VOR Nav confusion

[RickG]

Hi all. I've been reading here for a while, and resisted the urge to post questions without snooping around, which so far has worked well. Figured out most of my confusions by searching or just going thru all the posts, but this vor is driving me nuts. I am trying to get a bit more serious with this, rather than just jumping in a plane and flying, but I am really getting frustrated!!

[Mobius]

No bugs, just a little confusion.

A VOR radial is a course to the VOR, not a heading to the VOR.  The difference between a course and a heading is a heading is a direction you fly, and a course is an actual path that you fly on.  So, in the picture below, the 173

[Brett_Henderson]

Edit..

[RickG]

Hi again and thanks for the replies, it does sorta help clear up some of the confusion. Good to know about the audio aspect--sheesh me

[Brett_Henderson]

Hi again, Rick...

[Brett_Henderson]

Let's pretend you're lost.. but know there's a VOR that's within range...

Tune its frequency into a NAV radio, and then monitor the corresponding VOR gauge. Spin the OBS knob until the needle centers (it will center twice.. once with the to/from flag pointing up (to).. and once with the flag pointing down (from). When it centers while the flag is pointing "to", you can immediately turn to that heading and be flying directly TO the VOR. If there's a wind (there always is) you'll have to compensate to keep the needle centered (meaning that you're staying on the radial)..

As you pass over the VOR the to/from flag will flip and you're now tracking FROM the VOR on the reciprocal radial (if you were flying TO it (inbound) on the 173 radial; you'll be flying FROM it (outbound) on the 353 radial...

Is this making sense ?

[Brett_Henderson]

If you were receiving a VOR signal and this is what the gauges showed... and immediate turn to 360 would take you directly