"Kyler Laird" wrote in message news:h2sei1-

So...anyone know the answer? Pilots are certainly accustomed to
drawing straight lines on a sectional to find the shortest path

As a technical matter, the only chart projection on which a drawn straight
line is a great circle is a gnomonic. These are rarely used, particularly
over large areas, as they show about as much distortion as the standard
Mercator we all grew up with (remember thinking that Greenland was about
twice the size of the US?).

The Lambert Conformal projection, however, is made such that a straight
line, while not precisely a great circle, is so close that the differences
are inconsequential. Oceanic plotting charts used in aviation to monitor
navigation progress are Lamberts. The standard oceanic enroute chart is a
Mercator, but the plotting chart is Lambert.
Sectional charts are also Lamberts,iirc.

So, the short answer to your question is, just lay out the line, and go.
Note, though, that the straight line on your patched sectionals will require
you to alter heading periodically.

JG