Message posted by lone wolf on May 08, 2006 at 11:57:50 PST:
One thing I've noticed on the flight tracking websites is that when they use a VOR as a destination, they include a comma in the name. That is, TKM appears as "TKM,". It is a common shorthand to drop the K prefix in front of US airports, i.e. KLAS is called LAS. If the airport has a VOR, it will be the same as the airports three letter code, i.e. the VOR at KLAS is LAS. Now this can get confusing for VORs that are not at airports, just as MMM or OAL. Now if you followed all that, I believe the tracking websites, when then see a three letter code as the departing or arriving "airport", assume the plane is leaving from or arriving to an airport, so they slap a K in front of the three letter code. Thus, "TKM," becomes an airport KTKM. Yesterday, one of the VGT Twin Otter photo planes filed a funny report, indicating landing at "GMN,". Now did it land at the nearby CL46 airport, or did it use the Gorman approach to LAX? Note that some VORs, such at BTY, are not at the airport, yet the VOR name and airport code are the same. The VOR needs to be out in the open in order not to cause reflections, which is probably why the BTY VOR is not near KBTY.
In Reply to: Re: KTKM? posted by Hank on May 08, 2006 at 11:08:41 PST:
Replies: