Narrative:

Aircraft en route jfk/mia, routed diw AR14 AR1 mia. Turbulence all over east coast, frontal activity and extremely high winds aloft from the west estimated at 150 KTS. I was flying (first officer) and departed diw 208 leaving from diw. On AR14 correction required varied from 30-15 degrees right. Ilm 196 degree right set into intercept AR1 at metta. Ilm VOR identify ok, but as usual course bar drifted back and forth. AR1 was intercept prior to metta and a slight correction made to track the 196 degree right. On course at metta. About 20 mins later after ilm was out of range, ZJX called us 25 mi east of AR1 almost on AR7. They gave us a heading change and sector change and told us the next controller would call us on course. They did and we soon received bsy VOR and tracked AR1 to mia. No conflicts were sighted nor did center state any conflicts occurred. The aircraft has no INS or omega equipment. It is really needed on these arwys since you are really trying to accomplish point to point navigation with DME from orl or crg, and when turbulence and high winds aloft are present, it's like a gaggle of geese out over the ocean--everyone is struggling. I personally will ask for vectors until received a reliable signal from now on. But that just increases the controller workload. Also, ilm must be made a more stable reliable signal to navigation on. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter stated that they began losing the ilm signal about 200 mi south on AR1. He also said that it is not uncommon for aircraft to advise ATC that they cannot receive ilm, or are getting calls from ATC that they are off course. This is the only aircraft type in their fleet that doesn't have INS or omega equipment. Reporter also stated that this equipment is not required by ATC along this route, but reporter thinks it should be. Reporter said that historically, ilm does not have a 'rock steady signal.' he also mentioned that the outbnd north route from mia via AR1 is just as bad, that they consistently lost bsy signal about adoor intersection. However, ZJX normally gives a vector heading at this point.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB REPORTER CLAIMS THAT THE ILM VOR IS ERRATIC ON THE 196 DEG RADIAL AT METTA INTXN.

Narrative: ACFT ENRTE JFK/MIA, ROUTED DIW AR14 AR1 MIA. TURB ALL OVER E COAST, FRONTAL ACTIVITY AND EXTREMELY HIGH WINDS ALOFT FROM THE W ESTIMATED AT 150 KTS. I WAS FLYING (F/O) AND DEPARTED DIW 208 LEAVING FROM DIW. ON AR14 CORRECTION REQUIRED VARIED FROM 30-15 DEGS RIGHT. ILM 196 DEG R SET INTO INTERCEPT AR1 AT METTA. ILM VOR IDENT OK, BUT AS USUAL COURSE BAR DRIFTED BACK AND FORTH. AR1 WAS INTERCEPT PRIOR TO METTA AND A SLIGHT CORRECTION MADE TO TRACK THE 196 DEG R. ON COURSE AT METTA. ABOUT 20 MINS LATER AFTER ILM WAS OUT OF RANGE, ZJX CALLED US 25 MI E OF AR1 ALMOST ON AR7. THEY GAVE US A HDG CHANGE AND SECTOR CHANGE AND TOLD US THE NEXT CTLR WOULD CALL US ON COURSE. THEY DID AND WE SOON RECEIVED BSY VOR AND TRACKED AR1 TO MIA. NO CONFLICTS WERE SIGHTED NOR DID CENTER STATE ANY CONFLICTS OCCURRED. THE ACFT HAS NO INS OR OMEGA EQUIP. IT IS REALLY NEEDED ON THESE ARWYS SINCE YOU ARE REALLY TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH POINT TO POINT NAV WITH DME FROM ORL OR CRG, AND WHEN TURB AND HIGH WINDS ALOFT ARE PRESENT, IT'S LIKE A GAGGLE OF GEESE OUT OVER THE OCEAN--EVERYONE IS STRUGGLING. I PERSONALLY WILL ASK FOR VECTORS UNTIL RECEIVED A RELIABLE SIGNAL FROM NOW ON. BUT THAT JUST INCREASES THE CTLR WORKLOAD. ALSO, ILM MUST BE MADE A MORE STABLE RELIABLE SIGNAL TO NAV ON. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATED THAT THEY BEGAN LOSING THE ILM SIGNAL ABOUT 200 MI S ON AR1. HE ALSO SAID THAT IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR ACFT TO ADVISE ATC THAT THEY CANNOT RECEIVE ILM, OR ARE GETTING CALLS FROM ATC THAT THEY ARE OFF COURSE. THIS IS THE ONLY ACFT TYPE IN THEIR FLEET THAT DOESN'T HAVE INS OR OMEGA EQUIP. RPTR ALSO STATED THAT THIS EQUIP IS NOT REQUIRED BY ATC ALONG THIS RTE, BUT RPTR THINKS IT SHOULD BE. RPTR SAID THAT HISTORICALLY, ILM DOES NOT HAVE A 'ROCK STEADY SIGNAL.' HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE OUTBND N RTE FROM MIA VIA AR1 IS JUST AS BAD, THAT THEY CONSISTENTLY LOST BSY SIGNAL ABOUT ADOOR INTXN. HOWEVER, ZJX NORMALLY GIVES A VECTOR HDG AT THIS POINT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.