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Section 6

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Aeronautical Chart Users’ Guide

Front Matter
Section 1: INTRODUCTION
Section 2: WHAT’S NEW?
Section 3: EXPLANATION OF VFR TERMS AND SYMBOLS
Section 4: VFR SECTIONAL AND TERMINAL AREA CHARTS
Section 5: VFR FLYWAY PLANNING CHARTS
Section 6: HELICOPTER ROUTE CHARTS
Section 7: CARIBBEAN VFR AERONAUTICAL CHARTS (CAC)
Section 8: AIRSPACE
Section 9: EXPLANATION OF IFR ENROUTE TERMS
Section 10: IFR ENROUTE LOW / HIGH ALTITUDE SYMBOLS (U.S., PACIFIC AND ALASKA CHARTS)
Section 11: U.S. TERMINAL PROCEDURES PUBLICATION
Section 12: U.S. TERMINAL PROCEDURES PUBLICATION SYMBOLS
Section 13: REFERENCES
Section 14: ABBREVIATIONS

Aeronautical Chart Users’ GuideChart Users’ Guide · 9 July 2026

Section 06

HELICOPTER ROUTE CHARTS

8 pagesPages 50–57

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GENERAL INFORMATION

Helicopter Route Charts are three-color charts that depict current aeronautical information useful to helicopter pilots navigating in areas with high concentrations of helicopter activity. Information depicted includes helicopter routes, four classes of heliports with associated frequency and lighting capabilities, NAVAIDS, and obstructions. In addition, pictorial symbols, roads, and easilyidentified geographical features are portrayed. The scale is 1:125,000. These charts are updated every 56 days.

AIRPORTS

Landplane Seaplane All recognizable runways, including Heliport some that may be closed, are shown for visual identification. Heliports public and private Public Medical Center Private Helipads located at major airports (when requested) Unverified Ultralight Flight Park Abandoned Foreign Foreign Airport Note NOTE: Airports outside the U.S. Flight Information Region (FIR) are shown with the standard symbol. Only the airport names and ICAO identifiers are shown. Airport Data Grouping Boxed airport name indicates airport for which a Special Traffic Rule has been established. Automated Terminal Information Service (Pvt): Non-public use having landmark value. “OBJECTIONABLE”: This airport may adversely affect airspace Automated Surface Weather Observing use. Systems (shown when full-time ATIS is not available). Some ASOS/AWOS Flight Service Station on field facilities may not be located at airports. Airspace where fixed wing special visual flight rules operations are prohibited (shown above Elevation in feet airport name) FAR 91 Lighting in operation Sunset to Sunshine Indicates FAR 93 Special Air Traffic Rules and Lighting limitations exists, refer Airport Traffic to Chart Supplement UNICOM - Aeronautical advisory station Location Idendtifier Follows the Common Traffic Advisory ICAO Location Identifier Frequency (CTAF) Control Tower (CT) - primary frequency nverified Heliport Star indicates operation part-time. See tower Airport of Entry frequencies tabulation for hours of operation Weather Camera When lighting is lacking, the respective character is replaced by a dash. Lighting codes refer to runway edge lights and may not represent the longest runway or full length lighting. Dashes are not shown on heliports or helipads unless additional information follows the elevation (e.g. UNICOM, CTAF).

RADIO AIDS TO NAVIGATION

NAVAIDs VHF Omni-Directional Radio (VOR) Range Non-Directional Radio Beacon (NDB) Open circle symbol shown when NAVAID located on airport. Type of NAVAID shown in top of box. Compass Rose is “reference” oriented to magnetic north. NDB-DME Open Circle VOR Operates less than contiuous or On-Request NAVAID Used to Define Class B Airspace Underline indicates no voice on this frequency VORTAC When an NDB NAVAID shares Weather Camera ASOS/AWOS NDB Frequency the same name and Morse Code as the VOR NAVAID the frequen- } Morse Broadcast Stations (BS) cy can be collocated inside the Code same box to conserve space. Frequency Channel Identifier On request by the proper authority or when a VFR Checkpoint. VOR-DME Crosshatch indicates Shutdown status DME Flight Service Station (FSS) Remote Communications Outlet (RCO) Heavy line box indicates Flight Frequencies above thin line box Service Station (FSS). Frequenare remoted to NAVAID site. cies 121.5, 122.2 and 243.0 are Other FSS frequencies providing available at many Alaskan FSSs voice communications may be and are not shown above boxes. available as determined by altitude All other frequencies are shown. and terrain. Consult Chart Supplement for complete information. Certain FSSs provide Airport Advisory Service, refer to Chart Thin line box without frequencies Supplement. and controlling FSS name indicates no FSS frequency available. R - Receive Only

AIRSPACE INFORMATION

Class B Airspace Class C Airspace Appropriate notes as required Appropriate notes as required may be shown. (Mode C see FAR NAVAID identifier and may be shown. (Mode C see distance from facility 91.215/AIM) FAR 91.215/AIM) All mileages are nautical (NM) NAVAID identifier and (Floors extending “upward from radial from facility above” a certain altitude are Ceiling of Class C in preceded by a +. Operations at CLASS B hundreds of feet MSL and below these altitudes are SURFACE AREA outside of Class B Airspace.) Floor of Class C in hundreds of feet MSL Ceiling of Class B in All radials are magnetic. Ceiling is to but not hundreds of feet MSL including floor of Class B Floor of Class B in hundreds of feet MSL Surface

Class D Airspace Class E Surface (SFC) Airspace (A minus in front of the figure is used to indicate “from surface to but not including...”) Altitudes in hundreds of feet MSL.

Special Airspace Areas Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) Relating to National Security Example: Washington DC Appropriate notes as required may be shown. Note: Delimiting line not shown when it coincides with International Boundary, projection lines or other linear features.

Example: Washington DC Special Airspace Areas (Continued)

Flight Restricted Zone (FRZ) Relating to National Security

Special Air Traffic Rules / Airport Traffic Areas Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) (FAR Part 93) Note: Delimiting line not shown when it coincides Appropriate boxed notes as with International Boundary, required shown adjacent to projection lines or other linear area. Inside the FAR Part 93 features. boundary area, the cross hatching is at a 45 degree Special Security Notice Permanent Continuous angle. Flight Restriction Areas Sporting Event Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) Sites Mode C (FAR 91.215) A National Defense Airspace Temporary Flight Restric- Appropriate notes as required N tion (TFR) Areas may be shown. Terminal Radar Service Area (TRSA) Appropriate notes as required may be shown.

Miscellaneous Activity Areas

Aerobatic Practice Area Glider Operations Hang Glider Activity Ultralight Activity Unmanned Aircraft Activity Parachute Jumping Area with Frequency Space Launch Activity Area

Military Training Routes (MTR)

Helicopter Routes Primary Route with Route Name and Tower Frequency Secondary Route Transition Symbol Reporting Points Non-compulsory Compulsory Reporting Point Name

Foreign Airspace Note

Police Zones

Special Use Airspace

Only the airspace effective below 18,000 feet MSL is shown. The type of area shall be spelled out in large areas if space permits. One-way Route Altitude Changeover Point Recommended Altitudes Maximum Altitude Minimum Altitude Recommended Altitude

Special Conservation Areas NOAA Regulated National Marine Sanctuary Designated National Park, Wildlife Refuge, Areas Primitive and Wilderness Areas, etc.

NAVIGATIONAL AND PROCEDURAL INFORMATION

VFR Checkpoints VFR Waypoints Underline indicates proper Stand-Alone name of VFR Checkpoint. Collocated with VFR Checkpoint Collocated with VFR Checkpoint & Reporting Point Group Obstruction Obstruction Above 299’ and below 1000’ AGL Above 299’ and below 1000’ AGL 1000’ and higher AGL 1000’ and higher AGL Wind Turbine Farms High-Intensity Obstruction Lights When highest wind turbine is High-intensity lights may operate part-time or by proximity activation. unverified, UC will be shown 2894 UC after MSL value. Navigation Data Maximum Elevation Figure (MEF) (see VFR Terms tab for explanation)

CULTURE

Railroads Roads Single Track Dual-Lane: Divided Highways Major Boulevards & Major Streets Double Track Primary

Bridges Boundaries International State or Province Power Transmission Lines Populated Places Prominent Pictorials Built-up Areas Landmarks

Previous SectionSection 5: VFR FLYWAY PLANNING CHARTS Next Section Section 7: CARIBBEAN VFR AERONAUTICAL CHARTS (CAC)

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GENERAL INFORMATION

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