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Old 9th June 2010 | 08:15
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Capt Pit Bull
 
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 1,050
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From: England
VOR and ILS frequencies are paired with specific DME frequencies, so it naturally follows that if you have a VOR or ILS frequency selected, you will get the appropriate DME station (and audio).
I wouldn't bet on that.

Its not as though there is a mechanical connection, its two separate avionics boxes being signalled by the control head on the flight deck. They can (and do) glitch from time to time. I've had a VOR box hang on a previous freq whilst the DME happily moved on. This would have left us intercepting a VOR radial instead of the ILS centreline, and the VOR was a couple of miles to the side of the airport. Early (non) confirmation of ident made this a non event.

More broadly, people should be in the habit of identifying all aids, DME included. e.g. the near CFIT by a BAe146 following the wrong DME arc.

People get blase about this, because you can go for years and years getting exactly what you think you've dialled up.

pb
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