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north and south are designed with a calibrated overlap that permits plotting extensions of course lines from one side to the other, once the user has scribed a corresponding "match line" on each side. All other edges are truncated at a predetermined size. White space around the chart is filled with map information and the legend, scales, and tables of airport and airspace information.
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with two defined standard parallels. The scale is 1:500,000, with a contour interval of 500 feet. The size of each sectional is designed to be "arm's width" when completely unfolded. The "northern" half of the section is on one side of the chart, and the "southern" on the reverse. The edges between
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Each indicated airport has an airport data block associated with it. The block may contain just the name, altitude and runway length, or any of the following additional information, among others.
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is indicated with a circle, or with an outline of the hard-surfaced runways (if over 8,069 feet long). Blue shows an airport with a control tower and magenta for others.
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The legend divides these into several types of information, namely: airports, radio aids, traffic and airspace services, obstructions, topographic, and miscellaneous.
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Local operations such as parachuting, glider, and ultralight (magenta parachute or glider symbol with letter G, H (hang glider), U (ultralight));
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lights are routinely pointed into the air (a jagged-edged circle), or a wildlife protection area (a solid line with dots along the inside edge).
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The elevation of the top of the obstacle is shown feet and depicted in both height above mean sea level and height above ground in parentheses.
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Based upon standard mapping symbols, these markings usually designate man-made structures that may be identifiable from the air, including:
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Tall towers are especially dangerous and have specific markings according to their height above ground and whether or not lighted.
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and major roads, cities, and bodies of water are shown for visual reference, as well as other identifiable structures (e.g.,
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Other unusual features may be designated on the map with symbols that do not appear in the legend, such as areas where
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Water tank (black dot), lookout towers (circle with triangle inside), oil wells (empty circle), water wells (blue dot)
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Power transmission lines (may also be an obstacle in some areas) (solid lines between tower symbols)
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Towers with high-intensity lights are indicated by "lightning bolts" around the tip of the symbol.
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lists many of the symbols, colors and codes used to convey information to the map reader.
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Preferred reporting points (magenta flag with name), on easily identified features; and
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An abandoned airport with paved runways is shown with a circle having an "X" over it.
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Where relevant, a mountain pass and its elevation may be shown with curved lines.
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Some indicators do not cleanly fall into the previous categories. These include:
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Railroads, bridges, viaducts, dams (black lines, railroads with cross-hatching)
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airstrips (without hard-surface runways) are shown with two concentric circles.
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Outdoor facilities such as stadiums, schools, golf courses, etc. (black box)
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Indications of flashing lights (star with Fl) or marine lights (black dot);
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Elevations of floor or ceiling of some types of airspace are also indicated
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Beacon locations, type, radio frequency, codes, and features are indicated
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Class B, C, D, E airspace is designated by colored lines of various types
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waypoints that are listed in the pertinent
Airport/Facility Directory.
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Major roadways, with or without showing route numbers (solid lines)
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Special use airspace is shown using specific colors and markings
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Up to 1,000 feet above ground, a small, inverted "V" with a dot
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Private airports are shown with the letter "R" inside a circle.
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Location, name, and direction of
Federal Airways are shown
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Elevation in feet (typically at center of longest runway)
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Outdoor theaters, race tracks (funnel shape, oval shape)
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An unverified airstrip is shown with a "U" in a circle.
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A sectional chart is a two-sided chart created from a
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Control tower, ATIS, UNICOM frequencies, as available
55:"Aeronautical chart conventions" United States
46:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
334:Towers 1,000 feet and over: the "V" is elongated.
457:FAA Aeronautical Charts Products and Information
337:Groups of towers are shown with multiple symbols
462:FAA Aeronautical Chart Users Guide (March 2020)
365:Aerial cables (dashed line between black boxes)
203:The location of each airport and presence of
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267:Length of longest runway in hundreds of feet
243:Part-time tower operation (a star symbol).
106:Learn how and when to remove this message
377:Coast guard stations (diamond with "CG")
292:Airport traffic and airspace information
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430:"Lambert conformal conic projection"
44:adding citations to reliable sources
258:Airport surveillance radar presence
224:is designated with "H" in a circle.
272:Radio aids and communication boxes
167:Lambert Conformal Conic Projection
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246:FSS, ATIS/AWOS, CTAF indicators
173:Terrain is color-coded for its
148:Federal Aviation Administration
31:needs additional citations for
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482:Aviation in the United States
312:Terminal Radar Service areas
252:Right traffic pattern alert
130:published for aeronautical
118:This article describes the
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284:also includes a circular
309:Military Training Routes
255:Special VFR restrictions
140:United States of America
348:Topographic information
315:National Security Areas
261:Lighting hour, if any
144:Department of Defense
128:Terminal area charts
40:improve this article
487:Aeronautical charts
136:Visual Flight Rules
120:graphic conventions
155:aeronautical chart
153:The legend of an
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51:Find sources:
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29:This article
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438:, retrieved
436:, 2024-01-09
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323:Obstructions
318:Mode C areas
286:compass rose
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235:Airport data
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183:water towers
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96:January 2024
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38:Please help
33:verification
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471:Categories
440:2024-01-18
416:References
132:navigation
66:newspapers
434:Knowledge
175:elevation
222:heliport
212:Military
199:Airports
179:stadiums
146:and the
122:used in
161:General
138:in the
80:scholar
134:under
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280:Each
193:laser
87:JSTOR
73:books
181:and
126:and
59:news
409:VFR
282:VOR
150:".
42:by
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220:A
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