How to use the VOR and how to waste $19.20.

Today I learned all about VOR navigation. Actually, I already had a pretty good idea, having read about it and having played Microsoft Flight Simulator a bit. Rob made it fairly interesting anyway. He did show me a seriously cool web site that has a VOR simulator along with other navigation and aviation tools, luizmonteiro.com. Truthfully, GPS has all but made VORs obsolete, however we still learn about it because the equipment is very common on light airplanes, it's good as a backup if the GPS fails, and the FAA will test me on the material. We also went over a truly obsolete system, the automatic direction finder and NDBs. Although none of the planes I fly has a working automatic direction finder, I still have to know how they work because I might get tested on it.

Having learned this, my mission is to plan a flight to Charlotte County (PGD). I'm to plan it two ways:
1) Track the Sarasota VOR to SRQ, then track the Punta Gorda VOR to Charlotte County.
2) Track the St. Petersburg VOR to Parrish, then track the Punta Gorda VOR to Charlotte County.
I don't know which route I prefer. Either way, we plan on requesting to transit Tampa's class B airspace. That would be new for me. Tampa handles approaches to Sarasota's class C, so that might include a little more radio work which would be good. Maybe Rob will let me fly one route on the way down, and the other on the way back.

The coolest thing about today was going over the training I still need. There's not a lot. Some solo cross country work, night flying and instrument flying. Then preparation for the practical test.

I had planned on a practice session today but the clear sky had disappeared by the time ground school was over. We still had 10 mile visibility and a ceiling of 4400 feet at Whitted, so I gave it a shot. By the time I had the plane started and tuned the ASOS, the ceiling was down to 3200 feet. I requested taxi clearance and the controller told me we had showers in the area. Air traffic control at Whitted is very helpful, so I asked him to advise me if the weather deteriorated any further. By the time I finished my run-ups, the controller told me we had showers west of the airport and moving our way. Time to call it a day. I don't need to be flying in rain showers and poor visibility. When I got to my truck, I think we were down to IFR conditions. I managed to put 2/10 of an hour on the hobbs meter to the tune of $19.20 starting and taxiing the plane.

Friday, Josh and I are taking my kids for a ride. The weather should be spectacular, and I'm really looking forward to it.