PLT319: VFR Navigation Chart Characteristics
What code PLT319 covers, why the FAA tests it, and how to study VFR Navigation Chart Characteristics before your checkride.
Recall navigation - celestial / navigation chart / characteristics
What this means for your checkride
VFR navigation charts differ by scale and detail. Sectional charts, the most common, use a scale of 1:500,000 (about 1 inch to 6.86 NM) and carry detailed airspace, terrain, and airport information; World Aeronautical Charts use a smaller 1:1,000,000 scale with the same symbols but less detail for moderate-speed navigation. You pick the chart whose scale suits your speed and detail needs and read position by latitude and longitude.
Knowing each chart's scale and revision cycle lets you choose the right current chart and read distances and symbols correctly.
Assuming all VFR charts share one scale; the WAC covers more ground per inch and omits detail found on the sectional.
Where to study it
A code on your test report is an area of deficiency. An authorized instructor must review it with you and endorse that review before you take the practical test, and the examiner may revisit it during the oral. Study it until you can explain it out loud, not just recognize the answer.