FSX Tutorial: Using two VORs for navigation

A quick bonus video where I show a method of navigating by using 2 VOR signals to determine flight path and position.
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Copyright © 2015 - Doofer911 - All Rights Reserved.
DISCLAIMER: While this video is intended for educational purposes, I must stress that I am not a professional pilot or instructor and I am not certified in any way with regards to aviation or education. Every subject I talk about is based on my personal study and understanding. Therefore the information I give may be incorrect or inaccurate and should NOT be used as a reference for real world flying.

[@Ro9eR]

Excelent tutorial. Only one thing I would suggest to add would be that VORs & NDBs are limited by radio signal range, if either VOR or NDB is out of signal range, there will be no directional info or morse ID until the aircraft is within radio signal range. So if no morse or needle deflection may be because you are out of range. Fly on the heading until a signal is gained. Well done my friend, a very clear and concise explanation. 👍👍

[@lactoseComment]

All of these tutorials are excellent - thank you for putting them together.

[@Doofer911]

lactoseComment You're welcome :)

[@ahmadtheaviationlover1937]

Thanks for this amazing video, makes VOR soo much more easier

[@Exploratorium360]

You the man. Thanks for all your hard work.

[@alanwest5647]

Just back to simming and enjoying your well described videos. Still got confused with this one and I thought it would have been a bonus to have had an inset diagram in the corner showing track, bearing etc to compare with the instruments. Didn't understand how a change in compass bearing didn't effect the NAV 1 VOR instrument. However, will watch again and try to draw something down simultaneously. Well done and thanks a lot!

[@ahmadtheaviationlover1937]

Sometimes VOR can be a little bit difficult in applying how it functions onto a live flight plan

[@arunsharma-dx4yn]

Regarding switching boxes: Since only one of your boxes [NAV1] has GS capability, I would leave the current go to information on NAV2 so that you can set up the ILS on NAV1 [if required] and still have full directional information. Since your routing is direct and takes you over high ground [and eventually descending over that high ground], in mist you would want as much situation information as possible.

[@GraemeBNash]

Excellent job, very helpful.

[@lukedyte3969]

Brilliant video! After watching this video a had such a Eureka moment after watching this one! Watching the video just flying to a single VOR confused me so much, but after watching this boom! I understood it! Thank you! I have been trying to understand VOR's for over 2 weeks now haha! Maybe I've just being thinking​ about it wrong all along, why it took me so long to understand.

[@Doofer911]

Yeah it's amazing when it "just clicks".... and VOR navigation is so important as well, enjoy your newfound knowledge and understanding! :)

[@lukedyte3969]

Doofer911 :)

[@tcalcut]

9:51 I thought the morse code for I was 2 dots...not dash dot

[@ege4832]

Thank you man ! Your videos are awesome. I'm a student pilot and I'm in therotical phase now. I think your works will provide good advantage to me in real flights :)

[@Doofer911]

That's excellent news! My videos will hopefully give you a good foundation but your instructor will give you all sorts of practical advice as well

[@MrWasim100100]

true excellent work

[@TheMack]

Useful video! How did you create the waypoints in Skyvector?

[@GudmundurKristjansson]

Doofer911 I like to thank you for all the Flight courses posts you've made for us to learn from. Anyway I'm new to this Sim Flight world again after I think 2 decades ago! Anyway to make a long story short, I was wondering when you were wondering where you were locatad (though I knew you could estimated it from your "BackTrackVor signal) by selecting 2 View vision, since I'm sure there you could turn on the GPS in your plane, isn't that correct? Doofer my ACE friend.

[@m.a.bouman6708]

Hey Doofer911, We used this TUTORAIL to practice navigating on 2 VOR beacons. Briliant vlog, thanxs for that. Can you make a vlog based on the same flight wit a Garmin G1000? I do not find how to display 2 bearings in the HSI

[@morgannahyde7502]

Don't know if you look back at these old vids and comments. At the time of the recording you did not notice/mention that when you reach the area of confusion on the second VOR , the auto pilot drops out. In my own experience with F Sim 10, on several occasions, when the AP drops out the plane suddenly makes abrupt changes and can be a handful to regain control My solution has been to switch to HDG mode as the DME nears the 2 mile mark. In your case it only began to veer slightly.

[@Doofer911]

Yeah that's normally the best course of action to smooth out any turns which need to be made overhead a VOR station.

[@supertminecraft8675]

Why didn't you turn on the NAV hold switch earlier?

[@2806vick]

@15:13 ripped a FAT ONE! Haha! Great video!

[@carlharding5311]

Thanks for the great videos! I'm guessing that to get the autopilot to quickly pick up the bearing for that second VOR you could just enter the Wick frequency into the standby on Nav 1, then when you press transfer to make the standby frequency active the auto pilot will pick up the new bearing - or have I totally misunderstood?

[@Doofer911]

You can do that however you also need to adjust the OBS quickly which may result in the plane turning briefly in a way you don't want it to. What I do is just before reaching the waypoint or intersection, is switch the Autopilot onto Heading hold (hold the current heading to prevent an unexpected turn), then switch the VOR frequency and adjust the OBS for the new Radial, then switch the Autopilot back onto Nav Mode.

[@telosfd]

So the VOR 2 working properly or no?

[@dashidoshi]

Thanks for helping me understand VORS more :) .... what would the added process be for landing in bad weather using this technique?

[@Doofer911]

You can use the VOR1 indicator to conduct an ILS Landing (ILS = Instrument Landing System), that not only provides lateral guidance (like a VOR) but it also provides vertical guidance so you know that you're at the correct height as you approach a runway. I've got a video on ILS landings as well :)

[@redglazedeyez6652]

do you use something to get foggy weather.. what do you use. I never get foggy weather and I want it.

[@ericc7936]

hi again, would i use heading to go away from source airport then when route is established should i tune in and head for final destination or go vor to vor from each way point. i have several way points in flight plan. should i just skip them? thanks for answer and help.

[@Doofer911]

Nope you follow the waypoints.

[@wifelikecow]

The NAV setting on the autopilot slaves solely to the Nav. 1 Radio frequency. You can do the swapping maneuver with the inactive frequency if you so desired, but it's a shame you can't choose which one you want it to use.

[@Doofer911]

Yeah definitely. I think my intention for this video was to show how to use the second VOR instrument to help confirm your position.

[@kivikall]

I'm trying to learn basic navigations with Douglas DC3. It doesn't have DME (or does it?) so how would one measure distance from one VOR station to the plane's current location? Especially if you're flying perfectly towards (bearing) to that VOR station. I would prefer "ground distance", not slant distance. After watching this video I think the answer is to use multiple VORs and do some triangular math. I need to search more info and by the time someone answer this I hope I already know the answer but anyway, if you have any tips I'd be glad to hear them :) Also thanks for the awesome video series!

[@Doofer911]

No it doesn't appear to have DME, you can definitely tune into a VOR but I couldn't see any instrument to measure distance. I imagine that you'd have to do some good old Dead Reckoning and manual navigation calculations. As for calculating Ground Distance, you're right in saying that it's relatively basic Trigonometry. If you picture a right angle triangle, your plane would be at the top of the vertical line, and the angled edge of the triangle would be your DME slant distance. So you know the length of two "sides" of the triangle, your DME distance and Altitude... so then it's a case of using Trigonometry to find the length of the 3rd side which is effectively the Ground distance.

[@mikemyers8538]

I realize this a very old video, but the CW strings for the WIK VOR at 1:31 is incorrect. N (-.) does not equal I (..). Other wise great video

[@GizmoMaltese]

I was confused by that. I'm totally new to this. It didn't sound like a dash.

[@garyv987]

I thought the WIK Morse code did not sound right. You have a typo in the video. It's dot dash dash, dot dot, dash dot dash

[@Doofer911]

+Gary V Well spotted! Thanks for pointing that out, I'll put in a little annotation to correct that.

[@luisvillarroel3543]

maybe if you change to R2 in the DME the Nav autopilot would have followed the secondary VOR, who knows *shrugs*

[@meconnectesimplement]

u the man !

[@Doofer911]

meconnectesimplement I do try ;)

[@WiseWik]

The WIK morse is incorrect mate.

[@mallekgarson9127]

Yea I heard " DOT DASH DASH, DOT DOT, DASH DOT DASH" @10:02

[@AnonyMous-so9qz]

Is that a fart @ 15:13 xD

[@Doofer911]

haha, nah I most likely shifted in my chair and it made that noise....... honest! :/

[@supertminecraft8675]

💩