Complementing VOR/DME with INS - An Improved Navigation System

The trends in air navigation, as indicated by military developments and current activity in the development of new aircraft for the airlines point to:

1. 1.
   Continued use of VOR/DME as the basic short-range (continental) navigation aid
2. 2.
   Inertial navigation systems (INS) as the primary long-range navigation aid and source of improved attitude and heading information
3. 3.
   Increased digital computation and control for navigation and aircraft flight management.

This paper discusses how the INS and digital computer can be used to complement the VOR/DME system to provide improved navigation accuracy and smoother operation in the VOR/DME environment.