One VOR for instrument checkride

[fussle]

Just curious to see if it matters if the airplane only has one VOR. Is it ok to just ask ATC to identify intersections and such or will you be expected to do it yourself on the instrument checkride?

 

[siucavflight]

Just curious to see if it matters if the airplane only has one VOR. Is it ok to just ask ATC to identify intersections and such or will you be expected to do it yourself on the instrument checkride?

No, the examiner will expect you to ID all intersections using only the one VOR, they would ask you what would happen if you were in a non radar environment. Once establised on the course you are trying to track then just switch over to the freq and radial you are using to ID your fix.

Find a plane with two VOR's, I would never fly a plane with only one receiver in IMC, and the examiner would question your judgement, and wonder how you would ID stepdowns on an approach seening as how when on the approach you could not tune out the final approach course to ID a fix.

 

[Goose Egg]

Find a plane with two VOR's, I would never fly a plane with only one receiver in IMC, and the examiner would question your judgement, and wonder how you would ID stepdowns on an approach seening as how when on the approach you could not tune out the final approach course to ID a fix.

I concur.

-Goose

 

[midlifeflyer]

But one VOR makes intersection holds sooooo interesting!

 

[nosehair]

No, the examiner will expect you to ID all intersections using only the one VOR, they would ask you what would happen if you were in a non radar environment. Once establised on the course you are trying to track then just switch over to the freq and radial you are using to ID your fix.

Find a plane with two VOR's, I would never fly a plane with only one receiver in IMC, and the examiner would question your judgement, and wonder how you would ID stepdowns on an approach seening as how when on the approach you could not tune out the final approach course to ID a fix.

...my,my,my,...how far we've fallen. One VOR receiver used to be the standard. Cross-tuning on final approach for a step-down fix with partial panel...
Yep. No matter what you think about the "judgement" of such a situation, it can certainly happen when you start out with two VOR's. WAy back, when most trainer airplanes did have only one VOR, it was common to "fail" the second VOR if the applicant had 2, and do intersection holds and/or VOR step-down approaches to insure the applicant could handle a one-vor approach...

...(blink,blink)..oh, wait a minute, this is 2000 and...five?..is it?
​

 

[pilotmiketx]

Ah yes, reliving the glory days. I suppose we should put those Narco Superhomers back in the 150s, so students can learn how to tune a coffee grinder radio.

Back when one radio took up twice the panel space, cost a small fortune and weighed 15 pounds, I guess you could be glad you had one. There also weren't a million other planes zooming around in close proximity.

Find a 2 radio airplane. Kind of hard to swing a dead cat without hitting one.

There's a reason technology advances.

 

[nosehair]

I suppose we should put those Narco Superhomers back in the 150s, so students can learn how to tune a coffee grinder radio.

Now thass what I'm talkin' about!!
​

 

[BLing]

It sucks, but it can be done!

 

[BoilerUP]

I've flown an airplane with a single nav radio in IMC before, and it was a non-event (although the plane did have a VFR GPS for DME). Admittedly situational awareness is much more difficult to maintain, but single nav ops are not inheriently unsafe. That being said, get two radios for your checkride. To willingly give yourself a handicap on a flight test would be foolish.

 

[flyhighroller]

In the army, they spoiled me at flight school. During primary we fly a Bell 206 with dual VOR, but then when we got into the UH-60 it only has one, so you have to cross tune...needless to say, the first intersection holding was interesting to say the least!

 

[NYCPilot]

Recently while getting current with approaches the 2nd VOR crapped out and I had to do everything with just the one. The surprise was a welcomed challenge and I had no problems at all.

This all can be much easier if the single nav you do have is a flip flop with a standby feature. This particular approach was to a VOR approach.

Once you're established on your inbopund course whether it be final or an enroute leg, get your wind correction heading down and bug it. Once this has been done, just hold that heading and switch between the two frequencies.

In fact, this should be an exercise yuo should practice with your instructor. All this will do wondrs for improving your situational awareness. If I recall correctly, a few questions in the CFI or instrument written ask whether you need more than one VOR. The correct answer is only one forthe approach referenced.

Plus, you'll get bonus points with the examiner if you demonstrate this ability.

DME if equiped will also help tremendously under this conditons too. One VOR and some DME works just fine.

 

[awacs941]

(although the plane did have a VFR GPS for DME).

Wouldn't that make the GPS not legal for IFR use ?

 

[BoilerUP]

Wouldn't that make the GPS not legal for IFR use ?

Nope!

You can use a VFR GPS for enroute navigation, it just can't be your filed/primary means of doing so. I also don't think you could *legally* use a VFR GPS for DME if it was required, but in this case it was not (it was for situational use only, and very helpful for identifing intersections). I've had many controllers ask me if I had a handheld onboard when I was /A so they could give me direct destination.

 

[awacs941]

I see where you are coming from but if it was for the stepdown fix thats definatly not legal.

 

[wmuflyguy]

Here is my question. Is your single VOR/CDI capable of LOC/GS. The single CDI planes i have seen only had VOR/LOC capapbility and no GS.

If the second one is the case, I do not think you can use this airplane for the checkride, since the Instrument PTS requires a Precision approach.

You must supply an airplane that allows you to complete all appropriate tasks in the PTS.

 

[siucavflight]

If the second one is the case, I do not think you can use this airplane for the checkride, since the Instrument PTS requires a Precision approach.

You must supply an airplane that allows you to complete all appropriate tasks in the PTS.

Very good point, the PTS does require a precision approach.