FAA Instrument Flight Instructor (FII)Instruments and SystemsEasy
An aircraft is established on the 270° radial of a VOR, tracking outbound on a heading of 270° with the OBS set to 270°. What should the TO/FROM indicator display?
- ATO
- BThe flag will alternate between TO and FROM
- COFF
- DFROM
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. FROM
When the aircraft is on the 270° radial (a line extending outward from the station at bearing 270°) and the OBS is set to match that radial, the CDI centers with a FROM indication, since the aircraft is flying away from the station along that radial.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. TO indicates flying toward the station, which is not the case when outbound on the same radial as the OBS setting.
- B. The flag does not alternate; it gives a steady indication based on aircraft position relative to station.
- C. OFF would indicate a signal or receiver problem, not normal outbound tracking.
VOR TO/FROM Indication
The TO/FROM flag shows whether the selected course, if flown, would take the aircraft toward (TO) or away from (FROM) the VOR station.
- Radial and OBS setting matching = FROM indication
- Reciprocal radial and OBS setting = TO indication
- OFF flag indicates no usable signal or receiver malfunction
Memory trick: Same radial + same OBS = FROM, since you're headed away.