Earth's Coordinate System
The imaginary line that divides the Earth into the Northern and Southern hemispheres and is located at 0° latitude.
What is the equator?
This small, magenta-colored symbol on a Sectional Chart indicates a visual reporting checkpoint for manned VFR aircraft.
What is a visual waypoint?
The base altitude for Victor Airways, which represents the lowest altitude civilian pilots fly at on these airways.
What is 1,200 ft. AGL?
This resource provides the most comprehensive information on airports, heliports, and seaplane bases open to the public.
What are Chart Supplements U.S. (formerly Airport/Facility Directory)?
This type of information, including details on traffic patterns and noise abatement, can be found in the Chart Supplements.
What is traffic pattern information?
The imaginary line that divides the Earth into the Eastern and Western hemispheres, passing through Greenwich, England.
What is the prime meridian?
This term refers to the height above the ground where you are flying.
What is Above Ground Level (AGL)?
This is the maximum altitude that a Victor Airway reaches.
What is 18,000 ft. MSL?
This digital tool allows pilots to access Chart Supplements by clicking on an airport's icon.
What is SkyVector?
The most comprehensive source for information on an airport’s traffic pattern, noise abatement, and operating hours is this.
What is the Chart Supplement U.S.?
Degree numbers do this as they move North of the equator
What is increase?
This term refers to the true altitude above sea level, which is often used for denoting elevations on Sectional Charts.
What is Mean Sea Level (MSL)?
On a Sectional Chart, these are used to depict low-altitude civilian air traffic routes, typically represented by thick, faded blue lines.
What are Victor Airways?
Chart Supplements are updated every couple of these.
What are months?
This app provides a simple way to check airspace and operational restrictions for drone pilots
What is the FAA's B4UFLY app?
These units are used to subdivide each degree of latitude or longitude on a map, and each one is equal to 1/60th of a degree.
What are minutes?
These lines on a Sectional Chart show the difference in degrees between true north and magnetic north.
What are isogonic lines?
When you see a number in parentheses on a Sectional Chart, it typically refers to this type of altitude.
What is AGL (Above Ground Level)?
The Chart Supplement is a great resource for learning about operations such as these, which may involve aerial activities like jumping or flying gliders.
What are parachute drop zones or glider operations?
This resource is great for planning flights near airports and can be used to research things like parachute drop zones.
What are Chart Supplements?
Each grid section formed by intersecting lines of latitude and longitude on a Sectional Chart is referred to as this.
What is a quadrangle?
This figure shows the minimum altitude you can fly within a quadrangle on a Sectional Chart to avoid obstacles, including terrain and obstructions.
What is the Maximum Elevation Figure (MEF)?
This color on a Sectional Chart indicates the highest elevations above sea level, typically in mountainous regions.
What is dark brown?
Chart Supplements are typically divided into this number of books to cover the vast amount of information.
What are seven books?
Information about restrictions such as noise abatement and operating hours can typically be found in these documents, which are updated periodically.
What are Chart Supplements U.S. (formerly Airport/Facility Directory)?