On VFR sectional charts the Maximum Elevation Fig- ure (MEF) gives pilots an obstruction-free altitude. The MEF is determined by
rounding the highest elevation (or obstruction height) within the quadrangles of lati- tude and longitude to the next 100-foot level
.
How do you find maximum elevation?
MEFs are determined by taking the highest of the following: 1) The point of highest terrain within a quadrangle, adding 200 ft for obstacles which are not required to be portrayed, and then adding 100 feet for vertical error and then rounding up to the next hundred feet; or 2) The
height of the highest manmade obstacle
…
How much clearance does the maximum elevation figure give you?
The Maximum Elevation Figure (MEF), identifies the highest elevation within a quadrant on a chart. In theory, flying at the MEF guarantees you
a minimum of 100′ of clearance from all-terrain and obstacles
in the quadrant. Sectional chart quadrants are bounded by every 30 minutes of latitude and 30 minutes of longitude.
What do the big numbers mean on a sectional chart?
The
Maximum Elevation Figure
shows up on a sectional chart as a large number with a slightly smaller number next to it as illustrated in the image above with the red circle. … MEF is calculated using the Mean Sea Level (MSL) elevation on a chart.
Are sectional charts MSL or AGL?
Sectional charts normally show
both mean sea level (MSL)
and above ground level (AGL) heights for towers. … The top number is the height in MSL and the bottom number — in parentheses — is the height of the tower in AGL.
What is lowest altitude I can legally fly?
An aircraft must maintain an altitude of
500 feet above the surface
, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.
How low can a plane fly over a city?
The Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 91.119 indicates that, except when necessary for departure or landing, the minimum altitude over urban areas is
1,000 feet above ground level (AGL)
and 500 feet AGL over rural areas.
What is the benefit of having checkpoints so close together?
The airports when
combined together allowed them to meet all of the cross country flight time requirements without having to do too many flight
, while also accomplishing the required number of solo takeoffs and landings in a traffic pattern at an airport with an operating control tower.
How do you measure distance on a sectional chart?
You can use the plotter tool to determine a true course between two points on a sectional chart. To determine distance,
use the scale printed on the sectional chart images
. Do NOT try to use a standard aviation plotter because the scale of these images does not match the plotter scale.
What is a Trsa FAA?
In United States aviation,
a terminal radar service area
(TRSA) is a delimited airspace where radar and air traffic control services are made available to pilots flying under instrument flight rules or (optionally) visual flight rules, to maintain aircraft separation. TRSAs most often surround busy U.S. airports.
Does altimeter show AGL or MSL?
As Scott said,
AGL means Above Ground Level
, while MSL is Mean Sea Level, meaning the altitude above sea level. Altimeters are generally referenced to sea level because the ground level keeps changing as you move.
Is flight level MSL or AGL?
Above Ground Level,
or AGL
, describes the literal height above the ground over which you’re flying. Mean Sea Level, or MSL, is your true altitude or elevation.
Is airport elevation AGL or MSL?
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) defines the Airport Elevation as the highest point of an airport’s usable runways and is measured in height above mean sea level.
AGL
is the altitude expressed in the actual number of feet measured above the ground.
Is it illegal to land a helicopter anywhere?
Can Helicopters Land Anywhere? With few exceptions, helicopters can land their aircraft just about anywhere they want to. There are some FAA restrictions, of course, and you’ll have to check any state or local restrictions as well, but as a
general rule, helicopters are allowed to land almost anywhere
.
Which VFR cruising altitude is appropriate?
First, you only need to comply with the VFR cruising altitudes if you are flying
more than 3,000 feet above ground level (agl)
. Below 3,000 feet agl, you are not required to follow the altitude rule (although it’s a good idea) and neither are other aircraft.
Do airlines ever fly VFR?
So
yes
, even if it is operated by a 121 carrier, they are allowed to fly VFR by the regulations. However, they must also comply with their Operations Specifications and Flight Operations Manuals which will have detailed procedures covering the conditions where it is allowed.
