"gregscheetah" wrote in message
oups.com...

I recently had a similiar experience at Ponca City where the FSS said
the ILS was operational during the pre-flight briefing. Center cleared
me for the ILS-17 approach. I queried about the lack of GS information,
they said all was well as far as they knew. About 3 miles past the
OM,Center asked me if I wanted to switch to the LOC approach. I
didn't, so Missed approach, no GS, minimum conditions, slight icing
conditions.
Anyway, after landing and reviewing what I had done wrong, I found that
the FSS will not read you all the notams unless you specifically ask.
DUATS will not provide all the notams.

During the review of the flight, I read the notam that was similar to
the one below, I read all the FAA abbreviations list, and I can not
find what, exactly, "S-ILS" means. Just like the notam below, I don't
see where the ILS is OTS? What does "S-ILS" mean?


Greg

FDC 5/1241 - FI/T WILLIAMSON COUNTY REGIONAL, MARION, IL. ILS
RWY 20, AMDT 11A... S-ILS MINIMUMS NA. DISTANCE FAF TO MAP
4.57 NM. DELETE ALL REFERENCE TO MM. WIE UNTIL UFN


"S-ILS" means "Straight-in ILS", you'll find it on page A1 of the NACO
charts.

The controller is going to clear you for an ILS whether or not the GS is
working. If the GS is out of service he's supposed to say so when the
approach clearance is issued; "Cleared I-L-S Runway one seven approach,
glideslope unusable." Naturally, he'd have to know that it was out of
service. He should have been aware of the NOTAM.

You say the FSS said the ILS was operational during the pre-flight briefing.
I would take that statement to mean fully operational, including the
glideslope. Navaids are assumed to be operational unless there's a NOTAM
saying they aren't. FSS isn't in a position to definitely say that it is
operational unless they've checked NOTAMs.