Narrative:

For the past 2 yrs I have traversed the east coast utilizing vors from maine to the caribbean. I have never had as many problems with a NAVAID as I have with the gve VOR. This NAVAID is unusable on all radials from 270 through 090 (north of VOR) at all altitudes and in all conditions, i.e. VMC/IMC. After discussing this with other company pilots, I have found this to be true in all types of aircraft in the same conditions. This VOR is in desperate need of an overhaul. The equipment I fly has an extremely sensitive navigation system and this VOR drives all of the fleet crazy. VOR fluctuates between 2-8 degrees at all altitudes and all aircraft in our saab-340 fleet and ATR-42 fleet. Please put this on the inspection list. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter flies the saab-340 from abe, iad, cle, cmh, etc over gve to rdu at altitudes ranging from 12000 to 25000 ft. He finds that the gve VOR can wander quite a bit, as much as 10 degrees, while approaching from the north, but is 'rock stable' when flying to or from the south. This anomaly happens at all hours. The reporter has not checked with pilots that fly lower or higher than the altitudes noted. The reporter was made aware of the FAA 'hotline.' the reporter has sent in several reports to ASRS on this subject. This may be the first of many. In one instance, the reporter states that ZDC found his aircraft over bwi requiring a 40 degree heading change.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR SAAB-340 FO RPTS NAV PROBS WHEN USING THE GVE VOR, FLYING FROM THE N.

Narrative: FOR THE PAST 2 YRS I HAVE TRAVERSED THE E COAST UTILIZING VORS FROM MAINE TO THE CARIBBEAN. I HAVE NEVER HAD AS MANY PROBS WITH A NAVAID AS I HAVE WITH THE GVE VOR. THIS NAVAID IS UNUSABLE ON ALL RADIALS FROM 270 THROUGH 090 (N OF VOR) AT ALL ALTS AND IN ALL CONDITIONS, I.E. VMC/IMC. AFTER DISCUSSING THIS WITH OTHER COMPANY PLTS, I HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE TRUE IN ALL TYPES OF ACFT IN THE SAME CONDITIONS. THIS VOR IS IN DESPERATE NEED OF AN OVERHAUL. THE EQUIP I FLY HAS AN EXTREMELY SENSITIVE NAV SYS AND THIS VOR DRIVES ALL OF THE FLEET CRAZY. VOR FLUCTUATES BTWN 2-8 DEGS AT ALL ALTS AND ALL ACFT IN OUR SAAB-340 FLEET AND ATR-42 FLEET. PLEASE PUT THIS ON THE INSPECTION LIST. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR FLIES THE SAAB-340 FROM ABE, IAD, CLE, CMH, ETC OVER GVE TO RDU AT ALTS RANGING FROM 12000 TO 25000 FT. HE FINDS THAT THE GVE VOR CAN WANDER QUITE A BIT, AS MUCH AS 10 DEGS, WHILE APCHING FROM THE N, BUT IS 'ROCK STABLE' WHEN FLYING TO OR FROM THE S. THIS ANOMALY HAPPENS AT ALL HRS. THE RPTR HAS NOT CHKED WITH PLTS THAT FLY LOWER OR HIGHER THAN THE ALTS NOTED. THE RPTR WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAA 'HOTLINE.' THE RPTR HAS SENT IN SEVERAL RPTS TO ASRS ON THIS SUBJECT. THIS MAY BE THE FIRST OF MANY. IN ONE INSTANCE, THE RPTR STATES THAT ZDC FOUND HIS ACFT OVER BWI REQUIRING A 40 DEG HDG CHANGE.

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.