How do you find the limits of areas on a chart?

Robert M. Gary writes:

The sectional chart is used with a plotter. The plotter measures
distance and can figure direction.

I googled for this and found only software.

I presume you mean the mechanical arm-like device that I've seen being
using with flat charts on tables in movies? Certainly that might be
useful, but what about during flight? Chart tables would be awkward
in the cockpit (although large aircraft with navigators might have
them).

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Mxsmanic wrote:
Robert M. Gary writes:

The sectional chart is used with a plotter. The plotter measures
distance and can figure direction.

I googled for this and found only software.

I presume you mean the mechanical arm-like device that I've seen being
using with flat charts on tables in movies? Certainly that might be
useful, but what about during flight? Chart tables would be awkward
in the cockpit (although large aircraft with navigators might have
them).

Two answers. First, when I'm flying my Mooney around at near the speed
of sound I just have a rough idea of where the airspace is and use ATC
and the GPS to avoid it.
However, when I fly the J-3 (and when I first started flying) I carried
a small plotter. You can use it in flight. In fact I'm required to make
sure my students can use it in flight for navigation and diversion. You
can use it in flight.
I still carry a small plotter in the pocket of my seat. I have multiple
scales on it so I can use it for IFR charts too but it also works for
sectionals.

I have one that has a Wizwheel built in and I use it regularly. Its
easier for me to figure TAS using the wizwheel then puching numbers
into the GPS to computer it. The Wizwheel is still a close friend of
mine. When I flew the GPS, the Wizwheel, my watch, and my plotter were
the *only* navigation tools I had.

-Robert, CFII

On Thu, 02 Nov 2006 10:47:38 +0100, Mxsmanic wrote:
Robert M. Gary writes:

The sectional chart is used with a plotter. The plotter measures
distance and can figure direction.

I googled for this and found only software.

I presume you mean the mechanical arm-like device that I've seen being
using with flat charts on tables in movies?

No, the plotter he's talking about is a combined protractor
and ruler made of transparent plastic. The ruler's scales are
calibrated to match distances on aeronautical charts.

You can see what they look like at:

http://www.sportys.com/acb/webpage.cfm?&DID=19&WebPage_ID=68

Certainly that might be useful, but what about during flight?
Chart tables would be awkward in the cockpit (although large
aircraft with navigators might have them).

It's possible to whip out a plotter and measure distances and
headings on a folded-up sectional chart in your lap in a typical
light aircraft cockpit, but it's not very convenient.

Typically you'd use a plotter for flight planning on the ground.
Use the ruler to draw a line on the chart along your intended
course, use the protractor to measure the angle between your
course and a north-south line on the chart, and use the scale
on the ruler to find distances.

To answer your original question, in the pre-GPS era most people
would plot course legs that would keep them well clear of restricted
airspace. Make sure you stay near your planned course using a
combination of pilotage and dead reckoning, and you don't have to
worry about exactly where the boundary of the restricted airspace
is.

Seriously, if you want to learn this stuff, you might want to
buy a private pilot ground school textbook of some sort, a plotter,
and a sectional chart or two. Use the textbook to find out how to
plan a flight using a plotter and charts, and then fly it in your
simulator.


ljd

Recently, Mxsmanic posted:

I see tons of restricted areas, MOAs, Class B, C, D, E airspace, and
the like on charts, but no clear indication of how to locate the
boundaries of these areas other than by pure guesstimate based on
looking at the chart.

Reading a chart, like many other things, is a process that requires
knowledge. One gains this knowledge by studying. Once you have studied and
gained the necessaryt knowledge, you will know that there is no
"guesstimate" involved in knowing the boundaries of areas on a chart. You
have been given ample resources by many posters that would enable the
average person to research and answer this question on their own. Why not
give that a try?

Neil

Neil Gould wrote:
You
have been given ample resources by many posters that would enable the
average person to research and answer this question on their own. Why not
give that a try?

I had a funny though,t that a person could write a learn to fly a
simulator book; comprised of cut and pasted poster's answers to all
these various questions. ??? Every aspect it seems if being covered.

The Visitor writes:

I had a funny though,t that a person could write a learn to fly a
simulator book; comprised of cut and pasted poster's answers to all
these various questions. ??? Every aspect it seems if being covered.

The ideal simulator can be flown by a real pilot with no special
instruction at all. That's why it's called a simulator.

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In article ,
says...
I see tons of restricted areas, MOAs, Class B, C, D, E airspace, and
the like on charts, but no clear indication of how to locate the
boundaries of these areas other than by pure guesstimate based on
looking at the chart. On rare occasions I see a radial noted as the
boundary of an area, or a radius, but in many cases there is nothing.
How in the world are you supposed to know when you are inside or
outside one of these areas, if you are not flying miles away from
them?

Yes, GPS units and some other devices may provide real-time display of
one's position with these areas superimposed, but such devices have
not always been available.

You can use your instruments and you can use your eyes. You get
clearances (if required) *before* you enter an area. When climbing out
and under VFR you ensure you remain below TMA's by the same technique -
well *before* the area.

If IFR, you fly what you're told - if you think the controller's made a
mistake (because of what you can see on the charts), then asking for
clarification might be wise.

You might like to note the differences between IFR charts and plates vs
VFR charts (which, if you look, are really maps - topo maps).

--
Duncan

Dave Doe writes:

You might like to note the differences between IFR charts and plates vs
VFR charts (which, if you look, are really maps - topo maps).

I've been able to find sectional charts and terminal charts at
SkyVector, but where can I find IFR charts?

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In article ,
says...
Dave Doe writes:

You might like to note the differences between IFR charts and plates vs
VFR charts (which, if you look, are really maps - topo maps).

I've been able to find sectional charts and terminal charts at
SkyVector, but where can I find IFR charts?

You could check out some arrival and departure plates here...

http://www.aip.net.nz/NavWalk.aspx?s...e=Christchurch


--
Duncan

Dave Doe writes:

You could check out some arrival and departure plates here...

http://www.aip.net.nz/NavWalk.aspx?s...e=Christchurch

AirNav has those. But it sounds like there are other en-route charts
for IFR, which I haven't seen.

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