Marker Beacon & Glide Slope Testing

[MBDiagMan]

Well after a long time I have finally gotten my Glideslope and Marker Beacon ready to test before I resume, or more accurately, virtually begin my IR training.

Once I start I want to stay with it, both studying for the written as well as flying often until I'm done. So, I want to make sure my glideslope and marker beacon work before flying with the instructor, so that there are no interruptions or delays when I get to the flying approaches portion of the training.

VOR1 has the Glideslope and Marker Beacon receiver, while VOR2 is a straight VOR.

It looks as if I am going to have flying weather Saturday morning, such that I will be able to fly to KGYI and fly the ILS approach path for 17, not as an IFR approach, but fly the path VFR to test the equipment.

If someone has the time to look up the plate and answer my questions, I would be most grateful:

I plan on flying to CFCCB, and call the tower, announce position and altitude (2,800 feet?) and then fly to RIBBY and see if I can pick up the Marker Beacon and Glide slope signal. I will have VOR2 tuned to the BYP VOR and set to 303 so that I will know when I cross RIBBY, in case the MB doesn't work, I'll know that I've passed it. I will also be monitoring my position with Foreflight.

SO.... On my first call to the tower from CFCCB, should I announce my position as CFCCB, or should I announce 6 miles North of RIBBY? Should I get wordy with my request, telling them that I am simply testing equipment?

If it works, I will try to follow the Glideslope down and maybe even land since they have a really good gas price there. If it goes well and I am having fun, I might fly the glideslope a few more times before flying back home.

Any help instructing me how to deal with the tower, or about doing such a test in general is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

BTW, I haven't flown in there in a while, but they used to have a very friendly tower and very light traffic.

 

[flyingron]

Just tell them you'd like to do a practice approach VFR. They'll warn you to remain VFR (among other caveats). You don't need to do anything else unless they ask (no reporting, etc...).

It would be best to have some instruction on flying an IFR approach from a real instructor first, but you can do it. Fly to the the altitude that is shown as the initial altitude from the IAF. Slow down to your approach speed (probably pretty close to the cruise speed in the 140 . Fly towards the IAF and ask the tower. Intercept the localizer and wait for the GS to come down.

What radio do you have. Usually marker beacon receivers are a separate deal (often combined with the audio panel). You need to make sure they still have the marker beacon operational, they've been steadily disappearing since I first started getting my instrument rating. They first got rid of the 50' penalty for no MM then the MM's started disappearing.

Peter Dogan's book is pretty good if you want to read up on the procedures.

 

[bnt83]

Just tell them you'd like to do a practice approach VFR. They'll warn you to remain VFR (among other caveats). You don't need to do anything else unless they ask (no reporting, etc...).

It would be best to have some instruction on flying an IFR approach from a real instructor first, but you can do it. Fly to the the altitude that is shown as the initial altitude from the IAF. Slow down to your approach speed (probably pretty close to the cruise speed in the 140 . Fly towards the IAF and ask the tower. Intercept the localizer and wait for the GS to come down.

What radio do you have. Usually marker beacon receivers are a separate deal (often combined with the audio panel). You need to make sure they still have the marker beacon operational, they've been steadily disappearing since I first started getting my instrument rating. They first got rid of the 50' penalty for no MM then the MM's started disappearing.

Peter Dogan's book is pretty good if you want to read up on the procedures.

I'm got one of these. They have a newer version too.

https://www.pacificcoastavionics.com/products/387-ins-422.aspx

 

[MBDiagMan]

Thanks Ron!

I did have some instruction some time ago and the instructor even flew with me over this very approach. I plan on doing some reading before I fly over there. Since writing this post I checked the weather again, and Saturday might not work.

I have Narco NAV 121 and 122(I think these are the numbers) and a CP136M audio panel. The VOR1 has the GS and MB receivers and work with the audio panel. The MB lights are in both the VOR1 as well as the audio panel.

As far as I know the Outer Marker at this airport is still operational. I will check further.

 

[MBDiagMan]

Well, I didn't have weather on the destination end this morning that would allow me to go test the equipment. I went to an auction and was going to head to the airport as soon as the weather cleared on the other end and then had a cold start hitting me pretty hard all of a sudden. Frustrating. If it isn't one thing, it seems to be another.

I have a bunch of vacation to burn before the end of the year, so I was going to take it when there was flying weather. Now those plans will be interrupted as well. Flying continues to be a patience lesson.