FAA cancelation of underutilized or redundant NDB and VOR approaches

The FAA has identified more than 700 underutilized / redundant NDB and VOR instrument approaches for possible cancelation. The list can be view from this page:
https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/flight_info/aeronav/procedures/reports/

I wonder where they get their data from? The VOR-A at CBF is flown dozens of times by just about every instrument student around here (From Offutt or UNO).

Paige

PaigeHoffart said:

I wonder where they get their data from? The VOR-A at CBF is flown dozens of times by just about every instrument student around here (From Offutt or UNO).

Paige

Click to expand...

....from the same place they got the data for closing towers not that long ago - off the top of their head. Then kill the ones noone complains about. We call that "the public comment period".

maniago said:

....from the same place they got the data for closing towers not that long ago - off the top of their head. Then kill the ones noone complains about. We call that "the public comment period".

Click to expand...

I find it funny that we (the collective "we" as pilots) used to complain like crazy when the FAA opened those towers and called them "land grabs". Now we complain when they close them.

I guess no one likes change.

As for the cancelation of these approaches, it is simply a cost savings move because supporting GPS approaches is much cheaper as there is no land based equipment to maintain.

As for why those approaches were put on the list, it is probably more political than factual. Meaning they are not used by airlines or large corporations.

We used to have a GPS approach and a VOR approach into X35. A couple of years ago they changed the GPS approach from an LNAV+V to an LP approach and removed the VOR approach. I never used the avOr approach except for in training. What bothered me is that they removed the +V portion so there was no Glideslope on the 430W. I was up flying the other day and lo-and-behold it popped up as LP+V and the glideslope was back with 500' mimimum instead of 540.

I agree that closing VOR approaches is a cost-saving thing, and I am sure they are mainly closing them when there is a GPS approach that is as good or better for that same runway. The main people this is hurting is student pilots who now may have to fly further to get their third style of approach for practice and check rides. It also hurts those who fly IFR with only Nav radio(s) and no IFR GPS.