CS repair ensures safe landings

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Ethan Morgan
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE MILDENHALL, England --  Recent localizer antenna repairs conducted here will help to keep aircrews safe.

The 100th Communications Squadron Airfield Systems Flight recently repaired the localizer antenna for Royal Air Force Mildenhall.

The localizer antenna is part of the instrument landing system which is used to help the pilots land safely during inclement weather or darkness.

The other part of the ILS system is the glideslope, used to give a glide angle to the pilots, enabling them to come down at the correct path, Tech. Sgt. Michael Wright, 100th CS Airfield Systems NCO in-charge. The localizer itself is used to mark the center line of the runway so that they land directly on the runway and not off to the side of it.

"A pilot can fly if a glideslope is down but can't fly or use the system if the localizer is down, regardless of the glideslope's status," said Wright.

After many false readings, the localizer was inspected and was found to have corrosion, which was causing the false readings.

Maintenance for the localizer consisted of the circuit card being taken out and performing corrosion control. Afterwards, a circuit card sealant was added to help prevent further corrosion.

"If corrosion deteriorates the circuit card, it would make the localizer antenna unusable, which in turn makes the entire ILS unusable and decreases pilot's ability to land safely," said Airman 1st Class Jeremy Mills, 100th CS Airfield Systems technician.

RAF Mildenhall has a few ILS systems on the flightline but even if one is out of service it would decrease a pilot's ideal safe landing situation during inclement weather.

"If we had not fixed the localizer, RAF Mildenhall would have had its capabilities restricted. Additionally, if the winds had changed to require pilots to use the out of action ILS system we would have to divert them," said Wright. "This would not only have added fuel costs, but also limit the capabilities of RAF Mildenhall's airfield."