Flying VOR Airways | IFR Navigation

Flying the old school way with VORs along victor airways is fun...no really, it is!

[CanardBoulevard]

When I learned to fly and got my IFR rating, Victor airways were our only options, unless you were rich and had an RNAV. :) ALL of our IFR flying was on airways. If we were lucky, we would have TWO VOR receivers, so we could triangulate without switching back and forth. We are so spoiled nowadays...

[Poundy]

I really enjoyed this vid. I taught myself VOR nav in the sim by flying multiple flights exactly like this, it's pretty enjoyable to be more engaged int he flying and nav. The take away for me here today was using the cross-radial from an off-track VOR to establish a position on track, that's good !

[mikeolson]

Great video. For fun I put this flight plan into ForeFlight and ran a briefing. Especially for VOR’s I want to make sure they are working and/or usable. For the planned flight the EMI VOR has a host of unusable sectors, however the planned flight will work (barely). The same cannot be said for the CFB VOR which is currently in an unmonitored state (NOT MNT) meaning it MIGHT work, but you cannot plan on it working. It’s unfortunate that VOR’s routinely cannot be used for navigation.

[jimallen]

Point-to-point as the Navy calls it, fix-to-fix as the Air Force does. If you have dme with the VORs, you can get from the airport to BELTS. No GPS required.

[daledot]

With the GPS spoofing and other threats by our enemy, it is shortsighted to decommission legacy navigation aids. In a pinch you can even use AM broadcast stations on the ADF if you’re not near an NDB.

[locustvalleystring]

It sure is different today with the capabilites of GPS. Dual VORs, glideslope, marker beacons and ADF was luxury to me. NDB approaches were another kind of challenge considering the effect of a crosswind. Who remembers "double the angle off the bow"? Area navigation in our heads!

[nonDescriptAviation]

My CFI is working on his CFII and is having me practice VOR nav along with GPS. I really like the idea of radio waypoints as a "just in case" and it sorta feels like flying in the "olden days." Also, I'm doubtful with today's prices i'll be able to afford a plane kitted-out with that magenta line; VORs allows for extended use of thousands of old (but still viable) planes. If only the Gov't would stop retiring these stations!!

[lechstryzewski]

Maybe I'm just a big ole nerd but, I happen to LOVE flying VOR to VOR. Like, A LOT - LOL

[thebadgerpilot]

My plane only has VORs, no GPS. I might be upgrading to a /I soon, so I can program a waypoint by a radial/DME from a vortac.

Re no GPS, just put “No GPS” in the remarks of the flight plan

[AwestrikeFearofGods]

4:29 Does the GPS ident the VORs by frequency lookup table, or does it read the Morse code signal? In other words, can it tell when a VOR broadcasts a test signal, while down for maintenance?

[DeeSib]

What simulator website or app do you use? I am having a hard time with not getting fixated so id like to work on my scan. Any tips or apps that can help me practice?

[coderider]

VOR at my main city airport is under threat of being stopped as its old tech and gps is the norm.

[bobbriggs]

Binghamton VOR (CFB) is 11(ONE) 2.2, vs. audio statement of 12(TWO)2.2; @ 3:40 within the video.

[ellonysman]

Very well done but for complete noob navigation boobs like me, I got lost real fast. Sigh.