Localizer-only approaches have been around for decades, providing better-than-VOR lateral guidance while demanding no special cockpit avionics except the standard VOR-ILS indicator common to most airplanes. When it comes to accuracy, full-scale deflection of the course-deviation indicator from the center on a VOR signal represents 12 degrees off course, while a similar deflection on the narrower localizer signal represents between 3 and 6 degrees from the center position. The limitation of a localizer approach, however, is that it does not provide vertical guidance to the runway like a full ILS and is hence considered a non-precision approach.
Chart Wise: Training and Technique
Key Takeaways:
- Localizer-only approaches offer superior lateral guidance compared to VORs and require only standard, commonly available cockpit VOR-ILS indicators.
- These approaches are more accurate than VOR signals, with full course deflection representing 3 to 6 degrees off course, as opposed to 12 degrees for VOR.
- The primary limitation of localizer approaches is their lack of vertical guidance, classifying them as non-precision approaches unlike a full Instrument Landing System (ILS).
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