Chapter 7
Airport Charts
Chapter 7 Airport Charts
§7.1 Introduction
Formats of Airport Charts:
• The “classic” chart format
• The “Briefing StripTM” chart format
Heading of “classic” chart format
The “classic” chart format provides
communication information on the right of
the chart heading, with airport information
on the left.
Heading of “Briefing StripTM”
chart format
BriefingStripTM
This chart format distributes the same
information across the top of the chart so
that you are reading it from left to right.
It’s a widely used format of airport charts.
§7.2 Airport Chart Information
The airport chart contains four primary
sections:
•
•
•
•
Heading
Plan view
Additional runway information
Takeoff and alternate minimums
Heading
Plan View
Additional Runway
Information
Takeoff and Alternate
Minimums
§7.2.1 Heading
The top of each airport chart provides
standard information about airport,
including the location and airport name,
elevation, and communication frequencies.
§7.2.1.1 Heading Border
Distinct areas of the heading:
• Location and Airport Name
• Chart Index Number and Dates
• ICAO Location Identifier and Airport
Information
• Communications Row
Location and Airport Name
Location Name/City Name
Airport Name
Select the right airport
within a particular city
Chart Index Number and Dates
Chart Index Number
Chart Date
ICAO Location Identifier and Airport
Information
The airport identifier, unique to each airport, is
a combination of the ICAO regional designation
and the airport’s governing agency designation
（IATA).
Airport Identifier
ARP Coordinates
Airport Elevation
Coordinates represent the
airport location as provided by
the controlling authority
Communications Row
ATIS Frequency
Delivery Frequency
Ground Frequency
Tower Frequency
Departure
Frequency
§7.2.2 Plan View
The airport chart plan view portrays an
overhead view of the airport, it can provide
you with graphical information about the
airport, such as its runways and lighting
systems.
Except the length and width of stop way and
taxiway, lighting system, the other part of
charts are portrayed on scale.
§7.2.2.1 Scales, Coordinate Tick
Marks and Magnetic Variation
To help you measure distance, the plan view
includes a scale showing both feet and
meters.
The scale a chart always use range from
1inch=1000feet to 1inch=6000feet.
Scale of the plan view of this chart is 1inch=1000feet
Latitude and longitude
coordinate tick marks
Magnetic Variation
Longitude
Runway
Number
RVR
Tower
Scale
ARP
Runway
Elevation
Runway
Length
Latitude
Approach
Light
Magnetic
Variation
§7.2.2.2 Runway Information
The Runway Information is focused on the
following items:
• Runway Numbers
• Runway Elevations and Length
• Displaced Thresholds, Stopways, Overruns
• Runway Surface
• Arrester Gear and Barriers
• Non-Runway Landing Areas
Runway Numbers and Magnetic
Direction
Runway number is
magnetic unless
followed by “T” for true
in the far north.
Runway number and, when known,
magnetic direction unless followed by “T” for
true in the far north.
Seaplane operating area, or
water runway.
Closed runway. Temporarily
closed runways will retain
their length and runway
numbers.
Runway Elevations and Length
Elevations of the runways’ entrance and the
lengths of the runways are usually marked
at the end and the middle of the runways.
Runway number and
Magnetic Direction
Entrance
elevation
of 07L
Length of
07R
Displaced Thresholds and Stop-ways
Displaced thresholds reduce the length
of runway available for landings. This
portion of runway prior to a displaced
threshold is available for takeoffs in
either direction, and landings only from
the opposite direction.
Stopways or overruns are areas
beyond the takeoff runway at least as
wide as the runway and centered upon
its extended centerline. They may be
used to decelerate an airplane during
an aborted takeoff.
Runway Surface
In the plan view of the charts, different
symbols are used to portray different
runway surfaces.
Paved runway
Unpaved runway, such as turf,
dirt, or gravel. The type of
surface is usually printed on
the chart next to the runway.
Pierced steel planking (PSP)
Seaplane operating area or
water runway. Dashed lines
indicate the operating area.
Area under construction
Arrester Gear and Barriers
Unidirectional arrester gear
Bidirectional arrester gear
Jet barrier
Non-Runway Landing Areas
In addition to runways, the airport chart
indicated landing areas as follows:
Helicopter landing pad
Authorized landing area (may be
used on Australia charts with limited
runway source information
§7.2.2.3 Taxiways and Aprons
Taxiway and apron
Permanently closed Taxiway
Designated stop bar or
designated holding position
Category Ⅱ/Ⅲ holding
position
§ 7.2.2.4 Airport Facilities
Buildings
RVR with letter
ARP
Airport Identification
Beacon
Navids
RVR
Cone
Tee
Tetrahedron
Buildings
Buildings
Large Buildings
Airport Reference Point
The airport reference point
(ARP) is at the approximate
geographic center of all usable
runway surfaces, and is the
point from which official
latitude and longitude
coordinates are derived. The
center of the crosshairs marks
the ARP’s exact location.
When the ARP is on a runway
centerline, an arrow points to
its exact location.
Navigational aids
On-airport navaid, such as
VOR ,NDB ,or LCTR
(locators, other than
locators associated with
ILS). When navaids are
offset from the runway, you
may need to make
significant adjustments in
your final approach course,
once the runway is in
slight.
RVR measuring devices
RVR measuring site (transimissometer). The
primary instrument runways at major airports
may have as many as three transimissometers
providing RVR readings, which include
touchdown RVR, mid-RVR, and rollout RVR.
RVR
RVR with letter
Wind direction indicators
Cone or wind sock. It is used at both
towered and non-towered airports. It can
provide the present wind conditions near the
runway’s touchdown zone.
Wind tee. Determine the wind direction from
a wind tee, but it doesn't indicate wind
intensity or gusty conditions. The tail of the
tee aligns itself like a weather vane into the
wind, so you can take off or land on the
runway that most closely parallels the
direction of the tee.
Tetrahedron. It is a landing direction
indicator, usually located near a
wind direction indicator. It may
swing around with the small end
pointing into the wind, or it may be
manually positioned to show
landing direction.
§ 7.2.5 Lights and Beacons
The majority of lighting symbols on the
airport diagram are approach lights and
beacons.
• Approach Lights
• Beacons
Approach Lights
Name
Approach
light system
with
sequenced
flashing
lights
Abbreviation
ALSF-I
Chart
Symbol
Real
Composing
Name
Approach
light system
with
sequenced
flashing lights
and red side
row lights the
last 1,000′
Abbreviation
ALSF-II
Chart
Symbol
Real
Composing
Name
Medium
intensity
approach
light
system
with
runway
alignment
indicator
lights.
Abbreviation
MALSR
Chart
Symbol
Real
Composing
Name
Abbreviation
Medium
intensity
approach
light system
with
sequenced
flashing
lights
MALSF
Chart
Symbol
Real
Composing
Name
Abbreviation
Omni-
directional
approach
light system
ODALS
Chart
Symbol
Real
Composing
Name
Runway
alignment
indicator
lights
Abbreviation
RAIL
Chart
Symbol
Real
Composing
Name
CALVERT
Approach
Lights
Abbreviation
CALVERT
Chart
Symbol
Real
Composing
Name
CALVERT
（CATⅡ/Ⅲ）
Approach
Lights
Chart
Real
Abbreviation
Symbol Composing
CALVERT
（CATⅡ/Ⅲ）
Beacons
Beacons are depicted on the airport diagram
as stars “ ”.When the depicted beacon
is the airport identification beacon, the star
is circled “ ” and may appear with its
MSL elevation.
Reference Points
Unknown
Structure
Tower
Man-made
Reference
Points
Building
Road
Railway
Pole Line
Lighted Pole
Nature Terrain
Natural
Reference
Points
Bluff
Trees
§7.2.3 Additional Runway
Information
Some required airport information, such as lighting
systems and usable lengths, cannot be
portrayed in enough detail in the airport chart
plan view.
These information appears below the plan view in
the box titled “Additional Runway Information.”
This table provides information for each runway
charted in the airport diagram, except for
permanently closed runways, ultralight runways,
and ski strips.
Additional Runway Information
of Hong Kong INTL
Runway Light System
RVR
Note
Usable Length
Runway Width
The first column lists each runway, grouped
in approach end pairs. Three types of
information are provided for each runway:
• Lighting systems and equipment
• Usable lengths
• Width
§7.2.3.1 Lighting Systems and
Equipment
Runway light System includes HIRL 、CL、TDZ. The
interval of HIRL is 60m；interval of CL is 15(30)m
Runway Light System
•
•
•
•
HIRL
CL
TDZ
HST
Approach Lights
Approach light---ALSF-Ⅱ
Approach Lights
RVR
§7.2.3.2 Usable Lengths
Usable lengths
§7.2.3.3 Runway Width
You can also determine the runway width by
counting the number of runway threshold
stripes, as indicated in the following table:
§7.2.3.4 Runway Restriction Notes
Runway is grooved; PAPI of 07L is fixed at the left of runway , angle 3°;
PAPI of 25R is fixed at the right of runway , angle 3°; HSTIL are located at
High-speed taxiways A4 and A6.
§7.2.4 Minimums
The bottom part of an airport chart includes
up to three separate sections:
• Takeoff minimums
• Obstacle departure procedures
• Alternate minimums
CL operative,
centre line of
the runway
can be seen.
One of the
TDZ, middle
and end of the
runaway RVR
inoperative,
meanwhile the
other two
operative, the
minimum for
take off is
RVR600FT.
Minimum for
adequate Vis
Reference
One or Two
engines,
RVR
50(5000FT)
or VIS 1mile;
Three or Four
engines,
RVR
24(2400FT)
or VIS
1/2mile.
Take off from
6R, keep
Minimum
climb grads
281FT/MIN
until climb to
400FT.
When take off
from 6R, the
light、visual
reference
couldn’t meet
the standard,
the take off
minimum
require ceiling
to be
200ft,meanwh
ile VIS
1.25SM.
The following is a part of Hong Kong airport which
is revised on October 28th,2005. The minimums
for the air carriers which adopt JAA and FAR121
take off from Hong Kong are listed in the
following chart.
For all airports authorized Category Ⅱ/Ⅲ, if the RVR/VIS is below
400m, It is required to establish and apply LVP procedure when
taking off .
Takeoff minimums published under the title “AIR
CARRIER (JAA)” are based on JAR OPS-1
Subpart E. These minimums are provided for
operators not applying takeoff minimums as
specified under AIR CARRIER .They are shown
in the following table.
The criterion of this table is the category of aircraft,
but not according to the number of engines, as
FAR dose.
§7.2.4.2 Obstacle Departure Procedures
§7.2.4.3 Alternate Minimums
When preparing your IFR flight plan, you must
consider the weather reports and forecasts for
your destination airport at your estimated time of
arrival, plus or minus one hour.
If the weather conditions are poorer than those
specified by the governing agency, you must list
an alternate airport on your flight plan.
To qualify as an alternate, the airport you select,
and its forecasted weather for your arrival time,
must meet certain conditions.