Terminal Area Charts Flashcards
Why do you think the chart is entitled “Terminal” area chart?
Specifically depicts the airspace surrounding major airports: focusing on the terminal phase of flight, landing and takeoff occur.
What is the scale for the chart?
Every 1” on the chart represents 250,000” of the world (~3/4 NM)
How often are new VFR Terminal Area Charts issued?
Every 56 days.
What are the reasons charts must be continually updated?
Airport radio frequencies can change
Airports could add, close, or extend runways
Magnetic variation in the area can change
Airspace boundaries can be changed
New cities, roads, dams, or other visual checkpoints may be built
The surface area of Class D airport is shown with a ________ border line.
Thin blue dashed
Why are the vertical limits of the airspace surrounding a Class D airport only shown with single number?
All Class D airspace begins at the surface, so only the top of the airspace is needed to define the vertical limits.
[-15] indicates that the…
Class D airspace extends from the surface up to, but not including 1,500 ft AGL
Name at least two Class D airports on the San Francisco VFR Terminal Chart.
San Carlos (KSQL)
Palo Alto (KPAO)
Moffet Federal Airfield (KNUQ)
Class C boundaries are shown as…
Thick, solid magenta lines
The vertical limits of each Class C airspace region is shown by two numbers that look like a fraction which represent.
The top number = numerator = the ceiling of the class airspace in ft.
The bottom number= denominator = the base of the class airspace in ft.
“SFC” indicates that the area immediately surrounding a Class C or Class B airport, the controlled airspace begins…
At the surface
The surface area of the Class C airspace is centered around…
The center of the airport
Why do you think Class B and Class C airspace are typically broken up into many individual regions?
To accommodate the needs of arriving IFR traffic while still allowing sufficient transition pathways and terrain clearance for local VFR traffic.
Name at least two Class C airports on the San Francisco VFR Terminal Area Chart…
KSJC, KOAK
The surface areas of a Class B airport is shown with a ________ border line.
Thick Solid Blue Line
For Class B airspaces defined as concentric circles, the circles are centered around…
A VOR (radio navigation beacon) usually located at the center of the airport
The airport symbols themselves are intended to represent…
The length and orientation of airport’s runways
The airport symbol is shown in either blue or magenta and…indicates…
Indicates whether there is an airport control tower
The airport information text adjacent to an airport symbol will be printed in Blue for Class B and Class D airports, and what color for Class C airports
Blue
The numbers following “CT -“ in the airport information represent
The control tower radio frequency
The words “ATIS”, “AWOS” and “ASOS” followed by numbers indicate the frequency on which a pilot could tune and listen to automated or recorded _______ information.
Weather.
What is the three-letter code in parentheses following the name of the airport?
The unique identifier for the airport.
Define the terrain elevation associated with light green chart color.
Terrain elevation starts at sea level -1000ft
Define the terrain elevation associated with dark green chart colors:
Terrain elevation starts a 1000ft-2000ft
Define the terrain elevation associated with light tan chart colors:
Terrain elevation starts at 2000ft-3000ft
Define the terrain elevation associated with dark tan chart colors:
Terrain elevation starts at 3000ft-4400ft (This can also be rounded to 5000ft)
On VFR charts, blue surface area represents
Water
What color is used to represent the lighted pattern areas of towns and populated areas as they would appear on a VFR pilot n a night flight ?
Yellow.
In addition to terrain elevation colors and contour lines, the chart shows the elevation of some other spots locations using …
Geometric symbols.
Why are automobile roads, highways, bridges, and tunnels shown on a VFR airplane chart?
They are usually identifiable from the air and can aid a pilot in navigation.
What other 6 items might also have their location indicated on a VFR chart if it was thought that it might aid a pilot in navigation
Farm (Ranch), golf course, cement plant, building, tower, windmills
Electric power lines are thin and hard to see from the air. Why might VFR charts show the location of electric power lines?
The paths that power lines take through wooded areas is usually clear cut of trees to prevent fires, making for swaths through mountains that are easily identifiable by pilots and useful in visual navigation.
A capitalized and underlined name next to a flag symbol represents…
A VFR waypoint (known location to pilots and controllers)
The grid of a vertical and horizontal black lines on the chart shows longitude and latitude. One minute of latitude (distance between ticks on any of the vertical lines) equals to…
1 nautical mile
Some Terminal Areas, like San Francisco, have a second, less detailed map of the region which is printed on the back of paper charts. What is the purpose of the second map?
The charts shows VFR flyways for pilots who such to plan flights outside of tower controlled airspace. It is not intended to be used in navigation, (Just for planning)
