Your Vor is History

The only reason for VORs is for airways and instrument approaches. With GPS navigation taking over, its difficult to cost-justify ground-based navigation sources like VORs, many of which are nearing the end of their lives. T and Q routes are popping up, reducing the need for VOR-based airways, and many of us would prefer to fly a GPS-based approach than all the other types. Face it: GPS is in; VORs are out.A few years ago, the FAA wanted to axe half the VORs, but users have collectively pushed back. The current plan is to trim the 967 existing VORs by 300, in three phases of 100 each by 2025.But, its a chicken-or-the-egg thing. They cant get rid of the VORs until they get rid of the airways and the approaches. GPS-direct navigation is common already. So, eliminating airways should be reasonably simple. That leaves approaches as the limitation and the short-term solution. So, for now, the FAAs focus is on eliminating ground-based approaches.

Key Takeaways:

• The aviation industry is systematically transitioning from costly ground-based navigation systems (VORs, NDBs) and approaches to more efficient, safer, and prevalent satellite-based GPS navigation.
• The FAA plans to reduce 967 VORs by 300 by 2025 and is actively decommissioning underutilized or redundant ground-based approaches, guided by criteria developed by the Flight Safety Foundation, despite facing user pushback.
• GPS approaches, especially those with vertical guidance (LPV), are rapidly replacing traditional ILS and non-precision approaches, enhancing safety and expanding precision approach availability to a greater number of airports.
• Traditional VOR-based airways are being phased out in favor of GPS-based direct navigation and an expansion of T- and Q-routes, with the FAA aiming for a primarily GPS-based air traffic system.

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