How to file a Flightplan with VOR-radials?

[Lars Otto Fredriksen 12751]

VOR-navigation tracking radials are fun to fly. But what is the correct way to file a IFR flight plan with VOR radials?

Still a new user on VATSIM.

 

Example:

 

ENGM to ENCN

 

- Intercept the 017 radial to TOR (to follow airway P601)

- Intercept the 240 radial from TOR (to follow P609 to intersection at PIPEX)

- At distance 42.4 from TOR (at PIPEX), intercept the 036 radial to VAR (to follow airway M609)

[Joshua Jenkins]

Welcome to VATSIM Lars! To do this you would simply file the waypoints/vor's. It would look like this:

SID P601 TOR P609 PIPEX M609 VAR STAR

 

This does [Mod - Happy Thoughts]ume that the SID transitions straight onto the P601. If it doesn't then you could either file direct to TOR (SID DCT TOR) or pick a waypoint along the P601 before TOR and insert that after the SID (SID DCT FIX P601 TOR).

 

To directly answer your question there is no way to file radials on an IFR flight plan directly (at least to my knowledge). However the example you gave sits nicely on a couple airways (as an IFR flight plan should) and that makes it fairly easy to file.

 

Cheers,

[Lars Otto Fredriksen 12751]

Thanks for taking the time to answer, Josh. It was of great help to me.

[Robert Shearman Jr]

Lars, I do a twice-weekly live stream where I mostly fly General Aviation aircraft using only radio nav methods -- it's primarily based in the US, but, the basic concepts are applicable in other places, too. I talk through my flight planning & navigation process on virtually every flight. Hop on & ask any questions you have. http://twitch.tv/slantalphaadventures

[Lars Otto Fredriksen 12751]

Thanks Robert. Sounds great.

[Alex Ying]

In the US at least (not sure about elsewhere), you will sometimes see fixes determined by a VOR radial and distance. For example, you could enter LGA055049 which is a point along the LGA 055 radial 49 nm from the VOR (this happens to be a named fix called MERIT, so you should use the name if it exists, but that's not always the case). In general though, if you can use named fixes or airways, that'll be easier for the controller to read.