Definition
A solid circle drawn on the plan view of an instrument approach chart that defines the boundary inside which the chart's plan view is shown to scale. Features and distances inside the circle are drawn proportionally; items shown outside the circle are not to scale.
Plain English
A circle on the approach chart that tells you, 'inside this line, the picture is drawn to scale; outside it, it isn't.' It helps you judge real distances on the chart.
Context Anchor
Seen on the plan view of an instrument approach chart while reviewing the route and nearby fixes before flying the procedure.
Why Pilots Care
Allows quick assessment of distance to the runway or fix without using a plotter or scale.
Analogy
It is like the distance rings on a road map that show how far places are from a city center.
Intuition Check
A distance circle is not a circular flight path or a holding pattern. It is a chart reference that shows distance from a point.
Example Sentence 1
During the briefing, the pilot noted that the airport and final approach fix sat well inside the distance circle, so the spacing on the chart matched real-world distances.
Example Sentence 2
Using the distance circle helped the pilot confirm position relative to the final approach fix.