Going direct still requires a fix in each Center’s airspace, but finding the right one is often difficult. There’s a solution for high-flyers that might be available to everyone someday.
GO DIRECT, FIX-BY-FIX
The original structure of the National Airspace System (NAS), with its VORs, airways and intersections, has served us well for decades. But its rapidly becoming outdated in this age of direct navigation between most any two places on the globe. A more structured system already exists: Its called the National Reference System (NRS).
Key Takeaways:
- The National Reference System (NRS) is a modern, grid-based network of approximately 1600 waypoints designed to facilitate more direct navigation, addressing the limitations of the outdated VOR and airway system in the U.S. National Airspace System.
- NRS waypoints, identified by unique five-character codes, are available on high-altitude charts and in flight databases, enabling high-altitude flyers (Class A airspace) to plan significantly shorter, more fuel-efficient routes, particularly in the western U.S.
- While offering substantial fuel savings, NRS waypoints are primarily for flight planning, as their obscure naming convention makes them impractical for ad-hoc changes, and they are not commonly used by ATC or in the denser eastern U.S. airspace.
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