Contents
Items
---Planning the flight should take twice as long as the flying of your plan.
---Sectional charts now have runway information regarding pattern directions using the letters RP.
---To learn all of the symbols used on a sectional do not rely on the legend. Get a copy of the "Aeronautical Chart Users Guide'. Expect to find changes in every issue of a new sectional.
Sectional Change
---No more solid black square in corner of VORTAC box. Instead you will find circle with an H for HIWAS..
VFR Charts
NOAA Aeronautical Chart User's Guide is a source of chart terms and symbols with charting symbols organized by chart type. Available from the Government printing office Golden Gate Ave in downtown S. F. at 1-800/638-8972. State charts are obtained from the Aviation Dept. from each state. Years ago I wrote to all the states on a route across the country and back. I received 37 pounds of charts, guides, and information. Do it.
VFR area charts (TAC) are scaled 1:250,000 or 3.5 nm per inch. Sectional charts are 1:500,000 or 7 nm per inch. WAC charts are 1:1,000,000 or 14 nm per inch. Sectionals are replaced every 6 -months as are area charts. Where TACs occur in sectionals they are outlined in white. WACs do not carry airport communications information or Classes D or E airspace. MTRs are not shown either. TACs are used to clarify the separation of Classes B, C, and D airspaces.
To fly without a chart or an out-of-date chart is an FAR violation since you do not have all available information. This only becomes a factor when something else attracts the FAA's attention. Pilots should have VFR charts available. Every color, number and mark on a sectional is significant. I do not believe it is possible to know all the ramifications that exist on a sectional. Even keeping up with the changes is daunting. The more complex the area the more likely it is that there will be errors. Your flying proficiency is directly related to knowing your charts.
Runway lights
AIM 2-3-3 presents threshold stripes for IFR runways such that 4 stripes = 50', 6 = 75', 8 = 100', 12 = 150'16 = 200'. Touchdown zone marks are 500' from beginning of threshold lights. I50' long aiming point marks are 1000' from beginning of threshold lights. Edge lights are usually white but on IFR runway yellow exists on last 2000'. IFR centerline lights are red and white for the last 2000' and red for the last 1000'. Taxiway turnoff lights are now called taxiway leadoff lights and are alternating green and yellow from the runway centerline to the runway hold bar. The new obstruction lighting system is in the AIM 2-2-3
Land and hold short lights have pulsating white lights at the LAHSO point. The runway end lights are red toward the runway and green from the approach side. During low visibility stop-bar lights extend across the taxiway to warn of the hold short position they are called runway guard lights. Yellow clearance bar lights are at the holding position of some taxiways. An airport beacon with a green and two quick white flashes indicates a military airport. A beacon operating at a controlled airport during the daytime indicates that the airport is below VFR minimums either of visibility (3 miles) or a ceiling less than 1000'.
All Available Information
FAR 91.103 says, "Each pilot in command shall, before beginning a flight, become familiar with all available information concerning that flight. This includes weather, fuel, alternates, plane performance, runway/airport information, and possible delays. Radio frequencies, ATC services, terrain, airspace, and local services are not in the FARs but belong in your "All Available Information" kit. Materials such as the AIM require that you have a subscription to remain current. The FBO AIM will not satisfy the AAI requirement. Materials are available for on site use at all ATC facilities.
First get your charts, a World Aeronautical Chart is good for planning long trips, a sectional set is required but not mentioned specifically in the FARs, a VFR Area chart is required by FAR if you plan to fly in, under, or over Class B airspace. The first planning step is to draw a course line on the WAC and then transfer it over to your Sectionals and Area Charts.
Using these course lines you are ready to locate any Special Use airspace along the route to note minimum altitudes, hours of operation, and areas where extra precautions may be advisable. Use the Airport/Facility Directory and any available airport guide to get en route airport information to elaborate on the rather limited chart data. You could use 'Post-it's' but I prefer a black marker to give pattern altitudes and frequencies. This is a good time to get any special frequencies that are not normally available such as Center. You may need access to IFR charts for these as well as IFR approach/departure courses and altitudes. In low visibility conditions you must plan to avoid IFR routes.
All information from charts and publications may be out of date anywhere from thirteen days to six months. The accuracy of your information must be verified by getting all local and distant NOTAMs along the route. Local NOTAMS-L may not be available until you approach an area while airborne. NOTAMs are the latest valid information and may extend, cancel or replace any prior information that is printed.
While en route listen to Flight Watch on 122.0 or even on the following frequencies that are intended for high altitude aircraft but are available as an option to a pilot who is flying in isolated areas such as behind the Sierras; 135.7 Oakland, 135.92 Seattle, 133.02 Salt Lake, and 135.9 Los Angeles. Many VORs have weather broadcasts where the VOR information box has a small black square in the corner. TWEBs and HIWAS may be broadcast over navaids.
It is not against the FARs to fly while having out-of-date charts in the aircraft. You may even used them but if such use should cause an accident or an FAR violation. An additional action can be brought against you for
not having current charts.
Aviation Charts (first)
The first charts were published in 1926 of the principle airways. They were long and narrow and extended only 40 miles to each side of the airway. 1 inch equaled 8 miles. (A sectional has 1 inch to 7.8914 miles). Water was colored blue, cities yellow, railroad black and highways white. Airports were red circles. Sea level land was dark green, at 1000' it became |light green, at 2000' light brown, above 3000' darker brown. The charts were useful but so narrow that any diversion for weather could fly you off the map.
A chart will not tell you where you are unless you know where you are. Not knowing where you are is the one of most stressful things that can happen in flying. Reading a chart under stress is not likely to be a successful situation.
The universal use of GPS will affect the use of charts. Chart
reading skills will deteriorate.
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