“No it’s not!!!
It’s called ILS, Instrument Landing System.
Totally unnecessary in clear weather.”
That’s not what the article said. “Glide Path is a computerized system based at an airport that calculates a plane’s path of descent and sends it to pilots in real time.”
The ILS is a different system from Glide Path. It is only a set of two radio transmitters and it doesn’t interact with the plane. Besides, if the ILS was off then they wouldn’t be able to make evening and night landings after dark at that airport.
That's what the article says. But, it's Reuters, and I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if they got it totally wrong.
I'm an instrument-rated pilot, and I've never heard of a "Glide Path" system. But, it's been a while since I've flown in the cockpit, so I may have missed it.
I've done a quick look on the web, and haven't found anything about it, either.
Besides, if the ILS was off then they wouldn’t be able to make evening and night landings after dark at that airport.
An ILS isn't required to make a landing at night. It's only required when visibility is limited. SFO 29L has (or had) a 4-light PAPI, and it would have provided all the guidance that was needed.
Don’t airports have LIGHTS to make visual night landings possible?
“...Besides, if the ILS was off then they wouldn’t be able to make evening and night landings after dark at that airport....”
This statement is not correct. ILS is not required for night landings, it is only required for poor weather. Also, there are other instrument approaches, based on GPS, to Runway 28L that provide vertical guidance.
If that's true, then my ghost is writing this post.
>>Besides, if the ILS was off then they wouldn’t be able to make evening and night landings after dark at that airport.<<
Golly gee, I’ll have to remember that when I file for a nighttime VFR flight.