Navigation Instruments RTR Part 2
Navigation Instruments RTR Part 2
Radar stands for radio detection and ranging. It is based on the principle of
transmission of high power of energy into space and receiving it back after
getting reflected by an object – Aircraft. This is displayed visually on the screen
that gives the direction and distance of the object. The energy transmitted in tiny
bursts of carrier wave in the form of pulses modulating a sine wave carrier. The
energy received back is called “Echo”
Primary Radar - With primary radars EM waves are beamed from the
transmitter via the aerial into the atmosphere. In the event that these pulses
strike a target, a small portion of the transmitted energy will hopefully be
reflected back to the aerial and fed into the receiver.
The direction in which the aerial is pointing at this time denotes the bearing of
the target, while the time between transmission and reception of each individual
pulse is used to determine target range from the radar head.
Advantages:
Ø It works independently. i.e. The active co-operation from the target is not
required.
Ø It engages several targets at the same time and generally does not get
saturated
Ø It only requires one set of transmitter and receiver
Ø Poor efficiency as the size of depends upon the size of the target
Ø Transmitting power has to be high, as the same energy has to return after
getting reflected.
Ø Receiver has to be very sensitive as the strength of the echo is weak.
Ø The transmitter and receiver have to be critically aligned for the
frequency.
Ø Fixed targets give permanent echoes and hamper in detecting moving
targets.
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Frequencies
Channels
DME (emission code P0N) is a secondary radar system operating between 960
and 1215 MHz in the UHF band at 1 MHz spacing; this provides 252 spot
frequencies or channels.
Working:
DME is also frequency paired with the ILS localizer frequencies. These DME
supplement or replace the range information provided by the Marker Beacons.
The range information is zero referenced to the ILS runway threshold. DME is
obtained by selecting the ILS frequency.
Uses of DME
Accuracy:
Working:
Transponder Controls:
Occasionally the radar controller will instruct you “squawk” “ident”. This means
you must press the transponder IDENT button (Just once). This causes your
aircraft symbol on the radar screen to flash so that the controller can readily
identify your aircraft. You must not push the IDENT button till instructed.
The Instrument Landing System (ILS) has been in existence for over 40 years
and is still the most accurate approach and landing aid in current use. The
system provides pilots with an accurate means of carrying out an instrument
approach to a runway, giving guidance both in the horizontal and the vertical
planes. It even enables aircraft to carry out automatic landings. ILS is a precision
approach system because it gives guidance in both the horizontal and the
vertical plane.
ILS provides the pilot with visual instructions in the cockpit to enable him to by
the aircraft down a predetermined glide path and extended runway center line
(localizer) to his Decision Height (DH). At decision height the pilot decides to
land (if he has the required visual references and sufficient room to manoeuvre
the aircraft for a safe touchdown) or he goes around (overshoots) and carries out
the published missed approach procedure.
ILS Frequencies
Localizer
VHF band between 108 and 111.975 MHz to provide 40 channels, e.g. 108.1
108.15; 108.3 108.35; 108.5 108.55 -111.95 MHz.
This part of the frequency band is shared with VOR: the frequencies allocated are
odd decimals and odd decimals + 0.05 MHz.
Glide Path
UHF band between 329.15 and 335 MHz to provide 40 complementary channels.
e.g. 329.15, 329.3, 329.45, 329.6 - 335 MHz.
Markers
Frequency Pairing
The GP frequency is paired with the localizer and selection of the frequency is
automatic.
The Localizer
The localizer antenna produces two overlapping lobes along the runway
approach direction. The lobes are transmitted on a single VHF ILS frequency. In
order that an aircraft’s ILS receiver can distinguish between the lobes:
• the right hand lobe (the blue sector) has a 150 Hz modulation.
• the left hand lobe (the yellow sector) has a 90 Hz modulation.
The depth of modulation (DoM) increases away from the centre line i.e. the
amplitude of the modulating signal increases away from the centre line. An
aircraft approaching the runway centre line from the right will receive more of
the 150 Hz signal than the 90 Hz modulations. This difference in depth of
modulation (DDM) relates to the angular displacement of the aircraft from the
centre line; it energizes the vertical needle of the ILS indicator, i.e. Go Left .
Similarly an aircraft approaching the runway centre line from the left will
receive more of the 90 Hz signal than the 150 Hz modulation; the DDM energizes
the vertical needle, i.e. Go Right.
A DDM of zero indicates a balance between modulations, a zero needle-
deflection and hence the runways centre line.
ILS Coverage:
Glide Slope
The glide slope UHF transmitter is located to one side of the runway
approximately 200 m from the runway edge, 300 m upwind of the threshold.
The same principle is used as for the localizer, but a UHF carrier wave is used
and the lobes are in the vertical plane.
The upper lobe (large lobe) has a 90 Hz modulation, and the bottom lobe (small
lobe) has a 150 Hz modulation. The glide path, usually 3° (ICAO require glide
path angle between 2° and 4°), is defined where the DDM of the overlapping
lobes is zero and the ILS indicator’s glide path needle will indicate zero
deviation.
These are defined as the paths of points, in the vertical plane, containing the
runway centre line at which the DDM is zero; other than that path of points
forming the ILS glide path. The twin lobes are repeated due to:
• Metallic structures situated at the transmission point, and ground reflections.
• The height and propagation characteristics of the aerial.
The first false glide slope occurs at approximately twice the glide path angle, 6°
above ground for a standard 3° glide path. False glide slopes always occur above
the true glide slope and should not constitute a danger but pilots should be
aware of their presence.
It is advisable to always confirm the aircraft height in relation to distance to go
by reference to DME, markers, locators etc.
Marker Beacons:
These are used to alert the pilot that an action e.g. the altitude check is needed.
The information is presented to the pilot by audio and visual cues.
Category I
A category I ILS is one which provides guidance information from the coverage
limit of the ILS to the point at which the localizer course line intersects the ILS
glide path at a height of 200 (60 m) or less above the horizontal plane
containing the threshold.
Category II
An ILS which provides guidance information from the coverage limit of the ILS to
the point at which the localizer course line intersects the ILS glide path at a
height of 50 (15 m) or less above the horizontal plane containing the threshold.
Category III
An ILS, which with the aid of ancillary equipment where necessary, provides
guidance information from coverage limit of the facility to, and along, the runway
surface.
• The half of the time taken is the height of the aircraft. This is indicated
either by a needle over a dial of meter or by digits
Weather radar is airborne pulse radar designed to locate turbulent clouds ahead
of an aircraft.
Weather Radar operates in C and X bands. Range of weather radar is around 360
NM.
C - Freq. 5.5Ghz
X - Freq. 9.4 Ghz
Working
It determines Range, bearing and relative altitude of the other aircraft and its
flight distance is determined by the time it takes for the RF signals to go from
TCAS to nearby transponders and back.
TCAS predicts flight paths from the information received and if the flight path of
an aircraft is predicted to penetrate the collision area surrounding a TCAS
aircraft the TCAS issues aural warning like “ Traffic, Traffic”. If the collision
threat increases, then certain type of TCAS issue commands like “ Climb, climb”.
Types of TCAS:
This system gives visual and as well aural warning signals to a pilot when the
aircraft goes in close proximity to the ground that may be potentially dangerous.
It alerts the pilot only of ground underneath but not that which is ahead like
mountains.
Inputs:
Along with the GPWS function, this will mention the obstacles, which is ahead. It
has its database of ground profile in area towards which A/C is flying. The
database is provided for general terrain worldwide for obstacle in certain area.
But it has to be updated every now and then.
It also gives alerts and warning for Wind shear and Bank angle
MODES:
For civil aviation, GPS is capable of providing users with the following
information:
Frequency:
This modulation provides Pseudo Random Noise (PRN) sequences that carry
messages and make up two codes. These two codes are known as:
BAND: UHF
Example: Assume that 2 people on the surface of the Earth are a set distance
away from a satellite (also on the Earth’s surface).
Suppose the satellite transmits a sound signal that both people receive 10
seconds after transmission.
If the speed of sound is 340 m/s, each person is 3400 m from the satellite. The
distance measurement depends upon:
If the pilot of an aircraft receives the same satellite signal 10 seconds after
transmission, the aircraft could be anywhere on a spherical surface with a radius
of 3400 meters from the satellite.
For a person on the ground, one satellite only gives one position line. Three
satellites will give a three-position line fix. As soon as a fix is required in 3
dimensions, a fourth satellite is required.
The monitoring stations check the SVs’ internally computed position and clock
time at least once every 12 hours.
• GPS receiver identifies a given satellite by matching the unique code from
that satellite.
• Receiver has a clock and it calculates how much time it took the signal to
travel from the satellite to receiver.
• The speed of light 3x10^8 m/s and the distance from satellite to receiver
is computed.
The Microwave Landing System (MLS) was designed to replace ILS with an
advanced precision approach system that would overcome the disadvantages of
ILS and also provide greater flexibility to its users. However, there are few MLS
installations in use at present and they are likely to co-exist with ILS for a long
time.
Because of its increased azimuth and elevation coverage aircraft can choose their
own approaches. This will increase runway utilization and be beneficial to
helicopters and STOL aircraft.
ILS Disadvantages
Components:
1. A fan shaped narrow beam sweeps at very accurate constant speed from
one side of a sector to the other side after specific interval called guard
time.
2. TRSB sweeps to and fro by 80˚ in azimuth and 19˚ in elevation.
3. A/C receiver receives signal twice and time difference between each
received signal relates to angular deviation from required track
4. DME gives distance from touchdown