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Missing Nav Data: So Long, VORs

Frank Bowlin
Verified
In five years over one-third of VOR stations will be gone. This is muddying the avionics upgrade decision, and already causing grief with electronic nav databases.

Phase 1 of the FAA’s plan to decommission over one-third of the nation’s VORs will be complete later this year, by the end of September. Then, Phase 2 begins immediately to continue scrapping VORs at the rate of almost one a week. 

While the chances are good (but not 100 percent) that your navigator’s data is keeping up with the changes, you need to backstop it, which is easier said than done.

Frank Bowlin

Frank Bowlin, CFI/CFII/MEI, ATP is the editor of IFR Magazine and has contributed to Aviation Consumer and Aviation Safety. Active since VORs were new, he's flown more than 40 types, ranging from B-something airliners down to J-something taildraggers. Today, he mostly flies his Cessna 340A over 100 hours a year for both business and pleasure.