Instrument Landing System

The Instrument Landing System (ILS) is a precise navigation system used by pilots to land aircraft safely, especially in poor visibility conditions like fog or heavy rain. It uses ground-based radio signals to guide the airplane along a designated approach path, aligning it with the runway both vertically and horizontally. The system consists of a localizer (side-to-side guidance), a glide slope (descent angle), and markers or beacons that provide distance information. Pilots follow these signals with onboard instruments to ensure a smooth, accurate landing when visual cues are unavailable.