Narrative:

Was wbound on J149 climbing through FL330 to FL350 when center advised we were 10 mi north of the arwy. Both navigation's were on armel VOR. We rechked proper frequency, identify and radial on chart. All were as required. CDI for both navigation's were dead center. We indicated we showed we were dead on the arwy centerline. We were given a heading of 275 degrees to rejoin the arwy, then cleared 275 degree heading to join the rod 117 degree right inbound. ATC indicated they had problems with traffic that far out from armel. It's about 130 mi west of armel that you join the rod 117 degree right. Questions: why did ATC wait so long to inform us of deviation? Secondly, if this has happened before, why isn't there a NOTAM? It seems that every time I go east the VOR's are not very reliable. Don't have any suggestions because in the cockpit all was normal. Why can't they stick another VOR somewhere in between armel and rosewood so each leg isn't about 140 mi each? Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: do not believe we were 10 mi north of our course. Both VOR radials were dead center on 281 degree right. That far out we could have been 4 or 5 mi off but not 10. 156 mi is long, long way for a VOR radial to be accurate. Controller did not seem to be concerned other than to give us a correcting heading.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF LGT POSSIBLY 10 MILES N OF COURSE. ARTCC RADAR CTLR GAVE CORRECTING VECTOR.

Narrative: WAS WBOUND ON J149 CLBING THROUGH FL330 TO FL350 WHEN CENTER ADVISED WE WERE 10 MI N OF THE ARWY. BOTH NAV'S WERE ON ARMEL VOR. WE RECHKED PROPER FREQ, IDENT AND RADIAL ON CHART. ALL WERE AS REQUIRED. CDI FOR BOTH NAV'S WERE DEAD CENTER. WE INDICATED WE SHOWED WE WERE DEAD ON THE ARWY CENTERLINE. WE WERE GIVEN A HDG OF 275 DEGS TO REJOIN THE ARWY, THEN CLRED 275 DEG HDG TO JOIN THE ROD 117 DEG R INBND. ATC INDICATED THEY HAD PROBS WITH TFC THAT FAR OUT FROM ARMEL. IT'S ABOUT 130 MI W OF ARMEL THAT YOU JOIN THE ROD 117 DEG R. QUESTIONS: WHY DID ATC WAIT SO LONG TO INFORM US OF DEVIATION? SECONDLY, IF THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE, WHY ISN'T THERE A NOTAM? IT SEEMS THAT EVERY TIME I GO E THE VOR'S ARE NOT VERY RELIABLE. DON'T HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS BECAUSE IN THE COCKPIT ALL WAS NORMAL. WHY CAN'T THEY STICK ANOTHER VOR SOMEWHERE IN BTWN ARMEL AND ROSEWOOD SO EACH LEG ISN'T ABOUT 140 MI EACH? CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: DO NOT BELIEVE WE WERE 10 MI N OF OUR COURSE. BOTH VOR RADIALS WERE DEAD CENTER ON 281 DEG R. THAT FAR OUT WE COULD HAVE BEEN 4 OR 5 MI OFF BUT NOT 10. 156 MI IS LONG, LONG WAY FOR A VOR RADIAL TO BE ACCURATE. CTLR DID NOT SEEM TO BE CONCERNED OTHER THAN TO GIVE US A CORRECTING HDG.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.