Air Facts

MAY 5, 2025

Just north of Jefferson City, the Kansas City Center controller cleared us to the Jeff City VOR, which was on the airport, to hold at 4,000 feet. I got out my instrument approach chart and studied the holding pattern and the VOR approach procedure. In eight minutes, we would be a pile of bent aluminum in some field short of the runway.

VOR 52

VOR Weather Approach Runway 52

Air Facts

JUNE 4, 2025

Taxiing to Runway 06, I ran through the before-takeoff checklist: fuel selector both, flaps up, mixture rich, lights on. I tuned the Manila VOR to confirm my position and set up the next waypoint. I focused on the panel: attitude indicator, heading indicator, altimeter. I filed my flight plan and headed out. Trust the tools.

Altimeter 52

Altimeter Turbulence Weather VOR 52

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). Lateral guidance tells you to go left or right to align yourself with the runway. If you dont see the runway before reaching MOLRE, you have to go missed.

Approach 52

Approach Pilot Descent Airplanes 52

Pilot Institute

JUNE 9, 2025

Pilots use holds for traffic delays, weather, emergencies, planning, or runway changes. Runway Changes (or Closure) Where possible, airplanes normally like to land in the wind. If the wind changes significantly, the airport authority may decide to change the runway. Yep, those runway numbers do mean something. Is that it?

Airplanes 52

Airplanes Crosswind Approach Knot 52

Pilot Institute

DECEMBER 12, 2024

Pilots use special paths called IFR approaches to help them line up with the runway. Minimums are the lowest height you can go without seeing the runway. Both MDA and DA are measured from sea level, just like the altimeter in the airplane. This is like DA but measured from the runway’s height above sea level.

Altimeter 52

Altimeter Descent Approach Runway 52

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? What would you say to them?

VOR 52

VOR Cockpit Altimeter Weather 52

Flying Magazine

MAY 13, 2024

So, for example, if you are asked to provide a scenario when V X is appropriate, be able to answer the when and the why, such as “short field takeoff technique is appropriate when there is an obstacle off the departure end of the runway.” Application, correlation, and understanding are critical when it comes to aircraft systems.

Pilot 116

Pilot Knot Annual Inspection VOR 116