Air Facts

MAY 5, 2025

Flying a single engine airplane, under IFR, in the clouds, in a non-radar environment and without an autopilot, adds a great deal to the pilots work load. With three airplanes, we departed Springfield for Fairfield, Iowa to compete in an NIFA competition against five other schools. This was the situation on Friday, December 1, 1972.

VOR

Pilot Institute

JUNE 19, 2025

VOR Receiver Checkpoint Markings The VOR receiver checkpoint marking is a useful tool that helps you verify your aircraft instruments with navigation aid signals. These markings typically include solid white lines that outline each edge of the roadway and dashed lines to separate the lanes within the edges.

Runway

Air Facts

FEBRUARY 10, 2025

Thats especially true for instrument pilots, where Air Traffic Control sounds like they are running the show, the avionics seem to direct the flight along predefined routes, and the autopilot actually flies the airplane. In the cockpit of a modern GA airplane, there is probably only one person to do all of these jobsyou!

Pilot in Command

Air Facts

MAY 7, 2025

The longest runways had front course and back course ILS (Instrument Landing Systems) and an on-field VOR that provided navigation and approach capabilities for aircraft on instrument flights. In the 70s, enroute navigation was usually on VOR Airways (Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Radio). The Tower had no radar.

Weight-Shift-Control

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 12, 2025

The Demise of the Airway Beacon System: 1940s 1950s With the introduction of advanced radio navigation aids like VOR (VHF Omnidirectional Range) and ILS (Instrument Landing System) in the 1940s and 1950s, the Airway Beacon System began to lose its importance. Most issues regarding airport beacons are related to misidentification.

VOR

WayMan

JUNE 16, 2025

Heading Indicator (Directional Gyro): Indicates the airplane’s magnetic heading and provides a more stable directional indication than an ordinary magnetic compass. An older airplane may have simple analog instruments with minimal avionics.

Instrument Meteorological Conditions

Flying Magazine

MAY 13, 2025

Remember trying to drive the airplane on the ground with the yoke the first time you attempted to taxi it? Some people still fall into this habit when tired or distracted. It’s known as the Law of Primacy, as they learned to drive a car before they learned to fly. It may be something far in your pastmaybe even back to childhood.

Rudder

Flying Magazine

MAY 21, 2025

Approximately 13 minutes into the flight at an altitude of 13,000 feet, the airplanes vertical gyro failed, which subsequently failed the pilots Electric Attitude Director Indicator (EADI), which then also caused the autopilot to disconnect. This resulted in the pilot having to manually fly the airplane using the copilots EADI.

Pilot

Flight Training Central

JUNE 20, 2025

The OBS for a VOR indicator is set to 253. What is the aircraft's approximate location with reference to the VOR station? Does the elevator of a T-tail airplane buffet as the main wing approaches a stall? Comply with all medical requirements or restrictions associated with their U.S. driver's license. 180°-359° magnetic.

VOR

Flying Magazine

MAY 23, 2025

Each day, the team at Aircraft For Sale selects an airplane that captures our attention for its value, uniqueness, or presentation. Owned and cared for by an 80-year-old pilot now stepping away from the yoke, the airplane has been lovingly maintained and hangar stored. Todays Top Pick is a 1976 Piper PA-28R-201 Arrow III.

Annual Inspection

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 15, 2025

Before RNAV, pilots had to rely on radios (NAVAIDs) and antennas on the ground such as VORs (Very High-Frequency Omnidirectional Range) and NDBs (Non-Directional Beacons). These would guide them when they couldn’t see anything outside their airplane. The satellites then send the corrected signals back to your airplane.

Approach

Flying Magazine

JULY 25, 2025

Every day, the team at Aircraft For Sale chooses an airplane that catches our attention because it is unique, a good deal, or has other qualities we find interesting. The panel includes integrated comms, VOR navigation, and traffic awareness via TCAS. You can read Aircraft For Sale: Today’s Top Pick at FLYINGMag.com daily.

VOR

Flying Magazine

JULY 7, 2025

It includes NAV/VOR/ILS features and comes with a comprehensive set of accessories, including a headset adapter, a 12V power cord, and a backup AA battery pack. PETZL TIKKINA Outdoor Headlamp It’s always a good idea to keep a flashlight and extra batteries in your flight bag or in the airplane. Price: $139.99 Price: $39.99

VOR

Pilot's Life Blog

JUNE 18, 2025

Turns: Students practice shallow, medium, and steep turns to develop a feel for how the airplane behaves when banking. This develops an understanding of how the airplane reacts at low speeds, a critical skill for safe takeoffs and landings. It sounds simple, but it requires precise control of pitch, power, and heading.

Pilot

Plane and Pilot

JUNE 20, 2025

For missions involving only one or two people, it’s a tough airplane to beat. But that’s not to say it’s a boring airplane to own or fly. The traditional six-pack of flight instruments remains in its original place, next to dual VOR displays. Fun flying and ease of ownership define the trusty Cessna 150.

VOR

Pilot Institute

JANUARY 27, 2025

When you first laid your eyes on the instruments inside an airplane, they probably went wide with a mixture of joy, confusion, and slight apprehension at the thought of having to learn how to read them. Luckily for you and me, they are specifically designed to be intuitive, requiring only a tiny amount of information to decipher.

Pitot Tube

Flight Training Central

FEBRUARY 28, 2025

Every flight, regardless of the complexity of the airplane or the distance of the trip, is comprised of a continuous series of decisions involving a host of variables that the pilot must make in order to safely get from point A to point B. Something as simple as a disabled aircraft could you force you to an alternate airport.

Ceiling

Pilot Institute

MAY 26, 2025

And when it hits, it can cause the airplane to suddenly drop, rise, or tilt sharply. You: We experienced severe clear air turbulence at flight level 400, approximately 35 miles northeast of DBL VOR. A passenger on board said the pilot announced that the airplane had dropped roughly 1,000 feet during the turbulence.

Turbulence

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 22, 2025

Non-precision approaches (such as a localizer, VOR, LNAV, or NDB) use a Maltese cross for the FAF. Precision approaches (such as ILS) use a jagged arrow to mark the FAF. This is the point where you should intercept the ILS glideslope. At this point you should start descending to the Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA).

Approach

Flying Magazine

JUNE 30, 2025

Each day, the team at Aircraft For Sale picks an airplane that catches our attention because it is unique, represents a good deal, or has other interesting qualities. Use our airplane loan calculator to calculate your estimated monthly payments. You can read Aircraft For Sale: Today’s Top Pick at FLYINGMag.com daily.

VOR

Flying Magazine

MAY 9, 2025

The pilot then advised he was trying to get control of the airplane, and the controller asked if he needed additional assistance. According to preliminary information obtained from the FAA, the airplane was in cruise at 20,000 feet when it reversed course. There was no further communication from the airplane.

Aeronautical Decision-Making

Flying Magazine

JULY 1, 2025

Some do well while others struggle as they get used to the feel of real controls, refine their rudder coordination skills, and attempt to tune radios and VORs without the option of hitting a “pause” button. A physical kneeboard —especially one you use both in the sim and in the airplane—helps create continuity.

Rudder

Flying Magazine

JULY 1, 2025

READ MORE: How to Stay Ahead of the Airplane That being said, it is highly unlikely that you will still have the skills and proficiency required for solo cross-country flights, so expect to do at least one dual cross-country with a CFI to make sure you remember the procedures.

NDB

Photographic Logbook

JUNE 29, 2025

"Hi.I'm in Delaware." - Wayne Campbell, Wayne's World , 1992 Restless Pilot Syndrome Having resumed acting as pilot in command of my own airplane after a relatively brief setback, I was delighted beyond words to be back at it. This was a lesson learned in 2024 while coincidentally receiving another reroute near Philadelphia.

Runway

Air Facts

JUNE 23, 2025

I turned back and entered the holding pattern over the VOR where the approach to Whiting Field began. As each airplane ahead of me began their approach, I descended in the holding pattern. We were IFR, and my student was loving it—it was the first time he’d seen the inside of a cloud. Two pilots landed successfully.

Altimeter

Air Facts

JULY 23, 2025

Skyway was a small but vibrant commuter airline that operated a fleet of Beech 99 turboprops, Beech 18s, and several single-engine airplanes of various lineage. My duties at Skyway included flying as copilot on the Beech 99 and Beech 18, as well as pilot-in-command on the single-engine airplanes. For me, it was no problem.

NDB

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 19, 2024

Are you curious about flying a VOR approach? If you’re aiming to master instrument-rated flying, it’d be valuable to learn about VOR approaches. We’ll cover what a VOR approach is, how to fly it step-by-step, and even whether GPS can replace it in today’s navigation. Ready to make VOR approaches easy?

VOR

Pilot Institute

AUGUST 31, 2024

VOR (Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range) stations were once the most common radio navigational aid (NAVAID) in the United States. Since 2016, the FAA has been decommissioning VORs as GPS becomes the primary form of navigation. The FAA added two new expanded SSVs for Low and High VORs. What is a Service Volume?

VOR

AV Web

JANUARY 23, 2025

Photo By Pat Doyle One of my favorite photos of one of the coolest airplanes! Photo By Brian Buck Taken at 6,000 feet between Sandhills (SDZ) VOR and KCAE. Photo By Doug Eatman A Stewart Headwind and a Bonanza return together from a morning breakfast run to Okeechobee. 40 miles Northwest of Reno, NV at 13,900 MSL.

VOR

iPad Pilot News

JANUARY 21, 2025

requests detailed information about your airplane’s navigation, communication, surveillance (transponder) and survival equipment. Here, we will look at the information needed and some sample airplane configurations to help make this initial setup easier. Take your time and be thorough with your airplane’s assessment.

Flight Plan

Flying Magazine

MAY 15, 2024

It can also be dangerous when the learner drops the airplane to fly the checklist or radio, so practice in the ATD is often a good way to learn procedures, as the ATD is a CFI-controlled environment. To get the most out of the scenario, the learner should use the same procedures in the airplane. It’s an ATD.

Crosswind

Flight Training Central

DECEMBER 13, 2024

Here are the five most often missed questions from November 2024 on the simulated Instrument Rating Airplane Knowledge Test. At which altitude and location on V573 would you expect the navigational signal of the HOT VOR/DME to be unreliable? Let’s get to the quiz! Refer to figure 34.) 6,000 feet at ELMMO intersection.

Clearance

Flying Magazine

MAY 6, 2024

Subscribe Now Featured A) Two Radials Depicted From the STL VOR, there are two radials depicted that intersect with the final approach path—the R-144 and the R-194. Transitioning from the TOY VOR is also a heavy line radial along the R-261 and notes that no procedure turn would be needed (NoPT).

VOR

Northstar VFR

AUGUST 25, 2024

Most of these checks can even be done as the airplane is sitting at the gate because they are minimally invasive, require less tools, and take fewer maintenance personnel. Depending on the maintenance specifications required by the FAA for that airplane, these checks commonly happen after 24-60 hours of flight time.

Annual Inspection

Plane and Pilot

JULY 16, 2024

The written exam, known as the PAR (private pilot airplane) or PPL written, is a multiple-choice timed knowledge test. Although the test is challenging, the PAR (Private Pilot Airplane) written exam has a 90 percent pass rate with an average score of 82 percent, according to the FAA’s 2023 statistics report.

Density Altitude

Air Facts

FEBRUARY 24, 2025

The VOR was useless, so I was now flying IFD (I Follow Directions) zig zagging across the country getting new vectors from time to time. He recounted that they had entered the clouds and leveled at 7,000 feet but the airplane started climbing at 500 FPM. I was advised to just follow the light area in the clouds above us also.

Weather

Pilot Institute

MARCH 13, 2025

You can use the CDI with navigation aids like VOR (VHF Omnidirectional Range) or GPS. We wont explain technical details, so you may not understand the example if you havent used a VOR. Imagine were flying an HSI-equipped airplane away from VOR. Q: What is the difference between a VOR and a HSI?

VOR