VORs in the G1000

Fred Simonds

Tuesday, February 23, 2021 at 11:34 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

G1000 pilots must maintain VOR navigation proficiency: Despite advanced GPS/WAAS capabilities, the article stresses the necessity of VOR skills for contingencies like GPS outages and utilizing the VOR-based Minimum Operational Network (MON).
The G1000 offers comprehensive VOR navigation tools: It provides detailed instructions on tuning, identifying VOR stations (manual and automatic), selecting VOR sources via the CDI button, centering the course, and leveraging bearing pointers for efficient navigation and cross-radial identification.
Effective VOR utilization is critical in GPS-denied scenarios: Through a simulated GPS failure, the article demonstrates practical application of G1000 VOR functions, including switching NAV sources, using bearing pointers for en-route navigation, and executing approaches when GPS is unavailable.

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Garmin has sold over 16,000 Garmin G1000 units since its introduction in 2003. Properly used, a G1000 can make you look mighty good trekking the skies under IFR. Pilots gravitate to its feature-rich GPS capabilities. Yet too many pilots shortchange themselves if they neglect the machine’s considerable VOR resources.

If your G1000 lacks WAAS, then its use under IFR requires an alternate approved and operational means of navigating the proposed flight route, per AIM 1-1- 17.2.a.2. Practically speaking this means VOR. If your G1000 is WAAScapable, it requires no other radio navigation equipment. Unsure? Go to the AUX MFD page and press the SBAS button. The unit is WAAS-equipped if WAAS is checked.