Unfazed--Thank you-- i have never heard of this please tell me more, I think I have been into every large airport in this country and never heard of testing VORS on the ground before flight in a a specified area. As most airlines use FMS/FMGS GPS based navigation I wouldnt have thought it necessary these days.
The most relied upon radio aid in public transport is the ILS and every day 1000s of flights launch off and rely on it (as you say) without testing it, the dedicated few listen to the ident but the accuracy test comes when you try to fly it! You cant test everything before you fly otherwise every aircraft would need a C of A each morning! Thats also the reason behind public transport aircraft being required to carry more than one of any critical instrument etc
Ive just looked at the AERAD Heathrow, quite a LARGE airfield, aerodrome chart and can find no such VOR test area and can you imagine the chaos if every aircraft went to an area before departure to test the VORs--If there is such an area its probably like the compass base, used for maintenance.
The IR is primarly a test for pilots going onto public transport operations and should reflect the operation of an AOC public transport operation. With respect (and i have been through the IR and completed around 30 IR renewals)some instructors introduce folk lore into the scenario which would be better left to the airfield bar.