Enroute Charts & Approach Plates
Key symbols, altitude designations, and chart conventions for IFR enroute and terminal procedure charts.
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Questions Covered in This Set
12 cards to master
Victor airway dimensions and altitude limits
8 NM wide (4 NM either side of centerline); usable from 1,200 ft AGL up to but not including 18,000 ft MSL.
What does an MEA guarantee?
Obstacle clearance AND navaid signal reception for the entire segment.
What does a MOCA guarantee (and how is it charted)?
Charted with an asterisk (*3000); obstacle clearance for the whole segment but navaid reception only within 22 NM of the VOR.
MRA — definition
Minimum Reception Altitude: the lowest altitude at which you can receive the off-route navaids that define an intersection.
MCA — definition and pilot action
Minimum Crossing Altitude: you must already be at that altitude when crossing the fix, so begin the climb BEFORE the fix (unlike a plain MEA change, where you climb at the fix).
MAA — why does it exist?
Maximum Authorized Altitude: above it you may get signal interference from another station on the same frequency.
OROCA — what it does and doesn't provide
1,000/2,000 ft clearance over the highest obstacle in the lat/long quadrangle; NO navaid or communication coverage guarantee.
Changeover point (COP) symbol and default rule
An 'hourglass' symbol with mileages showing where to switch VORs; absent a COP, change at the midpoint of the segment.
Solid triangle vs. open triangle on an enroute chart
Solid ▲ = compulsory reporting point (report when not in radar contact); open △ = on-request reporting point.
Route color/type conventions
Victor airways: black lines on Low charts; T-routes: low-altitude RNAV drawn in blue; J-routes and Q-routes appear on High charts.
How are charted holding patterns depicted?
A racetrack showing inbound course and turn direction (standard right turns unless drawn left), sometimes with leg length or max holding speed in a box.
Where are Preferred IFR Routes found?
In a separate publication (Chart Supplement), not depicted on the enroute chart.
