7 replies to this topic

[parks]

Are they like big radio towers? There is one next to a house I am staying at and planes seem to fly over. Is it part of a IAP or something? I am 30 something or so miles away from O'hare.

I know this is a VOR:


What do NDB's or other waypoints look like.

Edited by parks, 10 August 2010 - 09:21 PM.

[TopDollar]

Hmm not exactly sure what you mean.  Something like a VOR?  VORs connect victor airways which are used by aircraft to navigate.  So often times pilots will fly almost directly over the VOR station then change heading to fly on a different radial away from the station.

A VOR station look can look like this:



Edit:  Yes I believe NDB's are radio towers.  Since they're non-directional beacons, all they have to do is transmit a signal.

Edited by TopDollar, 10 August 2010 - 09:25 PM.

[parks]

This is outside my window. Planes fly toward it. Over it. Then change heading to o'hare


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Edited by parks, 10 August 2010 - 09:28 PM.

[_NW_]

Both of you are correct, both of those pictures are VOR's..  

NDB's look like two telephone poles with a wire strung across..   but intersections are not ground based..  they are GPS based and VOR/VOR or VOR/DME based intersections or distances or any combination of both..  there is nothing on the ground that sends a signal other than the VOR (if it's a VOR intersection).

Imagine you have two VOR's..  if you draw a line on any radial from both VORs and they cross paths, that's what's known as a VOR intersection..   if the administration considers it to be a common point to be used in navigation, then they'll give it a 5 letter name..   if it's a GPS intersection, then it's based on lat/long and also given a 5-letter name, however for both types, there is no ground equipment (other than the VOR station).

Some intersection names do however correspond with the local area..  for example, many intersections used for the arrival into the Houston, TX area are named after football player positions..  others are local land marks (CHURCH intersection into Orlando Executive is actually right over a giant church)...

[TopDollar]

nick-wilkinson, on Aug 10 2010, 10:30 PM, said:

Both of you are correct, both of those pictures are VOR's..  

NDB's look like two telephone poles with a wire strung across..   but intersections are not ground based..  they are GPS based and VOR/VOR or VOR/DME based intersections or distances or any combination of both..  there is nothing on the ground that sends a signal other than the VOR (if it's a VOR intersection).

Imagine you have two VOR's..  if you draw a line on any radial from both VORs and they cross paths, that's what's known as a VOR intersection..   if the administration considers it to be a common point to be used in navigation, then they'll give it a 5 letter name..   if it's a GPS intersection, then it's based on lat/long and also given a 5-letter name, however for both types, there is no ground equipment (other than the VOR station).

Some intersection names do however correspond with the local area..  for example, many intersections used for the arrival into the Houston, TX area are named after football player positions..  others are local land marks (CHURCH intersection into Orlando Executive is actually right over a giant church)...

Ahh ok.  Thanks for the clarification.

[Cactus]

An intersection is just a lat/long position. There's no physical navigational aid.

aka what Nick said

[_NW_]

Duke, on Aug 10 2010, 09:32 PM, said:

An intersection is just a lat/long position. There's no physical navigational aid.

aka what Nick said

beat you to it

[parks]

Oh well that makes sense. Here is a photo. It's dark but you can see two tower lights.



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