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Air navigation is increasingly becoming more important for the aviation industry as plane traffic increases globally. The Global Positioning System or GPS is the universal means of navigating in air space today but it is not fail safe. In the event of equipment failure or simply loss of signal the pilot will have to summons an emergency system to keep the plane flying in the right direction.

The most frequently utilised device for aircraft navigating is the multi range high frequency device, commonly referred to as VOR. There are three variations of VOR: the VORTAC, the simpler VOR and the combination VOR/DME. Whichever one is used, all of them send out a radio signal from the VOR base and it radiates out in all directions. These types of signals are called radials and extend to all three hundred and sixty degrees. The particular signal sent out at two hundred and seventy degrees from the specific location is referred to as the 270 radial. This radial is the one used to work out the aircraft’s true position.

The downside to the use of VOR signals is that they send out signals at a very high frequency thus limiting their range to line of sight only. Therefore, if there is an obstruction in the way such as a mountain the signal may be less strong. In this situation the plane will have to ascend to a higher altitude to gain control of the information transmitted and received. Of course pilots are trained to understand the limitations of this device and cruise at altitudes where the signals are clear in both directions.

For the information to be received an aerial has to be located on the plane and the radio that is used for voice communication will also relay the information from the VOR. If you decide, as a pilot, that it is necessary to use this signal, once switched on the signal received is in Morse code, so this will have to be identified from a written list so that you know where the transmitting station is located and you will, as a result, know exactly where you are.

GPS system are really the main aircraft navigating system but a wholesale failure of this system from either electronic or electrical failure to signal loss could spell disaster for any aircraft, especially in the overcrowded air space today. VOR are not normally used as the main navigation operating system but they are used as back ups. Switching off the GPS for a short period and switching over to VOR gives the pilot every assurance that both systems are working. After all the aviation industry depends on air safety as a way of selling all the goods and services that are available on the market particularly of the carrying of freight and passengers around the world. An airline that loses passengers through accidents due to navigational errors will most certainly go bankrupt within hours of any disaster.