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One of the most difficult tasks a pilot has to perform is to achieve a smooth and safe landing.
Early pilots landed on an open field, facing any direction that gave them the best angle relative to the
wind. But as traffic grew, and more aircraft began to use airports rather than farms or fields, landings
became limited to certain directions. Landing aids were developed to help pilots find the correct landing
course and to make landing safer.
Airports had begun using lights in the late 1920s, when landing fields were marked with rotating
lights so they could be found after dark. In the early 1930s, airports installed the earliest forms of
approach lighting. These indicated the correct angle of descent and whether the pilot was right on target.
Gradually, the colors of the lights and their rates of flash became standard worldwide based on
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
Developed in the 1940s, the aid consisted of lights in rows that showed the pilot a simple funnel
of two rows that led him to the end of the runway. Other patterns showed him when he was off to the right
or left, or too high or low. Radio navigation aids also assisted in landing. One type, introduced in 1929,
was the four-course radio range, where the pilot was guided by the strength of Morse code signals.
Localizer
One of the main components of the ILS system is the localizer which handles
the guidance in the horizontal plane. The localizer is an antenna system comprised
of a VHF transmitter which uses the same frequency range as a VOR transmitter
(108.10 111.95 MHz), however the frequencies of the localizer are only placed on
odd decimals, with a channel separation of 50 kHz.
A. Antennas of the localizer system B. Radiation pattern of the localizers VHF transmitter
UHF descent beacon glide slope
The glide slope, or angle of the descent plane provides the vertical guidance for the pilot during
an approach. Its created by a ground UHF transmitter containing an antenna system operating in the
range of 329.30 - 335.00 MHz, with a channel separation of 50 kHz.
Marker beacons
Outer Marker (OM)
The outer marker is located 3.5-6 NM (5.556-11.112 km) from the runways threshold. Its beam intersects
the glide slopes ray at an altitude of approximately 1400 ft. (426.72 m) above the runway.
Runway lights
A display of the MLS components and their approximate placement beside the runway.
Operational Functions
1. Approach azimuth guidance
The azimuth station transmits MLS angle and data on one of 200 channels within the frequency
range of 5031 to 5091 MHz and is normally located about 1,000 feet (300 m) beyond the stop end of the
runway, but there is considerable flexibility in selecting sites.
2. Elevation guidance
The elevation station transmits signals on the same frequency as the azimuth station. A single
frequency is time-shared between angle and data functions and is normally located about 400 feet from
the side of the runway between runway threshold and the touchdown zone.
3. Range guidance
The MLS Precision Distance Measuring Equipment (DME/P) functions in the same way as the
navigation DME, but there are some technical differences. The beacon transponder operates in the
frequency band 962 to 1105 MHz and responds to an aircraft interrogator. The MLS DME/P accuracy is
improved to be consistent with the accuracy provided by the MLS azimuth and elevation stations.
4. Data communications
The data transmission can include both the basic and auxiliary data words. All MLS facilities
transmit basic data. Where needed, auxiliary data can be transmitted. MLS data are transmitted
throughout the azimuth (and back azimuth when provided) coverage sectors. Representative data include:
Station identification, Exact locations of azimuth, elevation and DME/P stations (for MLS receiver
processing functions), Ground equipment performance level; and DME/P channel and status.
distribute planes along that line. MLS allowed aircraft to approach from whatever direction they were
already flying in, as opposed to flying to a parking orbit before "capturing" the ILS signal
3. Time Reference
MLS signals arriving at the airplane produce 2 peaks as the beam sweeps back and forth over the
receiver antenna. The airborne equipment computes the time difference between the peaks to
determine the centerline (AZ) or glide path (EL).The airborne equipment can tell the difference
between the 2 signals by a short identifier known as a preamble. The AZ signal sweeps at 13.5
scans a second and the EL signal scans at 40.5 scans a second. The EL signal has a higher frequency
due the necessity of a more accurate signal for glide path.
TLS applications
Precision approach for terrain-challenged airports with:
Short runways that cannot comply with ILS localizer siting standards
Runways ending at a body of water
Terrain upslope under the approach path that would prevent an ILS glide slope transmission from
passing flight inspection
TLS Components
Glideslope Transmitter