LORAN is finally, officially being shut down today

[lucky]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/02/08/l...own/index.html

Anyone still ever use it to this day?

10 to 15 years ago in Florida, when I used to boat, we used it all the time and it was extremely accurated there around the East Central Coast and the couple of times I used it in rental planes it was also pretty darn accurate!

Oh well....

[Bill Dicus]

Yeah - We use it all the time in our Lance. KLN88 is a super unit and very accurate. I'll miss Loran.

[David Paule]

For aviation back-up to GPS, there's no reason why VOR receivers can't be designed that would automatically scan frequencies for signals, and have similar displays as GPS receivers.

But for some reason they aren't made that way. I wonder why not? if multiple signals can be found, accuracy ought to be nearly as good as GPS.

Of course that's only for aircraft. The signals are usually blocked by terrain or ground objects for surface applications.

David Paule

[Bob Axsom]

At one time I used to maintain ground based navigational aids and the cost is high. At one time we had three guys based K-2 Air Base in Taegu to maintain one NDB (Foxtrot Hotel) around the clock seven days a week. Even at Airman's pay it is expensive. I hate to see the ground based nav systems go for a lot or reasons but it is going to happen.

Bob Axsom

[Ron Lee]

What it will take is some event that takes GPS down and the decision to kill LORAN will be realized as foolish.

[zzapp]

happens to GPS. What are we all going to due? Run to Walmart to buy a handheld Loran receiver? The only who has on so far is a Lance with its acres of panel space. I had this discussion about 10 years ago. The Loran and the ADF were just taking up space in the panel. Updates for the receiver were not available. Most Lorans are piled up in the back of peoples hangers. As of now it would be a case of Loran talking and nobody listening. The better solution would be to harden up Gps to render it less vulnerable. No doubt the military has something as backup.

[flyeyes]

Originally Posted by Bob Axsom

At one time I used to maintain ground based navigational aids and the cost is high. At one time we had three guys based K-2 Air Base in Taegu to maintain one NDB (Foxtrot Hotel) around the clock seven days a week. Even at Airman's pay it is expensive. I hate to see the ground based nav systems go for a lot or reasons but it is going to happen.

Bob Axsom

Bob, I completely agree with your reasoning here, but I've long wondered about the cost/benefit analysis behind shutting down the handful of LORAN stations.

It seems to me (and I'm just an interested, but uninformed layman) that maintaining the current network of enroute and terminal navaids is terribly expensive, compared to a half-dozen LORAN stations.

Why do we still maintain enroute VORs? my guess is that we could decommission all of them, buy and install GPS receivers for every airplane in the US that lacks one, and be saving money within a year. Leave the ILS equipment at big airports until a critical mass of the fleet is WAAS-approach equipped and then kill that too.

VORs are effective Navaids, and better than the A-N ranges they replaced, but they are equally obsolete compared with modern technology.

most of us are proficient with VORS, but there was a time when serious IFR pilots were proficient in ADF approaches, too. Anybody here still want to claim that? How about a localizer back course ?

LORAN, on the other hand, requires no adjustment in technique at all. It works just like GPS, except that is is less accurate, although accurate enough for non-precision approaches.

After my devious master plan is implemented, and all the short and medium range ground based navaids are gone, we can talk about VHF comms.

[Ron Lee]

Chris, the problem is that LORAN was relegated to inferior status once it was slated for decommissioning in the Federal Radionavigation Plan ten years or so ago (maybe even 15).

Who will develop combined GPS/LORAN units if LORAN is going away?

[strahler13]

If GPS was never invented, Loran would rank as one of the best, if not the best, inventions of all time for aircraft.

Mark

[Rick S.]

Not really all that familiar with LORAN but a friend of mine who is not only a great pilot but also an avid sailor was big time upset about it, not for flying but for sea navigation... don't know about that either!!