A small Illinois airport changes its flight rules as old navigation beacons disappear

The Federal Aviation Administration is updating the flight rules for Pontiac, Illinois. This is because the old radio beacon that pilots used to navigate has been turned off.

For decades, air travel relied on a network of ground-based radio beacons called VORs. These beacons are slowly being decommissioned as GPS technology takes over. Each time one is removed, the flight paths and airspace rules around nearby airports must be updated. This small change in Pontiac is one of thousands that will happen across the country as the US air navigation system shifts from ground-based radio signals to satellite-based GPS.