VHF omnidirectional range

High school (ages 12+)
Transportation

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/vhf-omnidirectional-range

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the system architecture?Ground-based radio beacons transmitting AM and FM signals to aircraft receivers
2. What is the development era?Post-World War II, with initial deployment beginning in 1949
3. What is a VOR?A VOR, or VHF omnidirectional range, is a radio system that helps airplanes find their direction. It sends special signals that the plane can use to know which way it is flying.
4. How does a VOR help a plane know where it is?A VOR station sends two signals: a fixed 30 Hz tone and a rotating 30 Hz signal. The plane’s receiver measures the phase difference between them to calculate the angle from the station, showing the plane’s bearing.

Azimuth: The angular measurement in a horizontal plane, typically relative to magnetic north.
Radial: A line extending outward from a VOR station, representing a specific magnetic bearing.
Line-of-Sight Propagation: Radio wave transmission that travels in a straight line, unobstructed between transmitter and receiver.
VORTAC: A combined VOR and TACAN facility providing both azimuth and distance information.