Definition
Points along a Federal airway, jet route, or other published route where a pilot flying between two VOR navigation stations is expected to switch the navigation receiver from the station behind the aircraft to the station ahead. Changeover points (COPs) are normally located at the midpoint between two VORs, but may be published at a different location when terrain, signal interference, or route geometry makes the midpoint unreliable. When depicted on an en route chart, the COP shows the distances to each of the two stations.
Plain English
A specific spot on a route where you stop using the VOR behind you for navigation and start using the VOR ahead of you. It is usually halfway between the two stations, but sometimes it is moved if the signal from one station is not reliable that far out.
Context Anchor
Seen on instrument route charts and in instrument procedure discussions, especially when flying along airways or route segments between radio navigation facilities.
Why Pilots Care
Switching at the correct point keeps the navigation signal strong and prevents loss of accurate guidance when flying between distant aids.
Analogy
It is like following road signs from one town until a marked point, then using the signs for the next town because they now guide you more accurately.
Intuition Check
A changeover point is not an air traffic control handoff point. It tells you when to change navigation reference, not when you change controllers.
Example Sentence 1
Crossing the changeover point on V23, the pilot retuned the VOR from Dubuque to Iowa City and centered the new course needle.
Example Sentence 2
Enroute charts mark changeover points so pilots know exactly when to transition navigation references.