Whatever happened to the OMI lights?

[DogTailRed2]

This is a question only those who have been with Flightsim, from Sublogic and beyond will understand or be able to answer.
Sublogic flightsim and I seem to remember a few of the MS versions had default aircraft that included on their panel OMI marker lights.
I can remember as a kid every landing would be accompanied by the `beep, beep, beep` marker lamps.
However with FSX not one aircraft I can see has any OMI lights?
So the questions are;

Where the original OMI lights wrong or overused in the early days of Flightsim?
Why don't any of the default aircraft have OMI lights (well, at least the ones I've flown i.e. Cessna) ?
In the real world today how relevant are OMI lights? Is this a historic thing you don't find on modern or private aircraft?

Just missing my little beep beeps

[DaveB]

Perhaps this will answer it for you mate.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marker_beacon

They even have the beeps on that link too

ATB
DaveB

[DaveG]

Just loaded up the default C172 & noticed the OMI lights are there, just above the radio stack.

[Garry Russell]

Reminds me of time spent at LHR with the 'Outer Marker' call

[Tako_Kichi]

I did some research into marker beacons while building the FSX model I am currently working on. From reading various sources and talking to a former Canadian ATC controller it would appear that FSX and FS2004 mimic the modern real world pretty closely.

Most of the FS airports that have marker beacons only have them on ILS approaches and usually they only have the outer and middle markers in place. The reason I was given was that with the increase in approach speeds of modern aircraft the inner marker is next to useless as it is too close to the runway to be of any value. By the time you get to it you are already at 'minimums' and if you can't see the runway by then it's time to 'go around' anyway.

The inner marker has slowly been phased out at many real US airports, a trend that started in the 1960's. As equipment came up for replacement it was removed instead of being upgraded.

[dfarrow]

Hi most/all a/c fitted for Instrument flight rules flying are fitted with marker receivers aural and visual . Airway markers have been gone many, many years ago , probably last in uk was at Matching ( Essex ) used when all initial instrument ratings were conducted from Stansted .
Inner mkrs (im ) like hens teeth
Middle mkrs (mm) don't think I've heard one in 40 years flying , last associated with Cat 2 approaches .
Outer mkrs (om) associated with instrument approaches , usually about 4 miles from touchdown , approx 1200' QFE for a 3 degree glideslope . They're gradually being withdrawn , started disappearing maybe 15 years ago or more ( along with NDBs [ at each end of rwy ] non-directional beacons used by ADFs ) ; don't know if any are left in UK . They are replaced with DME ( distance measuring equipment ) , a much better , easier to use and more accurate aid . i.e. You can check approach slope correctness at any point , not just 4 miles out . 3 times table is the key , at 300' per mile .... 7nm x 3 =2100' , 3nm x 3 =900' , etc .... difficult one is 17nm .. and at LHR getting lined up on the approach at 17nm was common .... think answer is 5100' . they are all QFE / ht above airfield level .

Hope that helps ,
rgds dave f .

[DogTailRed2]

I guess the original Sublogic, being based in America, used the OMI lights more than FSX in the UK.
I just remember always hearing the beep, beep, beep da beep sounds on every landing.

Thanks Dave for the Website. I've added the beeps to my ipod!