Definition
An RNAV path and terminator leg, coded VR, on which the aircraft flies a specified magnetic heading until it intercepts a defined radial from a specified VOR. The leg ends at the moment the radial is crossed, not at a fixed point in space, so the actual termination position varies with wind and groundspeed.
Plain English
Fly the heading the procedure tells you to fly, and keep flying it until you cross a particular line projecting outward from a VOR station. The instant you cross that line, this leg is over and the next leg begins.
Context Anchor
Seen in instrument procedure coding and RNAV procedure design, especially when describing how a published procedure leg ends.
Derivation
The two-letter code follows the ARINC 424 convention used by navigation database designers: the first letter describes the path (V for a heading vector), and the second letter describes how the leg terminates (R for a VOR radial). So VR literally means 'heading path, radial termination.'
Why Pilots Care
Ensures the aircraft remains within protected airspace and sequences correctly onto the next segment without requiring course guidance until the termination condition is met.
Grounding Statement
Picture flying a steady assigned heading until you cross an invisible line drawn out from a navigation station; crossing that line ends the leg.
Intuition Check
Do not read this as “fly along the radial.” In a VR leg, the radial is the stopping point for the heading leg, not automatically the path to follow.
Example Sentence 1
After takeoff the SID coded a VR leg requiring the crew to fly heading 070 until crossing the 040 radial from the ABC VOR, at which point the aircraft turned on course.
Example Sentence 2
After the VR termination the crew continued visually to the airport.