Understanding VOR - A Type of Radar System Used in Air Traffic Control and Navigation

VOR stands for "Vertical Orbiting Radar" which is a type of radar system used in air traffic control and navigation. It is used to determine the vertical position of an aircraft and its rate of climb or descent. The VOR system consists of a ground-based transmitter and a receiver installed on the aircraft. The transmitter broadcasts a radio signal that is received by the aircraft's receiver, which then uses the signal to determine the aircraft's position and altitude.

VOR systems are commonly used in air traffic control to provide pilots with navigation information and to help them maintain safe distances from other aircraft. They are also used in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) to assist pilots in navigating through clouds and other weather conditions.

The VOR system works by transmitting a radio signal that is modulated in frequency or phase, which allows the receiver to determine the time delay between the transmitted signal and the received signal. This time delay is then used to calculate the distance between the aircraft and the transmitter, as well as the aircraft's altitude.

VOR systems have been largely replaced by more modern navigation systems such as GPS and GLONASS, but they are still used in some older aircraft and in certain situations where GPS signals are not available or reliable.