Safety
FAA Reminds Pilots of Possible ILS Interference

The FAA issued an Information for Operators (InFO) bulletin to remind aircraft operators of the potential for erroneous glideslope and/or localizer indications caused by interference from aircraft or equipment moving through ILS critical areas. The agency said it has received “several reports from both pilots and air traffic controllers of instances of localizer and/or glideslope fluctuations while the aircraft is navigating on the ILS.” In several cases, it said, the aircraft automation/autopilot followed ILS fluctuations, causing the aircraft to pitch and roll excessively.

ATC protects these critical areas when arriving aircraft are inside the outer marker/final approach fix (FAF) on an ILS approach and the reported ceiling is less than 800 feet or visibility is less than two miles. However, the ILS critical areas are not protected for aircraft outside the FAF.