Pretty neat seeing how old this discussion us, and pretty sad to see that people were expecting to have the VOR phased out by 2001. Here we are in 2017 and still use them. Hopefully with the FAA's "NextGen" they have going, maybe we will honestly see the VOR go away in a few more years.

Just read in aopa weekly mail today that the FAA is considering shutting down the BDL (Bradley, Hartford CT) and PVD (Providence RI) VORs. These are not exactly podunk navaids. Both are located at Class C fields with substantial airline traffic (not just RJs either) and they support a decent...

This isn't an IFR related question, but I don't see an r.a group devoted to instruction. I just received the May/June issue of Aviator's Guide and they make an interesting claim on page 38. In the third paragraph they say that it is illegal for a non-instructor pilot to fly in the right seat with...

On the most recent Pilots Audio Update, the narrator was talking about a time when fog covered half the airport, but he could see the runway he was going to land on, but because the control tower was on the foggy half of the airport, they wouldn't approve a visual approach. He was being vectored...

When entering an ATC region, we often get an altimeter setting, usually at some fix. So for example, when entering the Chicago center ATC region, they say something like, "Midway altimeter is xx.xx." I have some questions. 1. So, do they pick some fix for the region and give everyone...

With all these questions about how to integrate GPS into our everyday operations, I'm tempted to believe we have allowed the advent of this wonderful new technology to send our thinking back to the dark ages! We want GPS to simply replace everything else - then all that "legacy" stuff just...

Did Garmin finally get 'er done? "all 75,000 Garmin GNS 400/500 series products currently in the field can upgrade to WAAS" From www.Garmin.com:

As many of us have experienced, the response of FSS briefers to phone calls has been sometimes ... um... desultory, and when we're at a remote airport with no radio link to Center, waits on the phone of 15-30 minutes for clearance have been common. Lockheed-Martin FSS has now segregated a group of...

A CFI with airplane single-engine rating but not instrument-airplane (not a CFII) gives flight instruction to a private pilot. Part of the flight is in the clouds, with the private pilot flying. Can the CFI log instrument time under FAR 61.51(g)(2): "An authorized instructor may log instrument...

What are the advantages of vfr-on-top in the real world? I understand the ifr to vfr-on-top then cancel, but what about other uses?

The other day I was doing a VFR practice approach into Tracy, CA when the controller told me "reporting canceling IFR this freq, or on ground via land line...". I told him "uh, ok canceling IFR, I didn't believe I was IFR" (because I hadn't asked for or received an IFR clearance). The controller...

Recently while returning from a trip I was heading to my home base, which is a class D airport. I was handed off to the local tracon, which has a class C airport, and was issued a clearance to follow a star that led to a navaid near my destination. However, the star was for the class C airport, not...

JFK gave Barbara Pierce a lesson in life in the summer of 1944 (making her a "Cape Cod heiress"), and to her eventual husband, JFK gave a personal motive for revenge. Perhaps if George and Barb had announced their earlier engagement or even if George had given Barb a diamond instead of a cheap...

I was flying this weekend to maintain my instrument currency and came across a GPS approach unlike any I'd seen thus far. Then again, I'm pretty new to GPS approaches so I'm still finding new stuff fairly often. I was flying approaches into Wellsvill, NY (ELZ) and was setting up for the GPS RWY...

I am getting ready to start IFR training next week, and there are a couple of questions regarding holding that I have been pondering. (Searched through here already, but couldn't find the answers...at least spelled out for me ;) When being assigned a hold, will ATC usually assign an altitude...

1. Vectored for the VOR 27 at Oshkosh in pouring rain, broke out and saw the runway after I got established but before I started my descent, cancelled IFR to help the guy behind me, did a visual descent and landed on the green dot. 2. Vectored for the ILS 24(?) at Muskegeon, descended on the glide...

I plan to buy my first airplane and "trade-up" in about 3-4 years. I expect my initial investment will be around $75K. At that price, it does not seem to be worth putting in brand new avionics to the tune of $12-$15K (thinking specifically about a Garmin 430/MX-20 combo, or a GX-50/MX-20 combo). ...

How many times do you get a cruise clearance. Ever get "unable" Lets say the cloud layers are 4000 to 5200. You are cleared to 5000, but want to climb to 5300 or above. Is it possible to get a "cruise" clearance to stay above the layers? What about over class B?

I am seeking to identify a group of complex airplane owners (single-engine or multi-engine) who are also CFIIs for a flight training project. Contact me directly for further details. -------------------- Richard Kaplan, CFII www.flyimc.com

Anyone know about the Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunications Network (AFTN) and places that will send / receive a AFTN message for obtaining over flight clearance and providing notifications etc. I am in Portland, OR and would like some place local to do all this I am trying to save a little...