Jitter That Occurred in the Flight Management System During the Vor Operational Check Using the Aeroflex IFR-4000 on the Beechcraft King Air 350I Aircraft

Article Sidebar

Published: Oct 24, 2025

Abstract:

Background of study: Ensuring the proper functioning of the Flight Management System (FMS) is crucial for flight safety, particularly during VOR Operational Checks. Jitter in the FMS can disrupt navigation and compromise the accuracy of flight operations. During an On-the-Job Training (OJT) program at the Balai Besar Kalibrasi Fasilitas Penerbangan (BBKFP), jitter was identified in the FMS of a Beechcraft King Air 350i during a VOR Operational Check using the AeroFlex IFR-4000.


Aims and scope of paper: This paper aims to analyze and identify the cause of FMS jitter observed during VOR Operational Checks on the Beechcraft King Air 350i using the AeroFlex IFR-4000. The scope of the study is limited to the analysis of jitter occurrence during the VOR Operational Check process.


Methods: A qualitative descriptive method was applied by analyzing data obtained from direct observation of the VOR Operational Check and referencing the aircraft maintenance manual. The analysis particularly examined the relationship between RF signal strength from the AeroFlex IFR-4000 and the occurrence of FMS jitter.


Result: The study found that FMS jitter during the VOR Operational Check was caused by low RF signal levels generated by the AeroFlex IFR-4000. Adjusting the RF signal level from -10 dBm to -5 dBm successfully eliminated the jitter issue.


Conclusion: FMS jitter has a direct impact on navigational accuracy and thus requires immediate attention during operational checks. This research emphasizes the importance of ensuring adequate RF signal strength in order to prevent FMS jitter, thereby maintaining reliable navigation and flight safety.

Keywords: AeroFlex IFR-4000 , Beechcraft King Air 350i , Flight Management System (FMS) , Jitter , VOR Operational Check

Authors:
1 . Muhammad Ihsan
Politeknik Penerbangan Medan,
https://orcid.org/0009-0005-7080-3006
PDF
Download
Licensed

Copyright (c) 2025 Muhammad Ihsan

Issue
Vol. 1 No. 1 (2025): Journal of Sustainable Software Engineering and Information Systems
Section
Articles

References

Bai, J., Yuan, S., & Duan, Z. (2025). Research on the Interference Effects of 5G’s Key Parameters on Radio Altimeters. Aerospace, 12(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace12010016

Bukhari, J., & Mérida, W. (2024). 5G interference with aviation altimeters: technology and policy recommendations for coexistence. Transport Policy, 153, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tranpol.2024.04.011

Burbank, J., Greene, T., & Kaabouch, N. (2024). Detecting and Mitigating Attacks on GPS Devices. Sensors, 24(17). https://doi.org/10.3390/s24175529

Dai, Y., Lai, J., Zhang, Q., Li, Z., & Liu, R. (2024). Adaptive Navigation Performance Evaluation Method for Civil Aircraft Navigation Systems with Unknown Time-Varying Sensor Noise. Sensors, 24(16). https://doi.org/10.3390/s24165093

Dai, Y., Lai, J., Zhu, B., Li, Z., Sun, X., & Lv, P. (2022). Three-Dimensional ANP Evaluation Method Based on Spatial Position Uncertainty under RNP Operation. Aerospace, 9(11). https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace9110703

De Oliveira Costa, D., Oliveira, N. M. F., & d’Amore, R. (2020). The feasibility of remotely piloted aircrafts for VOR flight inspection. Sensors (Switzerland), 20(7). https://doi.org/10.3390/s20071947

DEMİRDÖVEN, G. H. (2025). CEFR updates (2020)-based next-gen immersive learning in 5 steps. Frontiers in Education, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1567249

Duan, Z., Ma, Z., Bai, J., Wang, P., Xu, K., & Yuan, S. (2024). Deployment Protection for Interference of 5G Base Stations with Aeronautical Radio Altimeters. Sensors, 24(7), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.3390/s24072313

Felux, M., Fol, P., Figuet, B., Waltert, M., & Olive, X. (2024). Impacts Aviation. Navigation, Journal of the Institute of Navigation, 71(3). https://doi.org/10.33012/navi.657

Firmansyah, M. Z., Sa’duh, S., Hasibuan, R. P., & Gusmaneli, G. (2023). Meningkatkan Kualitas Pendidikan di Indonesia: Peran Sentral Pilar-Pilar Pendidikan dalam Membentuk Generasi Unggul. AL-IMAM: Journal on Islamic Studies, Civilization and Learning Societies, 4, 57–66. https://doi.org/10.58764/j.im.2023.4.43

Gökçe, P., Üçüncü, M., & Schmidt, E. G. (2024). OMNeT++ Simulation Framework for Avionics Full-Duplex Switched Ethernet. Journal of Aerospace Information Systems, 21(5), 443–454. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.I011351

Hanum, G. K., Prayitno, H., Mubarok, A., Pasongli, H., & Mendrofa, N. K. (2024). Education management in the new normal era: a literature study. Academy of Education Journal, 15(1), 1028–1035. https://doi.org/10.47200/aoej.v15i1.2357

Kurzweil, L. (2024). Interference of 5G with aircraft radio altimeters: How to protect aviation safety in rapidly changing environment of expanding C-band networks. Aerospace Traffic and Safety, 1(2), 155–164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aets.2024.12.003

Malik, A., & Rao, M. (2025). Radio Frequency Interference, Its Mitigation and Its Implications for the Civil Aviation Industry. Electronics (Switzerland), 14(12), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics14122483

Meining, N. I. E., Yongmei, Z., Wei, J., Xin, L. I., Zilong, Z., Fei, T., & Zhao, H. E. (2022). VOR 参数测量能力计量比对分析 Comparative Analysis of the Measurement Capability of VOR Parameter. https://doi.org/10.12338/j.issn.2096-9015.2021.0613

Miś, T. A., Kazubski, W., & Zieliński, M. (2025). Preliminary Analysis of Atmospheric Front-Related VHF Propagation Enhancements for Navigation Aids. Sensors, 25(14), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.3390/s25144455

Ostroumov, I. (2023). Performance Evaluation of Positioning Methods Used in the Flight Management System BT - Proceedings of the International Workshop on Advances in Civil Aviation Systems Development (I. Ostroumov & M. Zaliskyi (eds.); pp. 3–16). Springer Nature Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-38082-2_1

Rosyidah Dzunur’aini, Abroto, Abduhakim Kaje Yamkee, Yessika Destiana Lahabu, & Intan Dewi Mawardini. (2025). The Age of Full AI in Education: Redefining Learning through Intelligent Technology. International Journal of Basic Educational Research, 2(2), 45–56. https://doi.org/10.14421/ijber.v2i2.11840

Steiner, J., & Trýb, J. (2024). GPS jamming detection: ADS-B vs professional detector comparison. Transportation Research Procedia, 81, 328–336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trpro.2024.11.034

Tripathi, V., & Caizzone, S. (2024). Virtual Validation of In-Flight GNSS Signal Reception during Jamming for Aeronautics Applications. Aerospace, 11(3), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace11030204