[1001001]

What's your informed opinion? Is there any reason to install a marker beacon antenna and receiver? Any implications for international flight under IFR if your airplane is not equipped with a MB receiver?

It seems most instrument approaches now don't need one if an IFR approved GPS navigator is installed. What happens if GPS is out and you need to do an ILS? Is it legal to begin such an approach without either GPS or a functional Marker Beacon?

Some sources I've found have suggested it's not necessary, but none of them seem to be authoritative.

 

[jneves]

Some good reading on the subject of Marker Beacons.

https://www.pgaafly.com/post/marker-beacons-who-needs-them

 

[Ed_Wischmeyer]

On an ILS, IIRC, you need to identify the FAF and that used to be done with the Outer Marker -- but other ways work, also.

For an anecdotal answer, check out how many audio panels these days do and how many don't have a marker beacon receiver. Then check all the ILS approaches in your area and see how many have Outer Markers...

This is the long way of saying no.

 

[BobTurner]

On an ILS, IIRC, you need to identify the FAF and that used to be done with the Outer Marker -- but other ways work, also….

This is the long way of saying no.

Note that the MB was a legally required sanity check, that the GS was operating properly. In practice, it’s easy to shoot the ILS without MB (but maybe not legal or wise). LOC approach, that’s different.
Both my home field and nearby KSCK have removed MBs/compass locators. At LVK they now use a DME fix for the FAF, so if gps goes down I cannot legally shoot the ILS (I don’t have a DME). But over at SCK a VOR cross-fix is now used to determine the FAF. Since I have a single SL-30 nav radio which can multiplex both the primary and standby nav signals, it goes like this: Loc/GS displayed (GRT Hx) as primary nav signals on the HSI display; cross fix VOR displayed around the HSI as an RMI bearing pointer. It’s actually pretty slick.
Answer to OP question: No, I have no MB receiver.

 

[RV6_flyer]

My RV-6 first flew September 17, 1997 with an installed marker beacon receiver and antenna. I have flown the aircraft IFR. In the almost 25-years, the marker beacon was not NEEDED.

 

[Carl Froehlich]

The issue I have is PS Engineering’s very nice PDA 360EX audio panel I put into th the RV-8 (no marker beacon) seems to now be discontinued. I assume the replacement for the PDA 360EX is the certified PMA450C, but pricey even without the marker beacon. Too bad.

But if you do install a marker beacon receiver do not waste money on an antenna. A ~36” piece of wire that is suspended under the engine works just fine. Connect the wire to a BNC bulkhead connector on the firewall, then to the marker beacon receiver. That is what I did in the RV-10. I know it works as I get the MB when flying over a field at altitude. Never used it for an approach however.

Carl

 

[1001001]

Some good reading on the subject of Marker Beacons.

https://www.pgaafly.com/post/marker-beacons-who-needs-them

I actually did come across that one in my searching on the topic. It seems pretty flatly stated and well documented, but it's not an "authoritative" source.

I have flown a number of ILS approaches in the area here and in other states where the various markers are out of service and there's no particular NOTAM that I can find that mentions requiring a GPS overlay or whatever, so I'm leaning toward the "Marker receiver is not necessary" camp.

But I wanted to hear what people here have done.

Carl, if I were to install one, I was going to do exactly what you suggested, with the wire (but placed in one of the wing root fairings). Not sure I'll bother.

 

[larryMar]

The fleet of 737-800 and max that my x-employer flys international and domestic does not have marker beacons..... just a reference point

 

[ATC_RV8OR]

Contemplating this subject and thought it would be helpful to see numbers instead of anecdotal "I never see airports with OM". Pulled data from FAA 28-day subscription and found

Airports with OM= 282
Airports part of the MON=186
Airports part of the MON and have OM=53

I think a sanity check between GPS and the OM at 282 airports is significant. Whether or not its necessary sanity check, who knows?

Having an OM at the MON would be nice where your intersection will be ID'd by VOR cross radial. However, It is less than 1/3 of MON airports that have it. Then there's the factor of its there but is it operational?

Current list of Airports that have an APCH with OM

ABI

ABR

ADM

AEG

AGS

AID

AKR

ALW

AMA

ANB

AOO

APN

ART

ATL

ATW

AUG

AVL

AWO

AXN

AYS

AZO

BAK

BFD

BHM

BIS

BKX

BLF

BLV

BMI

BRD

BRL

BRO

BTL

BTR

BTV

BUF

BUR

BVI

BVX

BWD

BWG

BZN

CAD

CAE

CAK

CDR

CEV

CEW

CGI

CHA

CHS

CIU

CKB

CKV

CLL

CLM

CMI

CMX

CNM

CON

CPR

CPS

CRX

CSG

CSM

CSV

CWF

CXO

DAN

DAY

DBQ

DEC

DHN

DKX

DLH

DNV

DPA

DRT

DTO

DUJ

EKM

ELD

ESC

EWK

EWN

FAR

FFM

FMY

FNL

FOD

FRG

FRM

FSD

FTW

FWA

FWS

GBD

GFK

GFL

GGG

GKJ

GLD

GLH

GLR

GMU

GNV

GPT

GRB

GRR

GSO

GTR

GUP

GVQ

GWB

GYI

HDC

HIB

HKS

HKY

HNL

HOB

HON

HOP

HOT

HSA

HSP

HUF

HUT

HWV

HYI

HYS

IAG

ICT

IDP

IKK

ILE

ILG

ILM

ILN

ISO

ISP

IWD

JAN

JAX

JBR

JEF

JLN

JNU

JVL

JVY

LAF

LAN

LAW

LBB

LBE

LBL

LBT

LCK

LEB

LFK

LFT

LIT

LNK

LPR

LSE

LSF

LVN

LWB

LWC

LYH

LZU

MAF

MBL

MBS

MCB

MDH

MDT

MEB

MFD

MFE

MGM

MGW

MHE

MHT

MIE

MIV

MJX

MKT

MLU

MML

MQJ

MRB

MSS

MTO

MTV

MTW

MWA

MWH

MWO

OAJ

OFK

OGS

OJC

OKM

OLE

OPN

OSH

OSU

OTG

OUN

OWD

OXR

OZR

PAH

PBF

PHN

PIA

PIB

PIE

PKB

PKD

PNC

PSK

PWA

RGK

RHI

ROA

ROW

RPD

RRT

RUQ

RVS

RWI

RYN

SBD

SBN

SCH

SDF

SEM

SGT

SHD

SHV

SJT

SJU

SLN

SMX

SPI

SPW

SRC

STC

STJ

STX

SUS

SUX

SVN

SWF

SWO

TBR

TIW

TLH

TOL

TOP

TPL

TRI

TUL

TUP

TVC

TWF

TYS

TZR

UCY

UES

UGN

UIN

UOX

UZA

VPZ

VUJ

VVS

WDG

WYS

YNG