High maintenance, yes. Dinosaur, maybe. But part of the FAA’s navigation plan for many years to come.

Staff Report

IFR GPS is becoming a standard for instrument navigation. VFR GPS has long been a standard for fair-weather fliers. But lurking in the background is that old reliable, like the friend you can take to parties when you can’t get a date. We’re talking, of course, about the VOR.

Though it’s still a de facto requirement for IFR flight, VOR plays second fiddle to GPS in many cockpits. That diminished status threatens to cause its own problems as pilots lose sight of the inaccuracies of VOR and the need to check the receivers monthly. …