DGCA Air Navigation: Vor Questions

315 exam-style Vor questions for the DGCA Air Navigationpaper (CPL & ATPL). The first 12 are free below with answers and explanations — sign up free to practise all of them with progress tracking.

  1. Q1

    An aircraft is required to approach a VOR station via the 244° radial. In order to obtain correct sense indications the deviation indicator should be set to:

    • A 064° with the TO flag showing
    • B064° with the FROM flag showing
    • C 244° with the FROM flag showing
    • D 244° with the TO flag showing
    Show answer

    Correct answer: A. 064° with the TO flag showing

    To approach the station along the 244 radial the aircraft tracks inbound on 064, so the omni-bearing selector is set to 064 and correct sensing then gives a TO indication.

  2. Q2

    What is the maximum theoretical range that an aircraft at FL150 can receive signals from a VOR situated 609 feet above MSL?

    • A184 NM
    • B 220 NM
    • C147 NM
    • D 156 NM
    Show answer

    Correct answer: A. 184 NM

    Using the VHF range formula 1.25 times the sum of the square roots of the heights in feet, with 15000 ft and 609 ft, gives about 1.25 x (122 + 25), roughly 184 NM.

  3. Q3

    An RMI slaved to a remote indicating compass has gone unserviceable and is locked on to a reading of 090°. The tail of the VOR pointer shows 135°. The available information from the VOR is:

    • ARadial 135°, relative bearing unknown
    • B Radial unknown, relative bearing 225°
    • C Radial unknown, relative bearing 045°
    • D Radial 315°, relative bearing unknown
    Show answer

    Correct answer: A. Radial 135°, relative bearing unknown

    The tail of the VOR needle indicates the radial, so 135 is the radial the aircraft is on; because the compass card is frozen at a false 090, the relative bearing to the station cannot be determined.

  4. Q4

    Which of the following statements concerning the variable, or directional, signal of a conventional VOR is correct?

    • A The rotation of the variable signal at a rate of 30 times per second gives it the characteristics of a 30 Hz amplitude modulation
    • BThe transmitter varies the amplitude of the variable signal by 30 Hz each time it rotates
    • C The transmitter changes the frequency of the variable signal by 30 Hz either side of the allocated frequency each time it rotates
    • DThe receiver adds 30 Hz to the variable signal before combining it with the reference signal
    Show answer

    Correct answer: A. The rotation of the variable signal at a rate of 30 times per second gives it the characteristics of a 30 Hz amplitude modulation

    The variable, or directional, VOR signal effectively rotates at 30 revolutions per second, and it is this 30 Hz rotation that gives the signal its directional character.

  5. Q5

    The maximum theoretical range at which an aircraft at FL230 may receive signals from a VOR facility sited at mean sea level is:

    • A 190 NM
    • B230 NM
    • C 170 NM
    • D 151 NM
    Show answer

    Correct answer: A. 190 NM

    Line-of-sight range is approximately 1.23 times the square root of the height in feet; for an aircraft at FL230 over a sea-level station this gives roughly 1.23 × √23000 ≈ 187 NM, closest to 190 NM.

  6. Q6

    If an aircraft flies along a VOR radial it will follow a:

    • Agreat circle track
    • Brhumbline track
    • C line of constant bearing
    • Dconstant magnetic track
    Show answer

    Correct answer: A. great circle track

    A VOR radial is a fixed magnetic bearing radiating from the station and, being a straight line over the ground from the transmitter, it is flown as a great-circle track.

  7. Q7

    Transmissions from VOR facilities may be adversely affected by:

    • A uneven propagation over irregular ground surfaces
    • B static interference
    • C night effect
    • D quadrantal error
    Show answer

    Correct answer: A. uneven propagation over irregular ground surfaces

    VOR bearings can be corrupted by uneven propagation and reflections as the signal passes over irregular or mountainous terrain, producing site and scalloping errors.

  8. Q8

    An aircraft at 6400 FT will be able to receive a VOR groundstation at 100 FT above MSL at an approximate maximum range of :

    • A 110 NM
    • B 90 NM
    • C 100 NM
    • D 120 NM
    Show answer

    Correct answer: A. 110 NM

    Applying 1.23 times the sum of the square roots of the heights, 1.23 × (√6400 + √100) = 1.23 × 90 ≈ 110 NM is the approximate maximum reception range.

  9. Q9

    Frequency of VOR:

    • A108.0–117.95 MHz
    • B118.0–136.975 MHz
    • C88.0–107.9 MHz
    Show answer

    Correct answer: A. 108.0–117.95 MHz

    VOR operates in the VHF band, 108.0–117.95 MHz, for navigation signals.

  10. Q10

    If VOR bearing information is used beyond the published protection range, errors could be caused by:

    • A interference from other transmitters
    • B noise from precipitation static exceeding the signal strength of the transmitter
    • Csky wave interference from the same transmitter
    • D sky wave interference from distant transmitters on the same frequency
    Show answer

    Correct answer: A. interference from other transmitters

    Beyond the published protection range a VOR is no longer safeguarded from co-channel stations, so bearing errors can arise from interference by other transmitters using the same frequency.

  11. Q11

    An aircraft at FL 100 should be able to receive a VOR groundstation at 100 FT above MSL at an approximate maximum range of :

    • A 135 NM
    • B 123 NM
    • C 130 NM
    • D142 NM
    Show answer

    Correct answer: A. 135 NM

    Line-of-sight range is about 1.23 × (√10000 + √100) = 1.23 × 110 ≈ 135 NM for FL100 over a station at 100 ft above mean sea level.

  12. Q12

    An aircraft is 100 NM from a VOR facility. Assuming no error when using a deviation indicator where 1 dot = 2° deviation, how many dots deviation from the centre line of the instrument will represent the limits of the airway boundary? (Assume that the airway is 10 NM wide)

    • A1.5
    • B 3.0
    • C4.5
    • D 6.0
    Show answer

    Correct answer: A. 1.5

    The 10 NM airway gives 5 NM either side of centreline; at 100 NM range 5 NM subtends about 3° by the one-in-sixty rule, and at 2° per dot that is 1.5 dots to the airway boundary.

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