Sectional Chart
Encyclopedia
In United States
aviation
, a sectional chart, often called sectional for short, is a type of aeronautical chart
designed for navigation
under visual flight rules
.
s, such as terrain elevations
, ground features identifiable from altitude (rivers, dams, bridges, buildings, etc.), and ground features useful to pilots (airport
s, beacon
s, landmarks, etc.). The chart also provides information on airspace class
es, ground-based navigation aids, radio frequencies
, longitude and latitude
, navigation waypoint
s, navigation routes.
Sectional charts are in 1:500,000 scale and are named for a major city within their area of coverage. The Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) in the United States provides a series of over 50 charts covering the continental United States, Alaska
, and Hawaii
. Sectional charts are published by the National Aeronautical Navigation Services Group of the FAA. A number of commercial enterprises, notably Jeppesen
, produce compatible, certified sectionals.
The sectionals are complemented by Terminal Area Chart
s (TACs), produced at a 1:250,000 scale
and depicting the areas around major U.S. airports in detail, and World Aeronautical Chart
s (WACs), produced at a scale of 1:1,000,000 and used for navigation by pilots flying primarily moderate speed aircraft
and aircraft operating at high altitudes.
The charts are updated at six-month intervals to ensure topographic, navigational, communications and obstacle information remains current.
The first sectional chart was published in 1930. It was not until 1937 that the full series of the lower 48 states was completed. These early sectional charts were printed on smaller sheets of paper and map information was only printed on one side while the reverse side contained the legend, index to adjoining charts, and airport diagrams.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
, a sectional chart, often called sectional for short, is a type of aeronautical chart
Aeronautical chart
An aeronautical chart is a map designed to assist in navigation of aircraft, much as nautical charts do for watercraft, or a roadmap for drivers...
designed for navigation
Air navigation
The basic principles of air navigation are identical to general navigation, which includes the process of planning, recording, and controlling the movement of a craft from one place to another....
under visual flight rules
Visual flight rules
Visual flight rules are a set of regulations which allow a pilot to operate an aircraft in weather conditions generally clear enough to allow the pilot to see where the aircraft is going. Specifically, the weather must be better than basic VFR weather minimums, as specified in the rules of the...
.
Overview
A sectional chart provides detailed information on topographical features that are important to aviatorAviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
s, such as terrain elevations
Elevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
, ground features identifiable from altitude (rivers, dams, bridges, buildings, etc.), and ground features useful to pilots (airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
s, beacon
Beacon
A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location.Beacons can also be combined with semaphoric or other indicators to provide important information, such as the status of an airport, by the colour and rotational pattern of its airport beacon, or of...
s, landmarks, etc.). The chart also provides information on airspace class
Airspace class (United States)
The United States airspace system's classification scheme is to provide maximum pilot flexibility with acceptable levels of risk appropriate to the type of operation and traffic density within that class of airspace - in particular to provide separation and active control in areas of dense or...
es, ground-based navigation aids, radio frequencies
Radio frequency
Radio frequency is a rate of oscillation in the range of about 3 kHz to 300 GHz, which corresponds to the frequency of radio waves, and the alternating currents which carry radio signals...
, longitude and latitude
Geographic coordinate system
A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system that enables every location on the Earth to be specified by a set of numbers. The coordinates are often chosen such that one of the numbers represent vertical position, and two or three of the numbers represent horizontal position...
, navigation waypoint
Waypoint
A waypoint is a reference point in physical space used for purposes of navigation.-Concept:Waypoints are sets of coordinates that identify a point in physical space. Coordinates used can vary depending on the application. For terrestrial navigation these coordinates can include longitude and...
s, navigation routes.
Sectional charts are in 1:500,000 scale and are named for a major city within their area of coverage. The Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
(FAA) in the United States provides a series of over 50 charts covering the continental United States, Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, and Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. Sectional charts are published by the National Aeronautical Navigation Services Group of the FAA. A number of commercial enterprises, notably Jeppesen
Jeppesen
Jeppesen is an American company that specializes in navigational information, operations management solutions and flight training products and services...
, produce compatible, certified sectionals.
The sectionals are complemented by Terminal Area Chart
Terminal area chart
In United States and Canadian aviation, Terminal area charts are aeronautical charts intended for navigation under Visual Flight Rules that depict areas surrounding major airports, primarily those with Class B airspace.-Overview:...
s (TACs), produced at a 1:250,000 scale
Scale (map)
The scale of a map is defined as the ratio of a distance on the map to the corresponding distance on the ground.If the region of the map is small enough for the curvature of the Earth to be neglected, then the scale may be taken as a constant ratio over the whole map....
and depicting the areas around major U.S. airports in detail, and World Aeronautical Chart
World Aeronautical Chart
A World Aeronautical Chart is a type of aeronautical chart used for navigation by pilots flying primarily moderate speed aircraft and aircraft operating at high altitudes...
s (WACs), produced at a scale of 1:1,000,000 and used for navigation by pilots flying primarily moderate speed aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
and aircraft operating at high altitudes.
The charts are updated at six-month intervals to ensure topographic, navigational, communications and obstacle information remains current.
The first sectional chart was published in 1930. It was not until 1937 that the full series of the lower 48 states was completed. These early sectional charts were printed on smaller sheets of paper and map information was only printed on one side while the reverse side contained the legend, index to adjoining charts, and airport diagrams.
See also
- Aeronautical chart conventions (United States)Aeronautical chart conventions (United States)This article describes the graphic conventions used in Sectional charts and Terminal area charts published for aeronautical navigation under Visual Flight Rules in the United States of America...
Conventions used in U.S. aeronautical charts
External links
- Av8orCharts.com - Download current IFR En Route and Sectional charts for training or navigation.
- SkyVector.com - Sectional, TAC, FLY, and IFR en route charts for the United States
- How to read a sectional aeronautical chart
- Sectional charts explained
- SkySectionals.com Sectional, TAC, FLY and enroute charts provided in PDF format
- AvCharts.com - Sectional Charts for the entire United States
- AeroPlanner.com - Sectional, WAC, IFR, GNC and TAC charts for the United States
- Sectional Raster Aeronautical Charts - Current charts from the FAA