VOR Navigation

[Morfeas2]

Hello,

As a new pilot I have a question regarding VOR usage. The manual says that the usual method to fly for airport A1 to airport A2 using VOR station V1 and given that V1 and A2 are not located at the same territory is as follows:

- Depart from A1
- Tune to V1
- Select a TO route for V1 and follow the route.
- When above V1 use map to estimate a route from V1 to A2.

Since I have to do an estimation of the route on the map for the V1 - A2 part, why not to do the estimation directly from A1 to A2 and leave VOR outside especially since I know my position on the map (the airplane icon) as well as my destination airport?

Just because I suspect things are not as I have understood and the above question is somehow wrong I have a second question regarding possible alternatives for finding a route from V1 to A2 without making route estimations on the map.

Thanks in advance for any reply.

[Travis]

In realworld navigation, the method listed is approximately what pilots would use, if flying a VOR approach.  The point is to coordinate the airtraffic better, and keep everyone in the right position.

I don't know this for sure, but its what I have picked up while I've been here . . .

[Heber98]

Great questions

The example you mentioned is not a typical VOR navigation scenario as far as I am concerned. Normally it would be more like A1-V1-V2-V3-V4-A2. Assuming there are no mountains or clouds you can estimate a course, correct for wind and find your destination without using the VOR station. When in clouds VOR tracking will not lie to you, you will always know what your location is in relation to the VOR and this usually clears you from obstructions according to charts.

There are typically more precise methods for deriving a course from V1 to A2. Oftentimes airport information is available that gives nearby navaids including VORs and their course. For example, KUOX is at the University of Mississippi. I'm tracking to the TUP VOR (Tupelo, MS east of the university). I have this information - TUP r281/37.8. When I get over TUP I can track the 281 radial outbound for 37.8 nautical miles and I'll be at KUOX.

Sectional charts are also useful in determining a VOR course to use.

[Morfeas2]

Thanks for you replies, the VOR is much more clear to me now. However it seems I am becoming obsessed and I have a few more questions.

Flying with VOR is fine when in clouds but what about ground elevation? I mean how do I know which is safe altitude in order not to decorate a mountain's top?

Yesterday I was flying a Cessna withing storm and heavy rain using the autopilor. As I was climbing (using the autopilot) from 5000 to 7000 ft (and at about 6300 ft) the plane stalled and more than this started shaking. I had to go below 6000 ft to re-estamblish full control. The external temperature was 2 degrees Celsium. ANy ideas?

And a final one. I tried to get my private pilot certification (in sim of course). I did succesfully the left turn, the steep turn and got the examiners comments for a "good job". After that I was to land following the normal traffic pattern which I did following the examiners guidance until the begining of the pattern. Since then and even when I had landed there were no more comments neither for a failure nor for a certificatoin. Do you know if this means that the examiner was so frightened and jumped off the plane as soon as I got landed? Succeded? Failed?

Thanks again for any reply.

[Heber98]

Ground elevation is signified by the elevation of surrounding airflieds and other navaids. Obstuctions like mountains are marked on charts in real life. If you make a flight plan in the sim it should automatically set your altitude at the lowest altitude that's safe for that route. To get into an airport decked with clouds and mountains I use the approach chart which offers the precedure and route to descend and find the runway without crashing. The ATC function works as if there no mountains, so they will direct you right into one! If I find my destination weather to be cloudy when I start getting vectored into clouds on arrival I will cancel my IFR plan and fly the precedure on the chart.

The stall could have been many things. The turbulence could have lifted the nose of the plane too high causing you to loose airspeed. The autopilot isn't too great in turbulence. Also, at higher altitudes in low performance planes the rate of climb can't be expected to be impressive. 7000ft in a cessna is probably around 300-400 ft/min climb.

You probably flew the checkride fine, there are bugs in the program. Did you taxi off the runway after you landed?

[Morfeas2]

Thanks for the info once more. However is there a good source for charts to download? I am especially interested in areas covering Greece and Balcans. Thanks

[Heber98]

I'm not familiar with that area, but amybe you can get what you need from this site:

http://avsim.com/greece/hvacc/entrance.htm

Click on Pilot's Area - Aeronautical Data