using so you can go from GPS to NAV 1.
@KyleBoas I did some testing. There is a simpler way to engage APPR. So say I have waypoints leading me to the localizer intercept. I‘m flying NAV source GPS. The waypoints result in me turning so that I’m at a 30 degree angle to the localizer, yet still 8nm away from intercept. What I would do is instead of using HDG and all that stuff, do something way simpler. So I’m landing 27R at Heathrow. I click onto Heathrow and tune in NAV1 for the ILS 27R. After this, I just change my current NAV to APPR instead, not needing to change anything such as source or whatever. The source can remain in GPS and everything may stay the same.
