Definition
Aeronautical charts designed for visual navigation by pilots flying under Visual Flight Rules, typically at a scale of 1:500,000. They depict terrain, obstructions, airports, airspace boundaries, navigation aids, and other features needed for pilotage and dead reckoning, and they also show Military Training Routes (MTRs) so pilots can avoid or remain alert in those areas.
Plain English
Paper or digital maps pilots use when navigating by looking outside. They show what's on the ground, where airports are, where airspace begins and ends, and where military aircraft may be training at low altitude.
Context Anchor
You will use VFR sectional charts during preflight planning and in flight, especially when checking whether a planned route crosses controlled airspace, high terrain, obstacles, or a military training route.
Derivation
VFR stands for Visual Flight Rules — the rules pilots fly under when navigating by sight. "Sectional" comes from the fact that the United States is divided into named sections, each with its own chart (e.g., Los Angeles Sectional, Seattle Sectional).
Why Pilots Care
Allows pilots to identify terrain, airspace, and military activity zones to maintain safe separation and comply with regulations during visual flight.
Intuition Check
Sectional does not mean the chart is only for one part of a flight. It means the chart is one detailed section of a larger national chart system.
Example Sentence 1
Before departure, the pilot reviewed the VFR sectional chart and noted two Military Training Routes crossing the planned course.
Example Sentence 2
While planning the cross-country flight, she marked checkpoints directly on the VFR sectional chart.