Aviation

How does the ILS (Instrument Landing System) work? Explained by CAPTAIN JOE : Video

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ILS systems work by sending two beams able to be picked up by aircrafts radios and instrumentation that guide the aircraft down to a safe landing spot in the runway one guides you down on the altitude to the runway in a sort of slope (that’s why it’s called a GLIDESLOPE) and the other guides you into the centreline of a runway from the moment that you hear a pilot say LOCALIZER ALIVE the system is guiding him into the extended centreline of the runway. This is done by a needle on the bottom of the horizontal indicator on the PFD for modern, electronic commercial airliners. And for others it’s done by mechanical gauges.

The GLIDESLOPE works with the same principle, except it shows that needle on the vertical side of the artificial horizon. If you’re to low the needle will tell you by moving up, telling you to climb and if you’re too high it will move down telling you to descend. Aircraft capable of auto land can use the autopilot to interpret this information and make much better adjustments than the pilots can. This is why the auto land is only used in certain conditions that the pilots couldn’t control the plane safely in. I.E- low visibility.

Related Topics:Captain Joe ILS instrument landing system

Aviation

Lost Tool Found in Qantas A380 After 34 Flights

An Australian Transportation Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation recently revealed that a Qantas A380 operated 34 flights with a 1.25-meter nylon tool lodged in one of its engines.

This turning tool, used during borescope inspections to rotate the intermediate-pressure compressor, was left behind during scheduled maintenance at Los Angeles on December 6, 2023. It remained inside the engine until it was discovered by maintenance staff during a subsequent check at Los Angeles on January 1, 2024.

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The ATSB report highlights two critical lapses. First, maintenance engineers failed to notice the tool during final checks for foreign objects after the borescope inspection. Second, the lost tool procedure was not activated when the tool was identified as missing.

The certifying engineer ultimately cleared the aircraft for service without accounting for the misplaced tool. During the time qantas films the tool was inside, the A380 completed 34 flight cycles, accumulating nearly 294 hours without any noticeable effect on engine performance.

Although the tool was deformed by high-energy airflow within the engine, there was no reported damage to the engine itself. ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell commented.

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“This incident underscores the importance of following established maintenance protocols. Engineers missed the tool during foreign object checks, and the required lost tool procedure wasn’t started after realizing the tool was missing.”

Following the investigation, the airline issued a safety directive, urging all engineering and tool storage teams to adhere strictly to these protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future.

A qantas spokesperson stated, “While the tool didn’t impact engine performance, we take this incident very seriously. It is critical to follow the correct lost tool procedures.”