1. Senior/Master Air Cadet
PILOT NAVIGATION
Senior/Master Air Cadet

2. 4. MAP READING

3. Introduction
We have seen that despite the development of very accurate navigation systems there is still no substitute for map reading
However all of the errors that can be made on the ground are just as likely to be made in the air

4. Introduction
The extreme mental pressures in the airborne environment demand that decisions have to be made promptly
Therefore it is rare to navigate by map reading alone - other equipment is used as well

5. Weather
Is a major influence on the accuracy of map reading, and at times may prohibit its use

6. Weather
The lower the visibility, and the greater the cloud cover, the more difficult the map reading will be. At high altitude even moderate cloud cover can make map reading impossible

7. Has a major effect on map reading requirements and technique
Aircraft Altitude
Has a major effect on map reading requirements and technique
Features which are ideal at low level are useless at high level, & vice versa

8. BAD
GOOD

9. Low Level
At low level it is important to chose features that have vertical extent

10. CHIMNEYS

11. MASTS

12. WINDMILLS

13. SMALL HILLS

14. This is to enable them to be seen before the aircraft arrives overhead the feature

15. High Level
At high level it is important to chose large features that have definition and contrast to stand out from a background

16. Lakes

17. Woods

18. Islands

19. A further consideration is the difficulty at high level of obtaining an “on top” fix with an aircraft of limited downward visibility

20. For this reason villages are rarely used
Unique Features
Very large errors can be introduced into map reading simply by confusing one feature on the map with another
For this reason villages are rarely used
We need more unique features

21. These can be
Power Stations

22. Bridges
Can you think of anymore?

23. Colour, Contrast & Season
Of all natural features, rivers and coast lines are the most useful, especially in poor weather
Why?
This is because they show the greatest contrast & colour between themselves & the land

24. A wood in the summer will not be as obvious in the winter
Many land areas seen as ideal change their appearance with the seasons.
A wood in the summer will not be as obvious in the winter

25. A wooded area which
was used as a turning-point during Summer Camp would be much more difficult to identify in the winter when its leaves had fallen

26. Snow changes everything including man made features
Snow has a dramatic effect on
the landscape, eliminating many features and rendering many of the man-made line-features, such as roads and railways, virtually invisible

27. Map Scales
In both military & civil aviation special maps are produced for map reading from the air
These differ from OS maps in that they place more emphasis on those features which are more easily identified from the air, such as airfields, towns, railway tracks and masts.

28. HOWEVER THEY MUST BE UP TO DATE !

29. Most aircrew use the 1:500,000, widely known as the “half million”.
The choice of scale of your chosen map will depend on the speed of your aircraft
Most aircrew use the 1:500,000, widely known as the “half million”.
In general, the slower you fly, and the more detail you require, the larger scale map you will use

30. For high-flying, long-range aircraft the opposite is true
Here, smaller scale maps reduce the number of sheets required

31. Map Symbols
SEA LEVEL
3000
2000
1000
500
914
610
305
152
FEET
METRES

32. CIVILIAN
LIMITED
FACILITES
AIRFIELD M H
MICROLIGHT G

33. MILITARY H
HELICOPTER X
AIRFIELD AVAILABLE
FOR CIVIL USE
DISUSED

34. PARACHUTING 825 (350) 1978 LIT OBSTRUCTION (1031) B3 A FL45 -FL246
UNLIT OBSTRUCTION & HEIGHT (FIGURES ARE HEIGHT ABOVE
SEA LEVEL & (LOCAL GROUND LEVEL)
1978
(1031)
LIT OBSTRUCTION
AIRSPACE BOUNDARY A INDICATES THE AIRSPACE TYPE IE A-F
B3 A FL45 -FL246 A

35. REPORTING POINT
MANDATORY
ON REQUEST

36. SPECIAL ACCESS/ ENTRY EXIT VISUAL REPORTING POINT E/E BROOKLANDS VRP
GUILFORD

37. VOR
DME
TACAN
NON-DIRECTIONAL
RADIO BEACON

38. Timing Marks
In a modern sophisticated aircraft the navigation equipment will tell you where to look if you become temporarily uncertain of your position (i.e. lost!)

39. In a simple aircraft we will not have this equipment and so rely on the stopwatch and map
When planning a map reading flight it is normal to put marks along each leg at a set time - such as 2 minutes

40. If you lose your place along track while map reading, consult your watch, work out your time in minutes since the last point, and that will tell you where to look on the map.

41. 2 4 6 8
A Tutor is flying from the railway junction near Stowmarket via the mast South West of East Dereham to the lighthouse at Cromer

42. A route on a 1:50,000 map from an initial point (IP) at to a target on the river near Allanton

43. Conclusion
In common with so many aspects of aviation , successful map reading will benefit greatly from the amount of advanced planning

44. Through study of the route
detailed preparation of your route
and the careful selection of the unique features on the ground
this will give you the best chance of recovery when you lose your way