all-weather, precision landing system

originally intended to replace or

supplement
l
the
h Instrument Landing
di
System (ILS)
provides azimuth, elevation, and
distance, as well as "back azimuth"
used for short-range communications
with airport controllers

MLS employs 5GHz transmitters at the

landing place which use passive
electronically
l
i ll scanned
d rays to send
d
scanning beams towards approaching
aircraft.
i
ft An
A aircraft
i
ft that
th t enters
t
the
th
scanned volume uses a special receiver
that calculates its position by measuring
the arrival times of the beams.

wide selection of channels to avoid

interference with other nearby airports
excellent performance in all weather
small "footprint" at the airports

antennas were much smaller

did not have to be placed at a specific
point at the airport
signals
g
covered a very
y wide fan-shaped
p
area off the end of the runway
uses a single
g frequency,
q
y broadcasting
g
the azimuth and altitude information one
after the other

Approach azimuth
Back azimuth
Approach elevation
Range communications
Data communications

analogous to ILS localizer but has a proportionally

wider coverage
transmits MLS angle and data
located 1000 ft beyond the end of the runway
coverage
g is reliable up
p to 20 nm from runway
y
threshold and 20000ft of height
laterally 40 on either side of the runway centerline
frequency Range of 5031-5091 MHz

The azimuth coverage extends: Laterally, at least 40 degrees

on either side of the runway centerline in a standard
configuration. In elevation, up to an angle of 15 degrees and
to at least 20,000 feet (6 km), and in range, to at least 20
nautical miles (37 km)

Coverage volume of
the Azimuth station

Volumes of the elevation

station

provides lateral guidance for missed approach and

departure navigation
operates on the same frequency as approach azimuth but at
a different time in the transmission sequence
An MLS azimuth guidance station with rectangular azimuth
scanning antenna with DME antenna at left

transmits signals on the same frequency as the azimuth

station
located 400 ft from the side of the runway between runway
threshold and touchdown zone
elevation to at least 15
An MLS elevation g
guidance station

provided by the precision Distance Measuring

Equipment (DME, DME/P)
provides continuous and highly accurate distance
information

can include both the basic and auxiliary data

words
MLS data are transmitted throughout the azimuth
(and back azimuth when provided) coverage
sectors

Representative data
Station identification
x four-letter
designation
starting with the
letter M
Exact locations of
azimuth elevation
and DME/P stations
(for MLS receiver
processing
functions))
Ground equipment
performance level
DME/P channel and
status

Auxiliary data content

3
3-D
D locations of MLS

equipment
Waypoint coordinates
Runway conditions and
Weather (e.g., RVR,
ceiling, altimeter setting,
wind wake vortex,
wind,
vortex wind
shear)