Definition
A change-over point (COP) is a designated point on a Federal airway or jet route where a pilot navigating between two VOR stations switches the active navigation reference from the station behind the aircraft to the station ahead. Unless otherwise published on the chart, the COP is at the midpoint between the two facilities; where signal reception, terrain, or route geometry require it, the COP is published at a different location.
Plain English
It is the point along an airway where you stop tuning and tracking the VOR behind you and start using the next VOR ahead of you to stay on the route.
Context Anchor
Seen on instrument en route charts and in route-design discussions, especially on route segments between two ground-based navigation aids.
Why Pilots Care
Ensures continuous reliable navigation signal coverage and accurate position fixes for obstacle clearance.
Intuition Check
Do not read this as any place where a pilot happens to make a change. In this context, it means the specified point where the navigation reference changes from one aid to the next.
Example Sentence 1
Approaching the change-over point, the pilot retuned the second VOR receiver and verified the new course before switching navigation reference.
Example Sentence 2
Because the change-over point was offset from the airway midpoint, the aircraft maintained continuous navigation signal reception throughout the segment.