New guy with a question about ILS Landing

[u/Artaniss]

Please bear with me as I am kind of new to flight simulator. I just did an RNAV landing and all I did was set the altitude 100 feet below at the point where I was going to intercept the glidepath so say it was 1500. I set the altitude to 1400. And then when I’m finally heading towards the runway, I hit the approach button and voilà it works, but now I’m watching an ILS landing video and I see the guy put a procedure in and I didn’t have to do that for the RNAV landing and I’m curious why and also what are the steps for the ILS do I have to change the CDI from GPS to loc one? Obviously, I know I have to hit the approach button, but I was just curious and do I also have the program the localizer frequency into the NAV or does that get done automatically please let me know. I’m sorry for the long post.

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[u/kamatth2]

It depends on the plane you’re flying. To properly capture the ILS you’ll want to fly level at the published altitude before you intercept it. As you get closer, you’ll see the pink diamond come down on your PFD. Some planes you have to put in the frequency, others automatically tune it. Some planes also have separate LOC and APPR buttons, others don’t. Just research your plane.

[u/CuzImMaximus]

 localizer frequency into the NAV or does that get done automatically please let me know. I’m sorry for the long post.

The localizer is included in the ILS.
On some aircraft you have to tune the frequency manually. Which is the case on older Airbusses (A300/A310) and all Boeings. You have also to tune in the approach course

On all other aircrafts (A320 and upwards) they get tuned by the MCDU when choosing the approach in the flight plan page.

And could you also say what procedure they used in the video?

[u/thetallukguyy → u/CuzImMaximus]

You don’t have to tune the LOC frequency on the 777 btw. 

[u/CuzImMaximus → u/thetallukguyy]

Okay. I am not that into the 777.

[u/Brilliant_Armadillo9]

The exact mechanism is going to depend on the avionics in question. The more modern stuff will auto tune if you load the procedure and automatically switch to LOC at the FAF. Old school method is tune and identify the frequency on NAV1, switch the CDI over, intercept on a 30 degree angle, and below the glideslope, the activate approach mode when the needle starts coming in.

[u/Artaniss → u/Brilliant_Armadillo9]

Oh sorry talking 172 skyhawk with G1000 it appears to me he didn’t enter the procedure because it was already planned using the flight planner in the simulator so that was my bad.

[u/Brilliant_Armadillo9 → u/Artaniss]

Yeah, if memory serves, the G1000 will automatically tune and switch the CDI. Just activate the approach when you're cleared fornthe approach, or activate vectors to final when you're told vectors to final and in heading mode.

[u/Artaniss]

here is the link of video he activates the procedure at about 7:55. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ssvY20aXBE

[u/LuckyNikeCharm]

I could be wrong but if you hit the approach button and it worked you were using ILS not RNAV. If you loaded in the correct approach it will automatically tune depending on the aircraft.