Charts, Pilotage, and Dead Reckoning
- Episode: 17
- Version: 0.1.2
In this episode
A completely fictional daytime VFR cross-country turns a sectional into a usable navigation picture. The learner first identifies terrain, obstructions, airspace, and route features; then chooses prominent pilotage checkpoints, converts a true course into a wind-corrected compass heading, builds a simple navigation log, and uses actual checkpoint position and elapsed time to revise groundspeed and ETA without guessing at the cause of a mismatch.
Study materials and visual aids
- Private Pilot ACS Cross-Country Flight Planning task
- Private Pilot ACS National Airspace System task
- Private Pilot ACS Pilotage and Dead Reckoning task
- Private Pilot ACS checkpoint and ETA standards
- FAA Chart Users' Guide current-edition guidance
- PHAK sectional-chart overview
- FAA Chart Users' Guide terrain picture
- FAA Chart Users' Guide obstruction symbols
- FAA Chart Users' Guide Maximum Elevation Figure
- FAA Chart Users' Guide MEF limitations
- FAA Chart Users' Guide Class B, C, and D depiction
- FAA Chart Users' Guide Class E depiction
- FAA Chart Users' Guide road and railroad symbols
- FAA Chart Users' Guide lake and reservoir symbols
- PHAK pilotage and checkpoint selection
- PHAK dead-reckoning definition
- PHAK wind, heading, track, and groundspeed picture
- PHAK navigation-term summary
- PHAK variation and magnetic-course conversion
- PHAK deviation-card explanation
- PHAK time, distance, and groundspeed formulas
- PHAK route-charting sequence
- PHAK visual flight log and course computation
- PHAK planned-versus-actual adjustment
- PHAK workload-management guidance
- FAA collision-avoidance guidance on cockpit fixation
The Chart Users' Guide pages above include the labeled terrain, obstruction, MEF, airspace, culture, and hydrography examples discussed in the episode. The fictional Cedar Junction-to-Pine Lake route is not an FAA chart and must not be used for navigation.
Fact-check and source material
| Topic | Source type | Authoritative source | Locator | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACS lesson scope | FAA standard | FAA-S-ACS-6C | PA.I.D, PA.I.E, and PA.VI.A; PDF viewer pp. 13–14 and 46–47 | Formal two-pass source review complete |
| Chart currency | FAA chart guidance | Aeronautical Chart Users' Guide | Keep Your Charts Current, p. 6 | Formal two-pass source review complete |
| Sectional purpose and content | FAA handbook | PHAK Chapter 16 | Sectional Charts, p. 16-2 | Formal two-pass source review complete |
| Terrain, obstructions, and MEF | FAA chart guidance | Aeronautical Chart Users' Guide | Terrain and Obstructions, pp. 10–13 | Formal two-pass source review complete |
| Airspace depiction | FAA chart guidance | Aeronautical Chart Users' Guide | Controlled Airspace, pp. 16–17 | Formal two-pass source review complete |
| Visual route-feature symbology | FAA chart guidance | Aeronautical Chart Users' Guide | Culture and Hydrography, pp. 34 and 37 | Formal two-pass source review complete |
| Pilotage and checkpoints | FAA handbook | PHAK Chapter 16 | Pilotage, p. 16-12 | Formal two-pass source review complete |
| Dead reckoning and wind | FAA handbook | PHAK Chapter 16 | Effect of Wind and Dead Reckoning, pp. 16-9–16-13 | Formal two-pass source review complete |
| Variation and deviation | FAA handbook | PHAK Chapter 16 | Magnetic Variation and Deviation, pp. 16-7–16-8 | Formal two-pass source review complete |
| Time, speed, distance, course, and flight log | FAA handbook | PHAK Chapter 16 | Basic Calculations and Charting the Course, pp. 16-11 and 16-18–16-21 | Formal two-pass source review complete |
| Navigation workload and outside vigilance | FAA handbook and advisory guidance | PHAK Chapter 2 and AC 90-48E | Workload Management, p. 2-24; section 15, PDF p. 14 | Formal two-pass source review complete |
Correction status
Corrections and source updates are recorded in the episode production log before a revised version is published. Submit a source correction through the repository issue form or email [email protected]. Do not send credentials, private documents, or personal flight information.