colored airways?

[Chris Hoffmann]

From what I've been able to find, I gather that these aren't in use in the
US anymore, and haven't been for some time. Seems they're still used in
Canada though, and are still mentioned in the FAR's. Something to do with
L/MF navigation, but I don't know what that is.

Heck, I can't even find mention of them on Gene's site, so they MUST be long
forgotten. ;)

Someone please give me a history lesson here. Thanks.

[Julian Scarfe]

"Chris Hoffmann" > wrote in message
...
> From what I've been able to find, I gather that these aren't in use in the
> US anymore, and haven't been for some time. Seems they're still used in
> Canada though, and are still mentioned in the FAR's. Something to do with
> L/MF navigation, but I don't know what that is.
>
> Heck, I can't even find mention of them on Gene's site, so they MUST be
long
> forgotten. ;)
>
> Someone please give me a history lesson here. Thanks.

ICAO standard airway nomenclature used to be Red, Green, Blue and
subsequently (I think) and White and Amber. These were abbreviated to their
first letters hence, e.g. G1, Green 1, ran from Shannon across the UK east
across Europe and beyond.

In the late 1980s (IIRC) the nomenclature was changed to the phonetic
alphabet corresponding to the identifier, so G1 became Golf 1. More
recently, as RNAV became widespread and now effectively mandatory in Europe,
waypoints have multiplied like rabbits as have the routes linking them. A
different schema of L, M etc. airways was introduced for RNAV routes, which
means that now the good old airways like G1 only remain in part.

I don't know if the US ever used color airways or when V and J airways were
introduced. I'd be surprised if Canada still calls airways by their colors,
but I'd guess they follow the ICAO conventions.

Julian Scarfe

[Roy Smith]

In article >,
"Chris Hoffmann" > wrote:

> From what I've been able to find, I gather that these aren't in use in the
> US anymore, and haven't been for some time. Seems they're still used in
> Canada though, and are still mentioned in the FAR's. Something to do with
> L/MF navigation, but I don't know what that is.
>
> Heck, I can't even find mention of them on Gene's site, so they MUST be long
> forgotten. ;)
>
> Someone please give me a history lesson here. Thanks.
>
>

The last ones I was aware of were in the outer banks of North Carolina.
Not sure if they still exist.

[Lynne Miller]

Canada still uses colored airways, as does Alaska.
Look at an Alaska/Canada enroute chart and you will see plenty of
examples. They're typically based off of NDB equipment.

Lynne

"Julian Scarfe" > wrote in message >...

> ICAO standard airway nomenclature used to be Red, Green, Blue and
> subsequently (I think) and White and Amber. These were abbreviated to their
> first letters hence, e.g. G1, Green 1, ran from Shannon across the UK east
> across Europe and beyond.
>
> In the late 1980s (IIRC) the nomenclature was changed to the phonetic
> alphabet corresponding to the identifier, so G1 became Golf 1. More
> recently, as RNAV became widespread and now effectively mandatory in Europe,
> waypoints have multiplied like rabbits as have the routes linking them. A
> different schema of L, M etc. airways was introduced for RNAV routes, which
> means that now the good old airways like G1 only remain in part.
>
> I don't know if the US ever used color airways or when V and J airways were
> introduced. I'd be surprised if Canada still calls airways by their colors,
> but I'd guess they follow the ICAO conventions.
>
> Julian Scarfe

[Doug]

When I was in Alaska summer before last there were still some airways
defined by NDB's, so called "Brown" airways (the airway is a brown
line). Interestingly, they have lower MEA's than the adjacent VOR
airway, presumably because of the service volume of the NDB's vs the
VOR's. Of course most pilots use the GPS to go NDB to NDB, but because
the MEA's are lower, I doubt there is a movement to get rid of the
airways. But things are always changing, so who knows?

"Chris Hoffmann" > wrote in message >...
> From what I've been able to find, I gather that these aren't in use in the
> US anymore, and haven't been for some time. Seems they're still used in
> Canada though, and are still mentioned in the FAR's. Something to do with
> L/MF navigation, but I don't know what that is.
>
> Heck, I can't even find mention of them on Gene's site, so they MUST be long
> forgotten. ;)
>
> Someone please give me a history lesson here. Thanks.

[Julian Scarfe]

"Lynne Miller" > wrote in message
om...
> Canada still uses colored airways, as does Alaska.
> Look at an Alaska/Canada enroute chart and you will see plenty of
> examples. They're typically based off of NDB equipment.

Looking at some navdata I have, it looks like there are plenty,

A, B, G, N, Q, R, T are all used as prefixes, as well as V and J of course.
As you suggest, they seem to be mostly NDB-based.

You're gonna have trouble pronouncing Q as a color though... ;-)

Julian Scarfe

[Larry Fransson]

On 2003-11-21 23:31:10 -0800, "Chris Hoffmann" > said

> Something to do wit
> L/MF navigation, but I don't know what that is

L/MF is low/medium frequency. NDBs fit in there

There is at least one colored airway that I use regularly. One of the departur
procedures from Juneau, Alaska (PAJN) includes a stretch of an Amber airwa
based on the Sumner Strait NDB (SQM), which is near the Level Island VOR (LVD)

--
Larry Fransso
Seattle, WA

[Scott Skylane]

Chris Hoffmann wrote:

> From what I've been able to find, I gather that these aren't in use in the
> US anymore, and haven't been for some time./snip/

Chris,

First, thats "Low Frequency American" airway to you, Mister ;)

Second, as others have pointed out, these are still used extensively up
here in Alaska. Most are defined by NDBs, while some are "one ended",
and terminate at a VOR. Heck, we still routinely fly (gasp!) NDB
approaches, although the GPS is certainly taking over in popularity.

Third, ever hear of an "NDB/DME" navaid? Yep, we have 'em, very handy
in the bush.

Happy Flying!
Scott Skylane

[vincent p. norris]

>Canada still uses colored airways, as does Alaska.
>Look at an Alaska/Canada enroute chart and you will see plenty of
>examples. They're typically based off of NDB equipment.
>
Before the advent of VARs and VORs, all airways in the Lower 48 were
Red, Green, Blue or Amber, followed by a number. IIRC, Green and
Amber were north-south, Red and Blue were east-west.

In those days, the airways were defined by Adcock A-N ranges.

vince norris

[Henry Bibb]

"Roy Smith" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "Chris Hoffmann" > wrote:
>
> > From what I've been able to find, I gather that these aren't in use in
the
> > US anymore, and haven't been for some time. Seems they're still used in
> > Canada though, and are still mentioned in the FAR's. Something to do
with
> > L/MF navigation, but I don't know what that is.
> >
> > Heck, I can't even find mention of them on Gene's site, so they MUST be
long
> > forgotten. ;)
> >
> > Someone please give me a history lesson here. Thanks.
> >
> >
>
> The last ones I was aware of were in the outer banks of North Carolina.
> Not sure if they still exist.

I belive that NDB is OTS indefinitely. I had intended to go fly that
airway,
just so I could log that I'd done it. :(

[Dave S]

There was a Green airway based on the Galveston NDB that was
decommissioned within the last 3 years (the airway, not the NDB). I am
not sure if it was the last one or not.. but it ran across the Gulf to Fl.

Dave

Chris Hoffmann wrote:

> From what I've been able to find, I gather that these aren't in use in the
> US anymore, and haven't been for some time. Seems they're still used in
> Canada though, and are still mentioned in the FAR's. Something to do with
> L/MF navigation, but I don't know what that is.
>
> Heck, I can't even find mention of them on Gene's site, so they MUST be long
> forgotten. ;)
>
> Someone please give me a history lesson here. Thanks.
>
>

[Rod Madsen]

As has been mentioned earlier on this thread, there is a G13 in eastern
North Carolina along the barrier islands.

Rod

"Dave S" > wrote in message
hlink.net...
> There was a Green airway based on the Galveston NDB that was
> decommissioned within the last 3 years (the airway, not the NDB). I am
> not sure if it was the last one or not.. but it ran across the Gulf to Fl.
>
> Dave
>
> Chris Hoffmann wrote:
>
> > From what I've been able to find, I gather that these aren't in use in
the
> > US anymore, and haven't been for some time. Seems they're still used in
> > Canada though, and are still mentioned in the FAR's. Something to do
with
> > L/MF navigation, but I don't know what that is.
> >
> > Heck, I can't even find mention of them on Gene's site, so they MUST be
long
> > forgotten. ;)
> >
> > Someone please give me a history lesson here. Thanks.
> >
> >
>

[Dave Butler]

Henry Bibb wrote:

>>The last ones I was aware of were in the outer banks of North Carolina.
>>Not sure if they still exist.
>
>
> I belive that NDB is OTS indefinitely. I had intended to go fly that
> airway,
> just so I could log that I'd done it. :(

Yep. The Pamlico NDB at Ocracoke Island. The building was installed and
maintained jointly by NC DOT and NWS, but when the steel building that housed
the NDB and weather reporting station corroded away, they decided not to replace
it. Consequently the only instrument approach to Ocracoke Island is now a GPS
approach. Even that is unusable when the military SUA nearby is active, since
part of the approach extends into the SUA.

I think there was another NDB-based airway that went to the NDB at Hatteras, but
that one's gone, too. At least they still maintain the weather reporting at
Hatteras.

For a long time after the NDBs were gone, the airways were still shown on
charts, but marked out of service. Not sure whether they are still charted or not.

Remove SHIRT to reply directly.
Dave

[william hunnicutt]

there is a colored airway into marathon fl. MTH
"Dave Butler" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> Henry Bibb wrote:
>
> >>The last ones I was aware of were in the outer banks of North Carolina.
> >>Not sure if they still exist.
> >
> >
> > I belive that NDB is OTS indefinitely. I had intended to go fly that
> > airway,
> > just so I could log that I'd done it. :(
>
> Yep. The Pamlico NDB at Ocracoke Island. The building was installed and
> maintained jointly by NC DOT and NWS, but when the steel building that
housed
> the NDB and weather reporting station corroded away, they decided not to
replace
> it. Consequently the only instrument approach to Ocracoke Island is now a
GPS
> approach. Even that is unusable when the military SUA nearby is active,
since
> part of the approach extends into the SUA.
>
> I think there was another NDB-based airway that went to the NDB at
Hatteras, but
> that one's gone, too. At least they still maintain the weather reporting
at
> Hatteras.
>
> For a long time after the NDBs were gone, the airways were still shown on
> charts, but marked out of service. Not sure whether they are still charted
or not.
>
> Remove SHIRT to reply directly.
> Dave
>