Beginners guide to VOR: 5 Things Every Pilot Must Do!

Is VOR Navigation outdated? Why do we still need to know how to use it? Where do you start? How do you set yourself up for check ride success when the DPE asks you to demonstrate your skills? We’ll answer these questions and more.
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[@es330td]

I love VOR navigation. "Tune (the radio), Twist (the OBS knob), Turn (the plane)." The 172 in which I learned did not have GPS so that $150 button wasn't a problem for me.

[@ScottKoonCFI]

Excellent! Thanks for the comment!

[@paulthurston2883]

I learnt to fly VFR with analog instruments, DR, 1 in 60 rule, paper charts, protractor, pencil, watch, and a Jeppesen CR. When the lights go out, you need the basics. It's fun too to be able to navigate the old school way. VOR & NDB as well. Great info and tutorial.

[@ScottKoonCFI]

Excellent! I learned with analog instruments, too. Among other things, I remember using VOR triangulation to try and pinpoint where I was on a section (or Low Altitude Enroute). I’m glad it is easier now, but learning how to do those things gave me a pretty intimate knowledge of planning and navigation. It also provides a heads-up and options when/if the GPS isn’t doing what I think it should. Thank you so much for the comment! Have a great day!

[@user-jh5fm7ci6o]

I am doing checkride prep. My CFI put me under the hood, after a bit he said "take me to the riverside. I located the Riverside VOR on my Foreflight while under the hood and tuned it along with the all the processes in your video and started flying to the VOR. Next my CFI said now find your position. I was still under the hood. I had to locate another VOR that would allow me to find my position. I had to do tune both with a " From " and then draw lines on my foreflight chart with the Red marker function. Where the two lines intercept is where I am at. Not very easy graphing it out. graph it on my Foreflight chart . I was still under the hood. Meanwhile I had to do all of this flying by instrument and staying in standards. My airspeed went of standards a couple of times and I fixed it but that would be a fail. I will need a little more practice at this in the airplane to be a bit quicker and more proficient at it. Will also chair fly it or do it on my Xplane simulator. This is one of the things they will ask you to do on a check-ride. You need to know all of the VOR's stations around your area you fly in. Not just one VOR but a few of them. Another tip, is for your checkride, make sure you make your cross-country on a paper planner log and you chart it on a paper sectional. You can use Foreflight as a back-up. I Know the ACS allows for electronic flight bag, but the DPE still wants you to use a paper chart planner. I hope I do not mess up much when it comes to my check-ride. Whew!

[@ScottKoonCFI]

Good for you! It sounds like you are understanding VOR navigation. I’m very glad to hear that. Prior to GPS, I used VOR triangulation quite often to locate my position. Kinda nerdy, but very satisfying. The DPE in our area don’t require that level of VOR expertise for private pilot. Further, they haven’t required paper sectionals for a while. And, in speaking with several of them, they are fine with using an electronic nav log as long as the candidate can explain how the numbers were calculated and demonstrate what happens if something changes. So, being able to do the work by hand is important, but using machine calculated resources is allowed. It is unfortunate that requirements seem to vary so much from DPE to DPE. I wish you the best of luck and would love to hear how things go! Thank you for sharing!!

[@user-jh5fm7ci6o]

@@ScottKoonCFI Thanks. I fly in Southern CA in the in very busy crowded airspace. In fact, It's the most crowded and complicated in the US. Therefore, we have DPE's that are very tough. Getting your private pilot in another state is much easier than getting you Private Pilot in southern CA - Known as the LA Basin. Take a look at the Tac.chart. It's almost all yellow, with crazy Bravo and Charlie and mountains, and hills to boot. Airspace everywhere. It's like threading a needle thru airspace. Note I ask for transitions thru airspace. I also try to get VFR flight following but many times they will not provide it because they are to busy. You have to plan every flight. I will have to use LA special flight rules to get thru the Bravo over LAX. Plus we get crazy winds / Fog / Clouds / haze weather here in the LA basin. I was told by my flight school that all 4 DPE that our school uses requires that do checkrides for our flight school require a paper planner and charted on paper. The old school way plus, we are not allowed to look up answers in the FAR-AIM. The DPE may allow an exception. Most of the time, we will fly to the another airport where the DPE is. Do the oral and than the flight. I have a lot on my plate. In the end, the DPE wants us to be a safe pilot and so do I.

[@user-jh5fm7ci6o]

@@ScottKoonCFI Also, no GPS in the airplane and the DPE will take my IPAD away. What if my ipad dies and overheats. I do have VOR navigation and I am going to use it. I need to know how to use it and not just skate by not learning it very well.

[@AsianBlueIsland]

Haha.. That $150 dollar button is a real thing. I failed one my stage checks because of it. Not doing that again lol.

[@ScottKoonCFI]

Dang. Sorry to hear that. It has happened to many of us. Thanks for sharing!!

[@ronsflightsimlab9512]

Nicely done!

[@ScottKoonCFI]

Thank you!!

[@jake0q]

thank you :D

[@ScottKoonCFI]

You are very welcome! Thanks for the comment!

[@tomgofly1]

Great stuff, already required homework for my students! Well, except for the mnemonic... Have to work on that... Also, mistakes have seen a slight rise to over $600-$800 around these parts. DON"T MESS THAT UP APPLICANTS!!

[@ScottKoonCFI]

Thank you! Yes, my mnemonic needs work, too. Hopefully it encourages folks to think about it a little more and become familiar with the steps. And, I am seeing the same sort of price increases. I guess next video will need to call it the $800 button. Thanks for the comment! Have a wonderful day!

[@scottbragg9796]

Do you fly out of KBRL or somewhere close? My home base is KGBG. I'd love to get a couple hours of instruction from you.

[@ScottKoonCFI]

I fly out of KRST. But I’m occasionally down at KCID. Shoot me an email at scott dot koon at online-CFI dot com and I’ll give you a shout when I’m headed that way. Or, let me know if you are up near me and I’ll see what we can work out! Thanks for the comment!

[@erinmason9554]

If only it was a “$150 button”

[@ScottKoonCFI]

Yes. I expect it is much more expensive, now.