Radio range - bad thing was it took about 20 minutes to shoot the
approach, and jet fighters, including T33, had to start early to make
one. Also it was very susceptible to atmospheric electrics,. The
static was really a problem during storms. Of course it was always a
non-precision approach with the station located several miles minimum
from the field. Most precise approach possible was when a range leg
centered the runway. Otherwise you let down to minimum altitude and
flew time and distance to the missed approach point, hoping a lot. At
Big Spring Texas (Webb AFB) you went 'missed approach' promptly on
time because the final approach heading neatly bisected 'Bust Your
Ass' Hill. It was also a circling approach there because (ISTR) the
inbound heading was about 45 degrees from runway 17.
I never even saw an ILS approach until I came back from Okinawa about
3 years after graduation from Big Springs. First real WX ILS was at
LAX; I'd made two (2) under the hood prior to that. But ILS is very
very good. Saved my butt from an icy night on the ice cap up at Thule
- saw the runway about 25 feet up through a dense snow shower. Nearest
alternate was Alert, 400 miles away - and of course we never had
enough fuel left in our F102s to get there.
Walt BJ