WILJAM FLIGHT TRAINING

Chapter 10.

Microwave Landing System

Introduction ILS has served as the primary precision approach and landing aid since the
last war. Since the mid 1980’s, the limitations of the system prompted ICAO to develop a
replacement system to fulfil the needs for future aviation. The limitations of the ILS are:

¾ Procedurally, ILS limits aircraft to long straight-in final approaches of at least 7

miles. This creates potential airspace conflicts in multi-airport environments and
constrains the number of approach paths that can be provided. Each ILS
provides only one approach path for one aircraft at a time.
¾ Part of the ILS guidance signal is formed by a direct and ground reflected signal
requiring a significant level of site preparation. ILS can only be installed at
locations where site preparation is practical.
¾ ILS is limited to 40 frequency channels constraining the number of sites that can
be allocated a frequency in a given geographical area.
¾ The ILS frequency band suffers from interference from high power FM
transmitters operating in adjacent bands. Aircraft receivers are equipped with FM
filters, which narrow the band of reception and reduce this ‘noise’ interference but
it is still a limitation. At some airports interference can cause the ILS to receive
local radio broadcasts.
¾ ILS is sensitive to signal diffraction and blockages caused by ground traffic,
necessitating the use of large protected areas on the airport surface (critical
areas). Within these areas the ground movement of vehicles and aeroplanes
must be prohibited. This reduces the effective capacity of the airfield when low
visibility operations are being conducted.

These limitations led to the development of a microwave landing system. Parallel to the
development of MLS, the civilian use of satellite based Global Positioning System (GPS) was
also under development, both as an en-route navigation aid and, with augmentation systems,
as an approach aid. The development of GPS is now so advanced that, in some countries,
further development and installation of MLS has been abandoned. In practice, this chapter
describes a system that you may not encounter in your career as a pilot.

Principle of Operation The MLS system is a precision approach system that

provides the pilot with highly accurate azimuth, elevation information. It also utilises a
precision DME (DME/P) which provides highly accurate ranging information. The system is
also capable of transmitting other types of information to the aircraft such as station
identification, system status, runway information and weather.

Frequency SHF – 5031 to 5090.7 MHz. Spacing 300 KHz giving 200 channels

Polarisation Vertical

Ground Installation A completely digital system that is not influenced by weather or other
common sources of disturbances. The system allows for several approach paths, both in
azimuth and elevation at the same time. As with visual approaches, MLS lets the air traffic

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controller clear the aircraft for curved approach paths, with a straight-in final segment being
as short as 1.5 N.M. This leads to a significant reduction in air traffic delays.

The ground installation consists of the following three main elements:

¾ Azimuth (AZ)
¾ Elevation (EL), and
¾ Precision DME (DME/P).
¾ Some installations can also have Back Azimuth (BAZ)

Azimuth Coverage The azimuth (AZ) part of the installation can be compared with the
localizer of the ILS but it provides a much wider area of information; up to 40º on each side of
the extended centre line.

APPROACH
ELEVATION
ANTENNA

40°
45 m (150 ft)
APPROACH
AZIMUTH C
37 km (20 NM) L
ANTENNA
APPROACH
45 m (150 ft) DIRECTION
40°
MLS DATUM
POINT

THRESHOLD

LATERAL COVERAGE ADDITIONAL

COVERAGE
RECOMMENDED
6000 m (20 000 ft)

600 m (2 000 ft)

15°

20°
30°
0.9°
2.5 m (8 ft) HORIZONTAL

37 km (20 NM)
APPROACH
AZIMUTH
ANTENNA VERTICAL COVERAGE

COVERAGE OF LOCALIZER EQUIVALENT

The AZ is provided out to 20 nm while the BAZ is provided to 5 nm (ICAO minimum).

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The azimuth coverage is:

¾ ± 40° of the runway centreline out to 20 nm

¾ The vertical coverage of the beam is 0.9° to 15°
¾ The beam is no more than 4° wide

Elevation Coverage The elevation (EL) part can be compared with the glide path of the
ILS, the main difference is that the pilot can choose the desired glide path angle (up to 15º).

APPROACH
ELEVATION THRESHOLD
MLS
ANTENNA
DATUM
POINT

. 37 km (20 NM) C/L

EQUAL TO APPROACH
75 m (250 ft) APPROACH AZIMUTH DIRECTION
PROPORTIONAL
GUIDANCE SECTOR

LATERAL COVERAGE

6000 m (20 000ft)

ADDITIONAL
COVERAGE
RECOMMENDED

APPROACH
ELEVATION
DATUM ANTENNA
POINT 7.5°

0.9°
2.5 m (8 ft)
HORIZONTAL

37 km (20 NM)
75 m (250 ft)

VERTICAL COVERAGE

COVERAGE OF GLIDE PATH EQUIVALENT

The elevation coverage is:

¾ ± 40° of the centreline to 20 nm

¾ The aerial scans vertically from 0.9° to 7.5° above the horizontal (most systems
can scan to 15°)
¾ The beam is no more than 2.5° wide

DME/P The DME/P is an integral part of the MLS system. The DME/P signal defines two
operating modes:

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¾ Initial Approach (IA)

¾ Final Approach (FA)

The IA mode is designed to give improved accuracy for the initial stages of approach and
landing. The FA mode provides substantially improved accuracy in the final approach area.

The DME/P coverage is at least 22 nm from the ground transponder. The interrogator does
not operate in the FA mode at ranges greater than 7 nm from the transponder site, although a
transition from the IA mode may begin at 8 nm from the transponder. These ranges assume
that the transponder is situated beyond the stop-end of the runway at a distance of 2 nm from
the threshold.

Back Azimuth The back azimuth (BAZ) is installed to provide navigational guidance for
precision departures and for missed approach procedures.

In practical installations, the coverage in the horizontal plane can vary according to local
conditions and needs and it does not have to be symmetrical on each side of the centre line.

Signal Transmission Format The AZ and EL elements transmit on the same frequency
while the DME uses a paired channel in the UHF band. The format of the digital signal is very
flexible and the information from the different elements can be sent in any desired order. Each
group is started by a preamble, which tells the processor in the receiver which functions are
being sent. As soon as one group has been decoded, the processor is ready and waiting for
the next element.

There are two types of signals sent; basic data and auxiliary data:

Basic Data are associated directly to the operation of the landing guidance system.
Station identification is a part of the basic data.

Auxiliary Data is other data used for siting information and other information not
directly related to the guidance system.

Measuring the time difference between successive passes of the highly directional fan
shaped beams derives the angular measurements required by the aircraft. Distance is given
by the DME/P. By using a system called time division multiplexing all information required by
the aircraft is accommodated on the same channel. This means that an aircraft can decode
the incoming signal in a sequential manner. Each function is a separate entity within the
format and is identified by a preamble. This preamble sets up the receiver processing circuits
which then decode the remainder of the function transmission. Once the decode is complete,
the receiver waits for the next function preamble and the process is repeated. In the diagram
below the approach azimuth signal is explained.

As well as information regarding the position of the aircraft, extra information can be carried
by this signal.

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Each angle function transmission consists of four elements:

¾ The preamble consisting of a synchronising code plus a function identity code.

¾ A series of pulses for azimuth guidance
¾ The “TO” and “FRO” angle scan
¾ Two pulses which give a system check

The process then starts for the flare information if the aircraft is close to the ground.

Time Reference Scanning Beam

Angular Measurement in Azimuth and Elevation The aerial transmitting the AZ beam,
forms a vertical narrow fan shaped beam, which is scanned from one side to the other and
back at a constant angular velocity.

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The total scan of the beam lasts 9000 microseconds:

¾ 4000 microseconds for the “TO” scan

¾ 1000 microseconds resting time
¾ 4000 microseconds for the “FRO” scan

In the diagram above the aircraft is 15° left of the centreline. The “TO” scan is received after x
microseconds microseconds. The “FRO” scan will occur after y microseconds. The measured
intervals of time give the azimuth the aircraft is on.

Vertical position (EL) is calculated exactly in the same way as the horizontal except for the
scanning beam moving in the vertical plane, up then down. Normally the horizontal AZ- scan
is repeated 13 times per second, while the vertical EL - scan is repeated 39 times per second.

Airborne Equipment The aircraft receiver measures the time between the passing of the
“TO” and “FRO” scans of both the AZ and the EL elements. From these times both azimuth
and elevation angles can be determined and, when coupled with a range measurement from
the DME/P, a three-dimensional aircraft position can be determined.

In its simplest form this position can be compared with a planned approach path and, if not on
that path, can be used to create an error signal, which can be used to drive the conventional
ILS indicator to show displacement from the selected azimuth and glide path approach.

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The conventional ILS indicator is used since it is also required for conventional ILS
approaches. The indicator is, therefore, multi-mode. More sophisticated, computerised
systems would allow the full potential of MLS to be realised, making it possible to follow
curved and segmented approaches.

If the DME/P is not available, the system still provides an ILS look-alike approach.

Accuracy When used with a Category III system:

In azimuth ± 20 ft
In elevation ± 2 ft

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