Welcome Guest. Sign in or Signup

3 Answers

Altitude

Asked by: 2995 views Airspace

I have notice on charts big blue numbers scattered around.

Are these numbers the altitude of the highest obstruction in the area or the highest ground in the area? 

What area is covered?

I see no mention in the chart legend.

Ace Any FAA Written Test!
Actual FAA Questions / Free Lifetime Updates
The best explanations in the business
Fast, efficient study.
Pass Your Checkride With Confidence!
FAA Practical Test prep that reflects actual checkrides.
Any checkride: Airplane, Helicopter, Glider, etc.
Written and maintained by actual pilot examiners and master CFIs.
The World's Most Trusted eLogbook
Be Organized, Current, Professional, and Safe.
Highly customizable - for student pilots through pros.
Free Transition Service for users of other eLogs.
Our sincere thanks to pilots such as yourself who support AskACFI while helping themselves by using the awesome PC, Mac, iPhone/iPad, and Android aviation apps of our sponsors.

3 Answers



  1. Kris Kortokrax on Feb 11, 2016

    When I open up my Chicago secitonal, I see a box following the list of MOAs. It states that “This char contains Maximum Elevation Figures (MEF).”

    It further states that it is based on the highest known feature in each quadrangle.

    -1 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 1 Votes

  2. Best Answer


    Skyfox on Feb 11, 2016

    While it should be somewhere on the chart (not necessarily in the chart legend), you can always check out page 7 of the Aeronautical Chart User’s Guide [ https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/flight_info/aeronav/digital_products/aero_guide/media/Chart_Users_Guide_12thEd.pdf ]

    That gives a full description of the MEF (maximum elevation figure) on VFR charts and how it’s calculated. There is a separate MEF for every quadrangle on the chart, which is a square of half an degree of latitude and longitude. Similarly, IFR charts have the OROCA (off-route obstacle clearance altitude) which serves roughly the same purpose except for having greater obstacle clearance margins for IFR aircraft, and that’s described on page 56 of the same chart guide as well as on the IFR charts themselves.

    +2 Votes Thumb up 2 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  3. jmr3rd on Feb 11, 2016

    Thank you skyfox
    Exactly what I wanted
    Jim

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes


The following terms have been auto-detected the question above and any answers or discussion provided. Click on a term to see its definition from the Dauntless Aviation JargonBuster Glossary.

Answer Question

Our sincere thanks to all who contribute constructively to this forum in answering flight training questions. If you are a flight instructor or represent a flight school / FBO offering flight instruction, you are welcome to include links to your site and related contact information as it pertains to offering local flight instruction in a specific geographic area. Additionally, direct links to FAA and related official government sources of information are welcome. However we thank you for your understanding that links to other sites or text that may be construed as explicit or implicit advertising of other business, sites, or goods/services are not permitted even if such links nominally are relevant to the question asked.