What is the purpose of the Instrument Landing System (ILS)?

The Instrument Landing System (ILS) is primarily designed to assist pilots in landing aircraft safely and accurately, particularly under low visibility conditions. The system achieves this by utilizing two main components: the localiser and the glide path beams.

The localiser provides horizontal guidance, helping pilots align the aircraft with the centerline of the runway, whereas the glide path component offers vertical guidance, ensuring that the aircraft descends at the correct angle. Together, these signals enable pilots to follow a precise approach trajectory to the runway, which is crucial for safe landings, especially in adverse weather situations where visual cues may be limited.

While other options present different functions important to aviation safety and operation, they do not directly relate to the specific role of the ILS in guiding aircraft during the landing phase. The ILS itself is a critical tool for improving the accuracy and safety of aircraft landings, which is why guiding pilots with localiser and glide path beams is the correct understanding of its purpose.