Flying the MON

A preview of what the minimum operational VOR network will look like.

Jason Blair

Wednesday, May 31, 2023 at 01:06 PM ET

Verified

[Illustration by Clare Nicholas]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA's Minimum Operational Network (MON) designates airports that provide at least one instrument approach not dependent on GPS or DME, serving as a critical backup in case of GPS outages.
Pilots can identify MON airports by a "MON" notation on IFR enroute low altitude charts and should consider them for alternate airport planning, particularly for non-WAAS GPS aircraft or during GPS system failures.
To support the MON, the FAA has expanded VOR service volumes for remaining stations, emphasizing the importance for pilots to maintain skills in flying approaches using traditional navigation methods like timing and cross-radials.

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Somewhere a little south of the halfway point between St. Louis and Indianapolis is Olney, Illinois. You might be asking, what makes this a relevant point for flying? Honestly, it has nothing to do with the town. Instead, it’s all about the airport’s instrument approach options and how you would know about them as an IFR pilot.

This Article First Appeared in FLYING Magazine

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