Who Checks the Localizer/ILS at an Airport?

While pilots don't have the capability to check a localizer like you do a VOR in an aircraft, there is a strategy to see if the unit is in service.

Wednesday, June 19, 2024 at 11:30 AM ET

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The FAA has been incrementally upgrading the 30-year-old NOTAM system, and the new changes went live April 18, 2026. [Credit: Adobe Stock]

Key Takeaways:

Pilots do not directly check localizer or ILS operations; instead, they verify service status through NOTAMs and identify the correct frequency, while the FAA is responsible for conducting operational checks.
The FAA performs ILS certifications and flight inspections on an event-based schedule (e.g., initial use, incidents) and periodically, in addition to special circumstances like post-runway repairs.
Maintenance shutdowns are communicated via NOTAMs, and confirmed pilot reports of malfunctions lead to immediate removal of the navigational aid from service via NOTAM until FAA inspection and repair.

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Question: I just started my instrument training. I know the pilot is supposed to check the VOR every 30 days if they want to use it for IFR flight, but how often is the localizer and ILS checked for normal operation? Does the pilot have to check that too?

Answer: The pilot doesn’t have the capability to “check” the localizer like you do a VOR in an aircraft, but you can check the Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs) to see if the unit is in service. You also should identify it before use to be certain you are tuned in to the correct frequency. As far as who checks them for correct operation, that falls on the FAA.

Meg Godlewski

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.