Understanding Chart Basics

• Scale: Sectional charts have a scale of 1:500,000 (1 inch = ~6.86 nautical miles).
• Coverage: They provide details about topography, airspace, airports, and landmarks.

Key Features on the Chart

Terrain and Topography
Colors:

• Light green to tan: Low elevations.
• Darker browns: Higher elevations.

Contour lines: Show terrain elevation changes.
Shaded relief: Highlights terrain features like mountains and valleys.
Maximum Elevation Figure (MEF): A large number in each grid rectangle indicating the highest elevation, including obstacles, within that area.
Obstructions:

• Towers and Obstacles:
• Small black or magenta symbols with heights listed in feet above Mean Sea Level (MSL) and Ground Level (AGL).
• Example: "1542" / "463" means 1,542 ft MSL and 463 ft AGL.

Airspace

Classes of Airspace

• Class A: High-altitude, not depicted on sectional charts.
• Class B: Solid blue lines, major airports (e.g., around LAX, ORD).
• Class C: Solid magenta lines, medium-sized airports.
• Class D: Dashed blue lines, smaller towered airports.
• Class E: Gradient shading or dashed magenta lines, typically above 1,200 ft AGL or surface.
• Class G: Uncontrolled airspace, not explicitly marked, often below Class E.

Airspace Altitudes

• Numbers near airspace boundaries indicate altitude limits. For example, "SFC" (surface) to 10,000 ft MSL.
• Prohibited, Restricted, and Special Use Airspace
• Prohibited Areas(P): Blue hashed lines; no entry (e.g., The White House).
• Restricted Areas(R): Blue hashed lines; entry requires permission.
• Warning Areas(W): Offshore military zones.
• Military Operations Areas(MOA): Magenta hashed lines; caution advised.
• Alert Areas(A): Magenta hashed lines; high pilot activity.
• Temporary Flight Restrictions(TFRs): Check current status via NOTAMs.

Navigation Aids (NAVAIDs)

VOR Stations:

• Depicted as blue hexagons with associated frequency.
• Example: "113.4 VOR-DME" provides navigation guidance and distance.

Compass Roses:

• Around VORs, indicating radials for navigation.

Victor Airways:

• Light blue lines between VORs, indicating low-altitude airways.

Airports

Airport Symbols:

• Blue: Towered airports.
• Magenta: Non-towered airports.
• Circle with runway lines: Indicates runways longer than 8,000 ft.
• Small open circle: Smaller airports with limited facilities.

Information Blocks:

• Airport Name: Includes the airport elevation and lighting.
• Runway Details: Lengths and types (e.g., asphalt or grass).

Miscellaneous

• Landmarks: Symbols for towns, highways, railroads, and water bodies.
• Isogonic Lines: Dashed magenta lines showing magnetic variation.
• Latitude and Longitude: Graticules for navigation or waypoint planning.
• Flight Services Frequencies: Found in airport information blocks or near navigation aids.