VOR and NDB changes due in area

AOPA is reporting a couple of significant changes coming to the local area. The bottom line is that we may be loosing many of the NDB approaches in the area, along with the Hartford and Bradley VORs, and all the Approaches, Airways and Intersections based on those facilities.

GPS is a great tool, but the upgrade to an IFR approach certified GPS receiver is a very significant expense.

So, what is your opinion? Is the elimination of so many NDB approaches in the area acceptable? Should the VOR equipped aircraft give up the NDB as a backup? And how about those VORs? Do IFR pilots need to plan sooner than later to open the wallet for that GPS installation? It could be $10K or more.

As everything aviation, redundancy is good. As I discovered on my IFR checkride, when the DME receiver fails, the ADF receiver can provide a step-down fix that makes the difference between landing and a missed approach. (Minumums on the Hartford Brainard VOR or GPS-A approach are 1000' or 580' with DME or ADF bearing to LOMIS LOM. Yes, my DME receiver really failed on approach during my checkride.)

And yes, I also lamented the loss of the "DF" facilities at ORH. Over the years I've listened to any number of pilots get a helping hand in the form of a DF Steer toward Worcester. It was just one more tool. How many times have you called "east" of an airport, and had the tower inform you that you are really "west"? And there was even a "DF Approach" into ORH at one point, where they would provide guidance as you keyed your radio to report position. I never did get the chance to try that one.

• NDB approach cancellations [AOPA] The complete list includes a number of approaches in the local area.
  • Hartford-Brainard Hartford CT (HFD) NDB Rwy 2
  • Meriden Markham Municipal Meriden CT (MMK) NDB Rwy 36
  • Waterbury-Oxford Oxford CT (OXC) NDB Rwy 36
  • Bradley Windsor Locks CT (BDL) NDB Rwy 6
  • Barnstable-Boardman Hyannis MA (HYA) NDB Rwy 24
  • New Bedford Regional New Bedford MA (EWB) NDB Rwy 5
  • Norwood Memorial Norwood MA (OWD) NDB Rwy 35
  • Plymouth Municipal Plymouth MA (PYM) NDB Rwy 6
  • Provincetown Municipal Provincetown MA (PVC) NDB Rwy 25
  • Barnes Municipal Westfield MA (BAF) NDB Rwy 20
  • Worcester Regional Worcester MA (ORH) NDB Rwy 29
  • TF Green Providence RI (PVD) NDB Rwy 5

Certainly the area is well served by other approaches, but another consideration is training and practice. By eliminating the majority of the NDB approaches in an area, it greatly hurts the ability to practice for the event that an NDB approach is actually needed at some point.

Some of the approaches that will remain; Hanscom NDB or GPS 29, NDB 11, Beverly NDB-A, Chatham NDB or GPS-A, Fitchburg NDB-A and NDB 20, Lawrence NDB 5, Marshfield NDB 24, NDB 6, Nantucket NDB 24, Nashua NDB 14, Quonset NDB 16, Pittsfield NDB 26, Provincetown NDB 7, Minuteman Stow NDB-A, Taunton NDB 30, Worcester NDB 11. So there will still approaches available for practice. But certainly the variety is reduced, as will access to approaches when the wind is favoring the opposite runway.

AOPA recommends that comments be sent to the airport manager, and to debra.e.sullivan@faa.gov with a copy to ndb@aopa.org The deadline for comment is April 4th.

* VOR Decommissioning. The Bradley and Providence VOR's are both going to be disturbed by airport construction plans. The FAA is proposing that the VORs be decomissioned. AOPA reports that these VOR's support 10 airways and 16 approaches in the area. In addition to the VOR approaches and dozen's of intersections, the airways include:

• Bradley:
  • V205-405
  • V130
  • V419
  • V405

• Providence
  • V405
  • V146-161
  • V139-151
  • V475
  • V167

Unfortunately it does not appear that there was a comment period on this change. At least AOPA didn't provide any guidance on how to comment.