Thanks for the help guys.
Also looking on that runway chart, it seems 5000ft was correct and then drop to around 2800ft.
Originally I thought the world map flight plan had me to high that I missed the glide scope.
Bug aside, which looks to be the case with this approach. Would the ILS frequency normally be entered into the MCDU already with a flight plan with ILS approach set up, or does it get automatically entered when nearing approach.
Yes. The glide scope G/S is to be intercepted at 2800ft in the example given. The localizer portion of an ILS (lateral guidance) is active further out and can be used to guide you on your course.
The descent from 5000 to 2800 you have to fly, eg for the A320 in Selected mode or manually , until VNAV is fully implemented by either FBW or WT.
I descended in managed mode, which may have been a bit slow also, I give selected mode a try next time as well, I normally press the lOC button as well a little further out, and then approach about 10nm out, not sure if that is correct though.
You would eg know from ATIS etc what runway/approach to expect and you program your MCDU with this approach STAR/Transition/RWYxyzILS. From this the ILS frequency gets populated automatically in the RAD/NAV Page. However ATC gives, usually with descent clearance, the approach/ rwy which to expect as it might have changed. You then reprogram your MCDU to fit what ATC tells you. Then cross check the RAD/NAV page etc that all is correct as part of your checks.
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What I mean is enter 2800 in the FCU(dashboard) and pull the altitude knob (selected). That activates the descent. Speed and HDG stay in managed (knobs pressed).
Edited:
In the near future and FBW is already very close, you would enter 2800 in the FCU and PRESS the altitude knob. The aircraft will start its descent and automatically maintain the 5000 ft until IF (BERKS) and then automatically further descent to 2800. This requires the respective altitude constraint to be in the FLTPlan in the MCDU and properly executed by the system. Again not yet implemented but works already nicely for the climb/speed constraints in SIDs (experimental FBW A32NX) afik.
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Yep cheers, all I mean is I have been using managed mode for decent, is it better to use selected mode then, I guess I can descend at a faster rate if need be in this mode.
As for the ILS freq, I normally set it up in world map, so some of what you said would not apply I presume as that would disregard any runway change. I guess its quite a good idea idea to add the ILS approach in flight though.
Would I set my approach to (automatic) in the world map drop down if I intend to do this?
See my edit above to distinguish between the various differences of Managed vs Selected modes. Google details for more info or watch eg A320 Simpilot. It is important to comprehend the difference btw the various modes and is too much to explain here in detail given the post sizes.
Yes you can set it up in the world map. I was more referring to real life.
I donāt use the world map anymore at all but import the flight plan from Simbrief and then manually add the approach in the MCDU which then in turn triggers the ILS frequency to be populated automatically in the RAD/NAV page once within about 200nm of the destination I believe (this applies to the A32NX). For the default A320 I hope to remember correctly the ILS frequency gets populated right at the start as soon as you have programmed your approach in the MCDU.
I donāt know what automatic does in the world map as I donāt use it. I would be sceptical as the default flight planner has many bugs and by manually doing things you have more control.
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Thanks, yeah I just found a thread about a bug with automatic approach, where ATC gives you the runaround after you have activated an ILS approach in flight.
Might just leave that for now, as Im on xbox and cant import files from SimBrief sadly, manual input into mcdu is an option though.
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Ooops. Sorry forgot you are on Xbox. Yes no Simbrief interface or FBW airbus.
All the best.
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It should be sucked in there from the flight plan but isnāt always in MSFS2020, so check. It is a bug. There are plently of ILS bugs in MSFS2020 it would seem.
I was doing an ILS approach to Stuttgart this morning and the localiser had me lined up to runway 25 and it wasnāt until finals that I noticed it had me lined up with approx 100ft to the right instead. I had to do a manual landing after shifting over to line up. Once I landed it reverted to where it should have been. Odd behaviour. The more airports you visit the more ILS bugs you will find in MSFS2020. They key is how you react to those bugs and correct them and still land.
In Koln yesterday it had the wrong ILS frequ, it was for a perpendicular runway instead. Again I noticed only on approach. The frequ difference between the correct and wrong ILS frequencies was small but significant!
Iām now in mode of expecting ILS errors and looking out for them or checking them in advance. You can pick up the ILS signal from 20-30 miles out so always worth checking them then. You donāt have to actually engage APPR until you are lined up at 10-12 miles out, but seeing the ILS signal can help you notice if itās there ok, if itās correct or bogus or missing altogether in the MCDU (MSFS2020 bug).
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I think I will try a few flights with automatic approach and see what happens, lol. got to try these things, and that way ATC should automatically assign me a runway and I can then enter it manually into mcdu.
Does anyone though what the arrival dropdown selection is in world map? Is it just similar to approach in that it gets you on a rough track to the airport.
Itās the SIDās and STARS right? It seems a bit messed up at times, but Iāve used a few. You can select the Runway ILS you want to use there (if one is available), but it doesnāt always make it into the MCDU.
You are possibly right though āAutoā may be an option. Iām still figuring that bit of the flight planner out.
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Yeah there is the approach to select runway and then arrivals option, I guess the arrivals option lines you up with the runway I guess and the approach is the actual procedure such as ILS.
I might put them both to automatic and see how I go.
So Im presuming here that if I leave these both on default automatic that I will fly into destination and get allocated an approach hopefully, will try that at the weekend.
I think so, worth a try. I have used it and do get directed for an ILS approach. You will likely still have to anually enter the ILS freq in to the MCDU though.
In flight planner I just set departure and destinations to Automatic tonight on a short hop from San Diego to Phoenix. Itās coming back to me now. In auto mode FS2020 flight planner directs you over the destination airport first then leaves you at the mercy of ATC to vector you in for approach to their designated runway. ATC being erratic sometimes forgets about you. They give you waypoint names to head to that are not in your flightplan, which ended the moment you flew over the airport. I had to ask many times for directions/headings and ran AP in selected heading mode according to those ATC directions and eventually got lined up. I also added the ILS freq into the MCDU manually after being told the runway by ATC.
I knew there was a reason I preferred choosing a destination runway/ILS approach in the flight plan ahead of time. Itās been a while since I ran with this Automatic setting, and I donāt like it.
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Sorry if Iām repeating but KSFO is my favorite destination. Until SU5 Iād have zero problems flying in auto pilot mode. IDK, seems like Auto pilot just is wrong on several planes. Seems like the plane just suddenly looses where it is or where it has to go so been flying in manual/VFR as of late. Anyway, here is how I recall it worked for me before all that.
Set your flight up for ILS landing at 28R. At Cepin ensure youāre around 3000ft, frequency is 111.7, flaps are full, gears down and youāre around 145kts in manual mode but Auto-Throttle is still engaged. Switch to ILS, select the Approach button and ensure youāre in managed altitude mode (light lit). Youāll see the horizontal and vertical diamonds now and should track as the plane lowers. Iāll put the throttles about 40% to prepare. At about 300ft I disable Auto pilot and auto throttle to take her in.
This is by memory so may have missed things.
Iām so beyond frustrated with the game I just stopped complaining. Itās beyond me that Asobo is so focused on pretty pictures but canāt design a working plane system to save their life then ruin the ones that did work. As many others said, can we just go back to SU4?
Hope I added assistance otherwise I just got some good thumb exercises! 
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It works & itās there, thatās not what the issue is. The issue is that it is missing in the MCDU despite being in the flightplan in the default A320Neo. The ILS freq has to be entered manually instead of being automatically there (only happens with some flightplans/airport runways). Itās a bug. Not many people know they have to go look for ILS freq to make sure itās there or indeed how or when to enter the freq manually. SFO just happens to be one of those airports that always has 28R ILS frequ not being pulled in from the flightplan on the A320Neo MCDU.
If I understand @GBRsaysPianoman correctly, thatās exactly the issue.
111.7 is the correct frequency and the LOC and GS indication is also correctly displayed.
He wrote that the AP āloosesā it, so itās apparently there.