What Do These Things Mean?
 

Someone I know is flying home and FlightAware has the following listed. What are they? Do you enter them into some computer and like SkyHigh suggests, just sit back and read USA Today?


RMBLN7 GAD MEM RZC SLN HCT BFF BOY LKT PDT CHINS8

It's a flight plan route. Rambln7 departure Followed by a bunch of VORs that make up the route. And the Chins8 arrival into SEA.

Regards,
Clutch

Yes you would enter them into an FMS and if the airplane has autopilot it will autosequence through the list of waypoints. Some FMS units have vertical navigation as well, but the pilots must always monitor the system and make sure it does what it is supposed to lest they end up like those Northwest guys who overflew Minneapolis that one time.

Here's a "translator" for the 3-letter identifiers:

AirNav: Navaid Information

GAD Gadsden, AL
MEM Memphis, TN
RZC Razorback. AK
SLN Salina, KS
HCT Hayes Center, KS, i think
BFF Scottsbuff, NE
BOY Boysen Reservoir, WY
LKT Not sure
PDT Pendleton, OR

GF

How are you a moderator, been on this forum for seven years and don't know what a VOR is?? I'm honestly curious...

Maybe she's pulling our legs. :o

Someone isn't getting an invite to the annual Seattle area coffee and beer convention.

She may not be an IFR pilot (yet) and my guess is the departures/arrivals threw her off since they have extra letters and stuff.

Just had dinner with my friend, but we didnt have time to discuss VORs. :)

I still only have 19 hours in my logbook. My question was poorly phrased. The confusion was the departure and arrivals. They didnt teach me any of that at Wings Aloft in BFI.