Pilot Institute

JANUARY 14, 2025

So, how do pilots manage to land their aircraft safely and accurately without even being able to see where theyre going? The ILS (Instrument Landing System) uses radio signals to help pilots align the aircraft accurately on their approach to a runway. Lets learn more about this system! What Is an ILS Approach?

Approach

Pilot Institute

JUNE 19, 2025

Visual Runways Visual runways have no instrument approach procedure available. On runways used by international commercial flights, a threshold must be present (we’ll look into that later in this article). Non-precision runways often look similar to visual runways but feature threshold and aiming point markings.

Runway

Air Facts

MAY 7, 2025

The longest runways had front course and back course ILS (Instrument Landing Systems) and an on-field VOR that provided navigation and approach capabilities for aircraft on instrument flights. In the 70s, enroute navigation was usually on VOR Airways (Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Radio).

Weight-Shift-Control

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 15, 2025

Before RNAV, pilots had to rely on radios (NAVAIDs) and antennas on the ground such as VORs (Very High-Frequency Omnidirectional Range) and NDBs (Non-Directional Beacons). But these systems had some problems, like not being able to work over water, or if there was something in the way of the transmitter and the aircrafts receiver.

Approach