The Instrument Landing System (ILS)
The Instrument Landing System (ILS) is a precision approach system used by aircraft to land safely in low visibility conditions. It provides guidance to pilots through a combination of radio signals and high-precision instrumentation in the cockpit. The ILS consists of two main components: the localizer, which provides horizontal guidance by indicating the aircraft's position relative to the runway centerline, and the glide slope, which provides vertical guidance to ensure a proper descent angle during landing. Additional support comes from marker beacons that indicate the aircraft's distance from the runway. By utilizing the ILS, pilots can execute landings with greater accuracy and confidence, especially in challenging weather conditions such as fog, rain, or snow.
There are several airports in our region that offer a full Instrument Landing System approach, including:
Chippewa Valley Regional - KEAU (ILS 22)
Rice Lake Regional Airport - KRPD (ILS 01)
Sawyer County Airport - KHYR (ILS 21)
Red Wing Regional Airport - KRGK (ILS 09)
Winona Municipal Airport - KONA (ILS 30)
These various approaches all utilize a well-coordinated combination of advanced ground-based radio equipment that provides critical guidance, along with essential visual components such as approach lighting systems, to effectively help guide an aircraft safely down to a successful landing in low visibility conditions.
Rice Lake Regional Airport - ILS 1 Approach Plate
We recently flew the ILS 1 approach at Rice Lake Regional Airport. The Rice Lake ILS 1 approach provides guidance down to a visibility threshold just 200 feet above the touch-down elevation for the runway.
Here’s a video that captures the entire sequence of flying the approach from start to finish: