How do I use VOR and NDB in flight simulators?

In a general flight simulator, use VOR and NDB navigation by tuning and identifying the correct station, selecting the appropriate radio source, then flying the indication. A VOR CDI shows angular error from the selected course; an ADF needle points towards an NDB, so we must establish and hold the wind correction.

This general procedure applies across Microsoft Flight Simulator, X-Plane and Prepar3D. Exact controls, source labels and signal modelling depend more on the chosen aircraft and avionics package than on the simulator itself.

VOR vs NDB: what is the difference in a simulator?

A VOR provides course-deviation guidance and radial information, whereas an NDB provides only the direction of the beacon from the aircraft.

The distinction between the beacon and receiver matters: the NDB is on the ground, while the ADF is the equipment that points towards it. Selecting an NDB by name in a GPS creates GPS guidance to its database position; it does not turn the GPS into an ADF or prove that the radio beacon is transmitting.

If we can choose either system for training, VOR is the better starting point because the CDI displays course error directly. Use NDB when a procedure requires it or when practising bearing calculations and wind correction. Many newer aircraft have no ADF, and an old tutorial may reference an NDB that is absent from the simulator's navigation data.

How do I use a VOR in a flight simulator?

To use a VOR, we tune and identify the station, set the intended course, intercept it with the correct sensing, then make small heading changes to keep the CDI centred.

1. Check the equipment and power. The aircraft needs an operating NAV receiver and a CDI or HSI connected to it. Turn on the required electrical, avionics and instrument systems.
2. Tune the VOR. Enter its frequency in the appropriate NAV radio, normally shown in MHz. If the radio has active and standby windows, transfer the frequency into the active side.
3. Select the correct source. Set the relevant CDI or HSI to NAV or VLOC, not GPS or FMS. Confirm whether the instrument follows NAV1 or NAV2.
4. Identify the station. Listen for the Morse ident or check the decoded ident if the avionics provide one. NAV audio may need to be selected on the audio panel. We should treat an unidentified signal as suspect, even though some simplified aircraft do not model identification fully.
5. Set the course. Rotate the OBS or HSI course selector to the course we intend to fly. Moving the selector changes the reference course; it does not retune or move the station.
6. Check the CDI and flag. An invalid or warning flag means the indication should not be used. A TO indication means the selected course, flown in its intended direction, leads towards the station; FROM means it leads away. The flag does not describe which way the aircraft's nose is pointing.
7. Intercept and track. Use a moderate intercept angle, commonly 20° to 45° for training. With the course and sensing correct, steer towards the CDI needle, reduce the intercept as it centres, then hold the line with small wind-correction changes.

A VOR CDI displays angular deviation, so it becomes increasingly sensitive as we approach the station. Large corrections close to the beacon usually produce needle chasing. If the facility and aircraft support DME, distance helps confirm the station and anticipate passage, but not every VOR includes DME.

What do a VOR radial and the TO/FROM flag mean?

A VOR radial is a magnetic line extending from the station, while an inbound course normally uses the reciprocal direction.

If we are east of a VOR, we are on or near its 090 radial. To fly inbound from that position, we select approximately 270° and expect TO. To depart eastbound, we select 090° and expect FROM.

The aircraft's heading does not determine the radial or the TO/FROM flag. Turning in a circle without changing position moves an ADF needle relative to the nose, but it does not change the VOR radial on which the aircraft is located.

Why does the VOR needle seem backwards?

A VOR needle usually appears backwards when the reciprocal course has been selected, producing apparent reverse sensing.

A mistake we see constantly is flying inbound while the OBS remains set to the outbound radial. On a conventional CDI, corrections then appear opposite to those expected. Check the selected course and TO/FROM flag before blaming the radio; an HSI makes the geometry easier to see, but it cannot correct an incorrectly selected course.

How do I use an NDB with the ADF?

To use an NDB, we tune and identify it with the ADF, interpret the pointer as a bearing to the station, then hold a heading that preserves the required bearing despite wind.

1. Confirm that an ADF is fitted. A GPS waypoint, NAV receiver or decorative bearing gauge is not a substitute for an ADF receiver.
2. Tune the NDB. Enter the frequency in the ADF, normally displayed in kHz. If the panel has separate modes, select the mode that provides bearing information rather than an antenna or audio-only mode.
3. Identify the beacon. Listen for its Morse ident if the aircraft models ADF audio.
4. Recognise the indicator type. On a fixed-card ADF, the top of the card represents the aircraft's nose. An RMI normally shows magnetic bearing directly. A manually movable card is useful only if we keep resetting it to the aircraft's heading.
5. Establish the bearing. For a simple no-wind direct-to, turn until the needle points at the top of the instrument. For a defined track, compare the indicated bearing with the required inbound or outbound line.
6. Correct for wind. Hold a heading offset into the wind and watch whether the bearing remains steady. Make small corrections, wait for the result, then reduce the correction once the desired bearing stabilises.

On a fixed-card ADF, magnetic bearing to the station is approximately magnetic heading plus relative bearing, reduced to a value below 360°. If we are heading 360° and the needle points 45° right, the station lies on a magnetic bearing of about 045°. An RMI performs that presentation for us.

Real ADF indications can suffer from terrain, night, coastal and electrical-storm effects. Many simulators simplify or omit some of these errors, and sophisticated aircraft add-ons may model them differently.

Homing or tracking an NDB: which works better?

Tracking gives us a straighter path than homing because it accounts for crosswind.

• Homing means repeatedly turning until the ADF needle points straight ahead. It reaches the beacon, but a crosswind bends the ground track into a curve.
• Tracking means holding a wind-corrected heading that keeps the required bearing constant. The needle may sit slightly away from the nose, and that offset can be correct.

For an inbound track of 045°, the magnetic bearing to the station should remain close to 045° even if the wind-corrected heading is different. When tracking outbound on 045°, the bearing back to the station should remain close to the reciprocal, 225°.

What happens when we pass over a VOR or NDB?

VOR and ADF indications change rapidly near station passage, so we should hold the planned heading rather than chase the needle.

Over a VOR, the CDI may wander and the TO/FROM flag normally changes as we cross the station's cone of ambiguity. Over an NDB, the pointer swings quickly from ahead to behind. Allow the indication to settle on the far side before making a new tracking correction.

Can an autopilot track VOR and NDB signals?

Most light-aircraft autopilots can capture a VOR course through NAV mode, but ordinary NAV mode cannot track an ADF pointer.

For a VOR, select NAV or VLOC as the flight-instrument source, set the correct course and establish a sensible intercept before arming the autopilot's navigation mode. Mode names and capture limits vary, and advanced avionics may tune stations automatically.

NDB coupling exists in some specialised or historical systems, but it is not standard. Unless the simulated aircraft documentation says otherwise, fly NDB bearings manually or use heading mode while making the required corrections yourself.

Why is my VOR or NDB not working properly?

Most VOR and NDB failures in a simulator come from radio setup, source selection, equipment limitations, range or mismatched navigation data.

• The frequency is still on standby. Transfer it to the active window before expecting an indication.
• The CDI is using GPS or FMS guidance. Change the source to NAV or VLOC for raw VOR reception.
• The wrong receiver drives the instrument. Tuning NAV1 will not help if the HSI or bearing pointer is assigned to NAV2.
• The units or receiver are wrong. VOR frequencies belong in a NAV radio and are displayed in MHz; NDB frequencies belong in an ADF and are displayed in kHz.
• Avionics or audio are off. The receiver needs electrical power, and the appropriate NAV or ADF audio channel may need selection before the ident is audible.
• The aircraft lacks the equipment. Many modern panels omit ADF, while some simplified instruments or add-ons model radio navigation only partially.
• The station is outside useful range. VOR is primarily line-of-sight, so low altitude, terrain and distance matter. NDB range depends on the beacon and the simulator's modelling.
• The lesson and nav data disagree. A beacon may have been removed, renamed or repositioned between the tutorial, simulator scenery and aircraft database. A database waypoint can remain even when no simulated radio signal exists.
• We are close to station passage. Rapid needle movement and a VOR flag change overhead are normal.

For a dead or unresponsive CDI, our guide to diagnosing missing VOR reception in Microsoft Flight Simulator covers source selection, radio tuning, range and avionics power in more detail. Most of those checks also apply to other simulators.

How should I practise with a VOR/NDB simulator exercise?

A useful VOR/NDB simulator exercise isolates one beacon, one instrument and one task before adding weather, procedures or autopilot management.

1. Choose suitable equipment. Use an aircraft with a NAV receiver, CDI or HSI and, for the second exercise, an actual ADF.
2. Begin in simple conditions. Select clear weather, daylight and little wind, and position the aircraft comfortably within the station's range.
3. Practise VOR geometry. Fly inbound with TO, pass overhead, continue outbound with FROM, then reset and intercept the course from each side.
4. Add a crosswind. Keep the selected course unchanged and find the heading that holds the CDI centred.
5. Compare NDB homing and tracking. First keep the pointer on the nose, then repeat while holding a calculated wind correction. The difference in ground track makes the lesson clear.
6. Remove visual shortcuts. Hide or ignore the moving map until the radio indications make sense, then use it to review the completed track.

A panel-only VOR/NDB simulator can teach radial and bearing geometry, but a full flight simulator adds the workload that matters: maintaining heading and altitude while tuning, identifying and correcting for wind. Our Flight School instrument-navigation tutorials provide further practice, while the guide to building these radio skills into a complete simulator IFR flight covers planning, clearances and cockpit workflow.