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Identifying Non-Directional Beacons (NDBs) in the Navigation Database
Identifying Non-Directional Beacons (NDBs) in the Navigation Database
People often have questions about identifying non-directional beacons (NDBs) in the navigation database.
NDB selection in the flight management system (FMS) has changed over the years. For example, in earlier versions of APEX and EPIC, to select the NDB (MTH), the pilot would need to enter MTHNB as the identifier. In the later versions of FMS software, the pilot would only need to enter MTH as the identifier.
An “NDB Navaid” may be any NDB or locator available in the enroute terminal NDB files in the database. NDBs are included in all databases. In some, they are converted to waypoints with the suffix NB.
Waypoints located at any NDB type of facility take on the official 1-, 2-, 3-, or 4-character identifier of the facility in question.
Examples:
Facility Fix Field Entry
Ft. Nelson NDB becomes YE
For systems employing the “NDB as waypoint” concept, waypoints located at NDBs are identified using the station identifier followed by the alpha characters “NB.”
Examples:
Facility Fix Field Entry
Fort Nelson Can become YENB
Newark, NJ becomes EWRNB
NDB ID | R | Latitude | Longitude | Freq/Cha | CC | NDB Name |
Filter | Filter | Filter | Filter | Filter | Filter | Filter |
N | B | N54-32-04.28 | E055-53-11.73 | 1215.00 | ||
N | B | N25-57-27.99 | E110-40-35.00 | 229.00 | ||
NA | B | N61-10-14.66 | W045-24-46.63 | 359.00 | ||
NA | B | S18-02-50.81 | E178-33-32.82 | 307.00 | ||
NA | B | N55-31-59.62 | E052-01-59.53 | 370.00 | ||
NAS | 1 | S53-00-37.00 | W070-51-50.03 | 270.00 | ||
NAT | B | N03-54-24.01 | E108-24-00.00 | 365.00 | ||
NB | B | N65-19-33.97 | W018-17-36.92 | 387.00 | ||
NB | B | N45-08-51.00 | W000-32-59.70 | 361 |
Figure 1 – NDBs in navigation database and NDB on GULFSTREAM PLANEVIEW II
NDBs are mostly obsolete now. Some aircraft with legacy flight management computers (FMCs) cannot handle NDBs. On those systems they are converted to waypoints. Also, enroute NDBs are converted to enroute waypoints and airport NDBs to airport waypoints where the NDB frequency value is not in the range of 190 kHz to 1750 kHz inclusive. NDBs are generally used when specialized navigation equipment is not available on board or on the ground. Hence NDBs are often associated with non-precision approach procedures.
Aircraft / Flight Management Systems | Append 'NB'? | |
Legacy NZ (NZ4.x, 5.x, 6.x Software in NZ-2000/2010, IC-600, IC-800/810 hardware) |
||
Bombardier | Global Express | Yes |
Challenger (600, 601) | Yes | |
Cessna | Citation V (Encore, Bravo, Excel, XLS) | Yes |
Citation X | Yes | |
Dassault | Falcon 50 | Yes |
Falcon 900EX/C | Yes | |
Dornier | DO-328 (Jet and Turbo Prop) | Yes |
Embraer | ERJ-145/Legacy 650 | Yes |
Gulfstream | G-III, G-VI | Yes |
G-V | Yes | |
Hawker | H400 | Yes |
Lockheed | L-382 | |
Classic Epic (NZ7.x) | ||
Agusta/Leonardo | AB-139 | Yes |
Cessna Sovereign | Citation Sovereign | Yes |
Dassault | Falcon 7X/900/2000 (EASy II) | Yes |
Embraer | E1 (170/175/190/195 (Load 25.x and earlier)) | Yes |
Gulfstream | G450/G550 | Yes |
Hawker | H1000 (Horizon) | Yes |
APEX (Epic NZ7x) | ||
Haig | Y-12 | Yes |
Pilatus | PC-12/24 | No |
Viking | DHC-6 Twin Otter | Yes |
Next-Gen (NG1.x) | ||
Dassault | Falcon 6X/7X/8X (EASy III/IV) | No |
Embraer | E1 (170/175/190/195 (Load 27.x)) | No |
E2 | No | |
Gulfstream | G500/G600/G700/G800 | No |
G650 | No |
Figure 2 – Table reflecting how the different Honeywell FMCs and databases handle NDBs
*Note that this list contains the major OEMs and relative FMS software and is not meant to be exhaustive or all-inclusive. There are some aircraft and variants that may not be listed. In general, if an NDB entry is not recognized in one format, try it with the other.