Definition
A label shown on a GPS nearest-airport or navigation display indicating that the referenced airport or facility is equipped with a co-located VOR (VHF Omnidirectional Range) and DME (Distance Measuring Equipment), and that the bearing or course shown to it is 011 degrees. The number following the facility type is the bearing in degrees, with leading zeros sometimes dropped on the display.
Plain English
It means the nearest navigation aid is a combined VOR and DME station, and it sits on a bearing of 11 degrees from the aircraft's current position.
Context Anchor
Seen on instrument approach charts and in GPS airport information pages that list available approaches for an airport.
Derivation
VOR comes from “Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range,” a radio navigation system that gives course information. DME means “Distance Measuring Equipment,” which gives distance information. The number 11 points to Runway 11, whose runway direction is roughly 110 degrees magnetic.
Why Pilots Care
Lets a pilot quickly locate and tune a nearby station for accurate position updates or course guidance during instrument flight.
Intuition Check
Do not read “11” as a version number or checklist step. In this term, 11 identifies the runway the approach is designed for: Runway 11.
Example Sentence 1
The GPS nearest page listed VOR/DME 11, so the pilot turned to a heading of 011 to track toward the station.
Example Sentence 2
Tuning VOR/DME 11 gave both the radial and DME readout needed for the arrival.