FAA Commercial Pilot Airplane (CAX)Navigation and Flight PlanningMedium
An aircraft is tracking outbound from a VOR station on the 150° radial. The OBS is set to 150°, and the CDI needle is centered. What should the TO/FROM indicator display?
- AEither TO or FROM depending on aircraft heading
- BTO
- CFROM
- DAn OFF flag
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. FROM
When flying outbound from a VOR on a given radial with the OBS set to that same radial and the CDI centered, the indicator reads FROM, confirming the aircraft is moving away from the station along that radial.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. The TO/FROM indication depends on position relative to the station, not aircraft heading.
- B. TO would indicate the aircraft is flying toward the station on the selected course.
- D. An OFF flag would indicate an unreliable or unusable signal, not a valid outbound track.
VOR TO/FROM Indication
The TO/FROM flag on a VOR indicator shows whether the selected course, if flown, would take the aircraft toward or away from the station, independent of aircraft heading.
- FROM appears when tracking outbound on the selected radial
- TO appears when tracking inbound toward the station on the selected course
- TO/FROM is based on position relative to the station, not the aircraft's heading
Memory trick: Outbound on your radial = 'FROM' the flag is calling.