Definition
Officially designated and surveyed locations — either on an airport surface or at specified points in the air — used to verify the accuracy of an aircraft's VOR receiver. Each checkpoint has a published radial and distance from a specific VOR station, allowing pilots to compare the indicated bearing against the known correct value to confirm the receiver is operating within tolerance.
Plain English
Specific spots on the ground or in the air, surveyed and approved by the FAA, where you can park or fly and check whether your VOR navigation receiver is showing the correct bearing.
Context Anchor
Used during VOR receiver accuracy checks, especially when following FAA-approved ground or airborne checkpoint procedures.
Derivation
"Certified" comes from Latin certus, meaning sure or settled — these checkpoints have been officially verified and approved. "Checkpoint" simply means a point at which something is checked. Together: a verified, approved point used for checking equipment.
Why Pilots Care
Confirms VOR receiver accuracy to meet regulatory requirements and maintain reliable navigation.
Grounding Statement
At a certified checkpoint, the correct VOR reading is already known, so the pilot can compare the receiver against that known reading.
Intuition Check
Do not read “certified checkpoints” as any convenient landmark where you happen to check the instrument. Here it means an FAA-approved checkpoint with a published correct VOR indication.
Example Sentence 1
Before departing IFR, the pilot taxied to the certified checkpoint marked on the ramp and confirmed the VOR was within the four-degree tolerance.
Example Sentence 2
Before departure the instructor had the student locate a certified checkpoint on the sectional to plan an airborne VOR check.