We Still Need NAVAIDs

Elaine Kauh

Tuesday, May 31, 2022 at 08:11 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Traditional VOR navigation and approaches remain relevant for IFR flying, requiring pilots to maintain proficiency in their use and associated regulations.
Effective IFR flight planning necessitates meticulous analysis of approach charts, aircraft limitations, and weather to make safe landing decisions, sometimes leading to choosing options with higher minimums.
Pilots must diligently perform mandatory pre-flight checks, such as the VOR receiver accuracy check, and be aware of equipment limitations (e.g., lack of DME requiring timed approaches).

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While even the classic aircraft typically have at least a portable GPS on board, going IFR can mean relying on something like a localizer or (gasp) a VOR to get to a runway. If it’s been a while since using these, don’t forget that there’s more to know than tuning, twisting, and following the needle. You’ll need to manage stuff like Victor airways (got it), VOR checks (fuzzy on those) and just possibly, timed approaches to deal with (oh, great). And just like any flight, getting organized in advance is key.

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