JEPPESEN CHARTS

INTRODUCTION
1.
Jeppesen was a man who collected data from pilots who used to land
at various airfields. These pilots had data regarding the airfields they
landed at with regard to the airfield layout, obstructions, location of ground
navaids, procedures they followed to approach the airfield using those
navaids and visual circuit patterns followed etc. He compiled all these into
a diary and ultimately formed an organization that collected all these data
from various countries. As of now this company has been tasked with the
responsibility of formulating airport layout, instrument approach,
departure, en-route and arrival charts.
AIM
2.
The aim of this paper is to learn how to use these different types of
charts and finally how to use them to plan a flight.
JEPPESEN EN-ROUTE CHARTS
3.
Jeppesen en-route Charts are compiled and constructed by using the
best available aeronautical and topographical reference charts. Most of the
Jeppesen en-route Charts use the Lambert Conformal Conic projection.
4.
The chart design is intended primarily for airway instrument
navigation with reference to cockpit instruments and radio. This in plain
language means that these charts are basically for IFR flights. However
Jeppesen has introduced VFR GPS charts using 1:500,000 topographical
maps.
5.

We will now learn how to use Jeppesen en-route charts.

6.

Chart Usage:
(a) Charts are identified by code letters for world areas covered
by a particular series, by parenthetical letters for the altitude
coverage and by numbers for the individual chart. For example,

ME(H/L)11, is a chart of the Middle East series covering both high

and low altitude operations and is number 11 of the series.

FE(H/L) 2, is a chart of the Far East series covering both high and
low altitude operations and is number 2 of the series.

(b) The front page of the chart is called the cover panel. To use
the low and high altitude charts, we have to first use the small index
map on the cover panel to locate the major city closest to your
desired area.

(c ) On the small map index you will find some of the major cities
surrounded by light grey shaded area . This indicates that the airfield
of that city has a terminal area chart (TMA)chart. These are found
around some large cities where the airway facility congestion is so
bad that a lot of information has to be omitted. Many of the symbols
that are found on the area charts are shown on the en-route charts in
reduced scale so that pilots who are overflying the area can do so
without having to open a TMA chart. But remember if you are going
to land or take-off within that area, you need to use the TMA chart.
(d) The whole chart is folded in such a way as to easily access the
chart area in which the major city is located. Each folded area is
called a chart panel.
(e) The low and high/low altitude Jeppesen charts have a unique
feature called the Zigdex. This zigdex is found on the top of each
chart panel on which the major city names are printed. To find a
specific area on the chart, it is only necessary to open the correct
chart panel, by looking at the name of the major city closest to the
desired area, written on the zigdex. Thereafter to follow the route of
your flight, you have to open the adjacent chart panels like opening a
book which is a lot easier than trying to open and refold the entire
chart.

(f)
When the folded chart is opened at one of the zigdex numbers,
the exposed portion of the chart is subdivided into four sections by a
vertical and horizontal fold. Each of these sections is labeled at the
margins as A,B,C and D. A combination of the panel number and the
lettered section in which your desired place falls is used to simplify
finding a location mentioned in the Enroute Chart NOTAMS or in
the communications table.
For example: CHENNAI, INDIA p2D , means that you will find
Chennai Airport marked on panel 2 in section D.

(g) Unless other wise indicated, all bearings and radials are
magnetic.
(h)

En-route distances are in nautical miles.

(j)
Vertical measurements of elevation are in feet above mean sea
level. En-route altitudes are either in feet above mean sea level
(based on QNH) or clearly expressed as Flight Levels, based on
QNE.
(k) All times are Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) unless
labeled Local Time (LT).
(l)

Scale is 1 inch = 30 nm

(m)

Projection used is Lamberts Conformal Conic.

(n) En-route communications are shown on the chart or tabulated

on the end folds.

(o)

Chart effective dates are printed on the cover panel.

(p) Chart revision dates are always on a Friday. Following this

date, a short note explains the significant changes made.

7.
There are a lot of important symbols found on en-route charts. For
ease of understanding, they will be covered under the following heads.
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
8.

Navaid symbols
Navaid identification symbols
Restricted airspace symbols
Various boundary symbols
Airport symbols
Airway and route component symbols

Navaid Symbols:
(a) VOR:
For example: SAMPLA VOR

(b) DME:
For example: TAC-98 KPS
(115.1)

(c) NDB:
For example: HUBLI
*402 HB
_

(d) VOR DME:

For example: CHENNAI MMV

(e) Magnetic North Ticks: Magnetic North Ticks on navigational

facilities fit compass roses on IFR En-route Plotters, making it
possible to measure bearing on any track. They are denoted by:

(f)

Localiser Front Course is denoted by:

(g)

Localiser Back Course is denoted by:

(h)

MLS Course is denoted by:

9.
Navaid Identification Symbols: All navaid facilities that form a part
of an airway or a route component are enclosed in shadow boxes. The
name of the facility, its frequency, three-letter identification and morse
code identifier, followed by geographical co-ordinates, will be found inside
the box and if it has a DME facility that is frequency paired, a small D
will be included preceding the frequency. If they are not co-located, they
will be so noted in parentheses below the box.

(a)

Enroute VOR is shown in a black shadow box:

(b)

Enroute NDB is shown a in green shadow box:

(c) VOR not forming a part of an airway is shown in an unshadowed black box:

(d) NDB not forming a part of an airway is shown in green

alphabets:

(e) Typical example of a VOR not forming a part of an airway but

instead the NDB forming a part of the airway is Raipur VOR and
NDB:

(f)
When TACAN or DME are not frequency paired with the
VOR, the TACAN or DME is identified separately and the ghost
VOR frequency is shown in parenthesis, below the TACAN OR
DME information.
For example: TAC-84 PCK
(113.7)

(g) When the VOR and TACAN/DME are not co-located, a

notation DME not Co-located is shown below the navaid box.
(h) For NDB, the navaid frequency and identification are located
below the location name of the airport, when the navaid name,
location name and airport name are the same.
For example: Rajamundry

(j)
To facilitate aircraft using area navigation such as Inertial
Navigation System (INS) and Omega, the high and low altitude
charts also show the geographical co-ordinates below the code
identification.

10. Restricted Airspace: Restricted airspace areas are enclosed in red

slanting lines as shown.

They are designated by the Country code, followed by the FIR code,
followed by the alphabets D, P, R in parenthesis.
(a)
(b)
(c)
11.

D Danger area
P Prohibited area
R Restricted area

Some other specific Restricted airspace are:

(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)

A- Alert area
T Training area
W Warning area
TRA Temporary reserved airspace
MOA Military operations area

Upper and lower limits of the restricted airspace would be indicated on any
of the chart panels or the rear of the cover panel.

12. Airport Symbols: Civil and military airports are marked differently.
These are further distinguished by symbols that indicate whether the
airports are provided with Jeppesen charts or not.
(a) Military Airports having Jeppesen chart:
For example Goa, Dabolim

(b) Military Airports not having Jeppesen chart:

For example Yelahanka

(c) Civil Airports having Jeppesen chart:

For example Chennai International

(d) Civil Airports not having Jeppesen chart:

For example Warangal

(e) An airport that does not have a Jeppesen approach chart, its
name is printed in both upper and lower case letters. The ICAO
designator is in upper case letters. Below this, the airport elevation
followed by the length of the longest runway available indicated by
the first two digits, actual length getting by multiplying by 100. The
colour used is green.
For example Warangal.

(f)
If an airport has a Jeppesen approach chart, the name of the
location by which it is indexed, is printed all in upper case letters. If
the airport name is different from the location name, the airport
name will be printed in small type below the location name using
both upper and lower case letters and will be blue in colour.
For example :
MUMBAI
Chatrapati Shivaji Intl
VABB 27- 114

This is useful information if you know the airport name and its
approximate location, but not the actual listed name. In this case,
look around the general area on the chart until you locate the airport
name and note the chart designation name above it.
13.

Airway and Route Component Symbols:

(a) Airways and routes are designated by bold black lines as
depicted:

(b) Compulsory reporting points are designated by a solid black

triangle as depicted:

(c) Non compulsory reporting points are depicted by a hollow

triangle as depicted:

(d)

Meteorological reporting points are as depicted:

At these points air temperature, winds, icing, turbulence, clouds and

other significant weather conditions are reported unless otherwise
instructed.

(e) Enroute holding patterns: If a holding pattern depicted on the

chart is a DME holding pattern, the first number shown will be the
DME distance fix in relation to the DME facility upon which the
holding pattern is followed by the out bound limit as the second
figure. The length of the holding pattern when DME is not available
is given in minutes when other than standard in a solid diamond.

(f)
This symbol denotes that the low frequency bearing forming
the fix, are to the navaid.

(g) This symbol denotes that the VHF radials forming the fix are
from the navaid.

(h) This symbol denotes that the VHF frequency and identifier are
off chart or remote.

(j)
This symbol denotes that the fix is formed by MMV VOR at
55 DME.

(k) In this symbol D indicates DME fix and distance from the
station that provides the DME mileage.

(l)
This symbol indicates an airway or route designator.
__________________________________________

W 39

(m)

This symbol indicates airway without an identifier.

__________________________________________

ATS

(n) This symbol indicates a Direct route. It is a requested route to

assist pilots who have previous knowledge of acceptance of these
routes by ATC. Use of direct routes may require prior ATC clearance
and may not provide ATC or advisory services or be accepted in
flight-plans.
________________________________________
D

(o)

This symbol indicates RNAV routes.

____________________________________________________

G-472 R

(p)

This symbol indicates a ONE-WAY airway.

______________________________________________________

A-474 N

(q) Figure mentioned below the route designator indicates either

minimum en-route altitudes or Flight Levels.

__________________________________________
R-460 E

2500
In the above route R-460 E, the minimum en-route altitude is 2500ft.

_________________________________
A-474 S
FL 55
(r ) In the above route A-474 S, the minimum en-route Flight
Level is Flight Level 55.
(s)

Directional MEAs are shown as below.

___________________________________
W 58
58Ww
9500
8700
(t)
Minimum obstacle clearance altitude (MOCA) is the lowest
published altitude in effect between radio fixes on VOR airways,
off-airways routes or route segments, which meets obstacle
clearance requirements for the entire route. It is designated by
altitude in feet suffixed by the alphabet T.

W 39
1300 T
For example on route W 39 the minimum obstacle clearance altitude
is 1300 ft.
(u) Route minimum off-route altitude is an altitude that provides
reference point clearance within 10 nm of the route centerline
regardless of the route width. Route MORA values clear all
reference points by 1000 ft in areas where the reference points are
below 5000 ft AMSL and by 2000 ft in areas where the reference
points are above 5000 ft AMSL. It is also designated by altitude in
feet above AMSL suffixed by the alphabet a.

W 51
1500 a
For example on route W 51 the minimum off-route altitude is 1500
ft.
(v) Maximum authorized altitude are shown as altitudes or flight
levels. Depicted as below:
MAA FL 150

68

W 55
(w) Change of MEA or limit of applicability of MAA is depicted
as shown:

This also indicates a MORA or MOCA change when they are

charted without any MEA.
(x) Total mileage between nav aid facilities is shown inside a six
sided polygon that is positioned along and parallel to the centerline
of the airway.

6
8
W6 55
8
55W
55W

6
8
W6 55
8
55W
55W
(y)

Mileage between two reporting points is written as such.

(z) Navaid frequency changeover point is designated like this

when the change over point is other than the midway point. The
numerals on each side of the symbol shows the distance from the
respective navaid.

SATS

14.

Boundaries:
(a) ADIZ boundaries are shown as a double black dotted line as
depicted below.

(b)

FIR boundaries are depicted as shown below.

(c )

International boundaries are depicted as shown below.

(d)

Time zone boundaries are depicted as shown below.

TMA CHARTS
15. Now we shall see and learn how to interpret a Terminal Area Chart
(TMA) Chart. As explained earlier, due to congestion of airspace
information within large metropolitan areas, complete off-airway
information is not always shown on En-route charts. These areas are
supplemented by Area Charts called Terminal Area Charts that use larger
chart scales with complete information.
16. Places having TMA charts are depicted on the cover panel, small
index may of En-route charts as a grey shaded square or rectangle. TMA
charts have various symbols that are quite similar to en-route charts,
however there are a few additional symbols.

(a) Departure Routes: Departure routes are symbolised by a

continuous arrowed line.

(b) Arrival Routes: Arrival routes are symbolised by a broken

arrowed line.

(c ) When departure and arrival routes are the same, they are
symbolised by a bold continuous line without any arrow.

(d) Man made structures having a height of 1000ft or more above

ground level are symbolised by this symbol. By the side of the
symbol the figure written in feet is elevation i.e. AMSL.

(e) Airport diagram showing runways of major airports only is

also depicted. The runways that have an electronic glide slope or
glide path have the associated symbol also shown.
(f)
Communications frequencies for the major airports shown as
an area chart are given in a block as illustrated below.

(g) Terrain information may be depicted on area charts when

terrain within the area chart coverage rises more than 4000 feet
above the major airport.
(h) Generalized terrain contour lines and contour values are
depicted on selected charts. Gradient tints indicate the elevation
change between contour intervals. Contour lines, values and tints are
printed in colour within contour intervals. Some, but not all, terrain
high points may be included along with their elevation above mean
sea level for use as additional reference.
(j)
The terrain contour information depicted does not assure
clearance above or around terrain or man made structures. There
may be higher uncharted terrain or man made structures within the
same vicinity. Terrain contour information is useful for orientation
and general visualization of terrain. It does not replace the minimum
altitudes dictated by the airway and air route structure. Furthermore,
the absence of terrain contour information does not assure the
absence of terrain or structures.

STANDARD INSTRUMENT DEPARTURE CHARTS

17. Before talking about approach charts, lets take a look at some of the
specific symbols on the SID (Standard Instrument Departure) charts .
18.

First lets go in detail regarding SID charts.

(a) The charts are identified both by index numbers and the actual
type of chart. SIDS are identified by the index number 10-3 with
suffixes A, B, C or D etc and SID is denoted is reverse print i.e.
white print on black background.
(b)

The location of the airport is printed on the top right side.

(c )

Within the margin area, the following are given: (aa) Top left side: The transition level and transition altitude
are printed.
(ab) Name of the departure (Five alphabet) word on the top
center or top right. Below it in parenthesis is given the
runways for which that departure is applicable.
(ac) MSA is given in a circle and with a note if applicable, if
the MSA is valid for a distance less than 25 nm.
(ad) Speed restrictions if applicable are given in a box.
(ae) Detailed plan view of the instrument departure is also
given. The symbols used are the same as in en-route charts.
Some of the symbols that are used on SID charts are:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
heading only.

:
:
:
:
:

Non compulsory reporting point.

SID track
Visual flight track
Radar vectoring
Flight path segment flown with

(vi)

Crossing altitude instructions.

(af) At the bottom of the chart, detailed instructions as to

how to go about following the specified instrument departure
for the specified runways is given.
(d) Finally there is a symbol with the North tick and a statement
indicating that the chart is not to scale.

AIRPORT CHARTS
19. Airport charts are normally found on the reverse side of the first
approach chart for the airport. It contains information pertaining to the
airport, air/ground communications, take-off minimums, alternate
minimums and departure procedures. At major terminals, the airport chart
may be expanded and indexed separately to provide detailed information
pertaining to taxiways, ramps or terminal parking areas, aircraft parking
spot coordinates, start up procedures and low visibility procedures.
20. The airport chart is divided into the heading, plan view, additional
runway information and take-off minimums.
21.

The heading portion has the following information:

(a) A box on the left top corner indicating the communication
frequencies that are used while the aircraft is on ground.
(b) Chart date
(c ) Index number
(d) ICAO designator
(e) Geographical location
(f)
Airport name
(g) Geographical coordinates in degrees, minutes and tenths of
minutes.
(h) Variation at airport
(j)
Elevation of the airport

22.

The following are the symbols used in the airport plan view: -

23. Some additional information regarding the airport plan view are as
follows:
(a) Runway end elevations are shown on the airport diagram if
source is available.

(b) Approach lighting and beacons are the only lighting

symbolized on the air port diagram. Approach lights are normally
shown to scale in a recognizable form.
(c ) The elevation of reference points depicted is above mean sea
level.
(d) Latitude and longitude ticks at tenths of a minute interval are
charted around most plan view neat lines: (e)

All airport charts are to scale.

(f)
Area enclosed in dashed line indicates that a more detailed
plan view of that area exists on another chart.
24. Under the additional runway information portion of the airport chart
you have the following information written in columns.
(a)

Runway designation

(b) Runway lighting, center line lighting if available, type of

approach lighting available, touch down zone lighting if available
and VASI or PAPI whichever is applicable followed by RVR
availability, in this sequence.
(c ) Runway usable lengths: When usable runway lengths differ
from those depicted in the airport plan view, lengths are specified in
the Usable lengths columns. Blank columns indicate that the
runway length depicted in the airport plan view is applicable.
(aa) Landing beyond threshold : When the landing length is
restricted, the length shown is the distance beyond the landing
threshold to the roll out end of the runway.
(ab) Landing beyond Glide Slope: The length shown for ILS
is the distance from a point abeam the glide slope transmitter
to the roll out end of the runway. For PAR, the length shown
is the distance from the theoretical glide slope interception
with the runway to the roll out end of the runway. If both ILS
and PAR are available, then data provided is for ILS.

(ac) Take off: When take-off length is restricted, the length

shown is the distance beyond the point for beginning the takeoff roll to the end of the runway usable for take-off. Stop
ways, clearways and over runs are not included in these
figures.
(d) The last portion of the airport charts is the take-off minimums
with respect to visibility or RVR when applicable. The RVR or
visibility minimums are with respect to aircraft approach category
and the type of runway lighting available.

APPROACH CHARTS
25. Approach charts are graphic illustrations of instrument approach
procedures. Airports with a published instrument approach might have one
approach or perhaps 10 or more. Each approach is depicted individually
with very few exceptions. Such as a VOR ILS approach or a VOR DME
ILS DME approach.
26. The first approach to the airport is printed on the first page of the
series; the plan view of the airport, as well as airport data and the take off
and alternate minimums are usually printed on the reverse side of that first
page. The remainder of the approach chart pages for that airport will
normally be printed on both sides of the page.
27. The following figure shows the general format for the approach
chart.

28. On the top left corner you have the ICAO location indicator printed
below which is printed the airport name.
29. The top center has the chart date, the chart index number and the
chart effective date if applicable. For each location, the charts are
sequenced by the chart index number. This index number will appear as
shown below:
(a) First digit: Represents the airport number and is an arbitrary
assignment.
(b) Second digit: Represent the chart type as shown below:
(aa)
0
Area, SID etc
(ab)
1
ILS, MLS, LOC
(ac)
2
GPS
(ad)
3
VOR
(ae)
4
TACAN
(af)
5
Reserved
(ag)
6
NDB
(ah)
7
DF
(aj)
8
PAR, ASR, SRA, SRE
(ak)
9
RNAV, Vicinity chart
(c ) Third digit: Represents the filling order of charts of the same
type
(d)

Oval outlines of the chart index members represent:

(aa) Standard chart issued to airway manual subscribers.

(ab) Special chart issued to special coverages only. Contains

modified information for your company.

(ac) Standard chart that uses only metric system units of

measurements.

(e) In this numerical system, both procedure and airport, there

will be gaps in the filling sequence because of deletions, expected
expansions, selected distribution and tailoring for specific
subscribers. Two procedures may be combined. Numbering, in this
case will be for the lowest number of the air.
(f)
All chart dates are Friday dates. This date is not to be
confused with the effective date. The effective date is charted when
a chart is issued prior to the changes being effective.
30. The top right portion has the geographical location, followed by the
procedure identification and the Runway for which it is meant.
31. The upper most portion of the bordered area of the approach chart is
the briefing strip. The briefing strip has a number of boxes within which
various information is provided. You will notice that the sequence in which
the things are given in the briefing strip would actually be in the same
sequence, had you been flying the instrument approach.
(a) The upper most column of the briefing strip has the
communication frequencies. For eg: ATIS, approach Radar Freq,
Tower frequency and finally the ground control frequency in that
sequence.
(b) Below this you have the missed approach instructions. As you
can see that the state of flight i.e. straight ahead, left or right is
indicated in upper case letters. The ATC might instruct you to follow
his specific instructions, due to traffic and will be annotated like as
directed towards the end of the missed approach instructions.
32. There are some specific notes applicable to the instrument approach
procedure. These notes may include:
(a)
(b)
(c )
(d)
(e)

Altimeter setting information

Transition altitude and level
Barometric pressure equivalent for QFE altimeter setting.
Equipment / crew requirements for the approach.
Information or descriptive notes applicable to the procedure.

(f)
The note box may be omitted when there are no applicable
notes.
33. To the right of the briefing strip is the MSA. MSA is minimum
sector altitude or minimum safe altitude. MSA is valid for a radius of 25
nm from the reference point. If the radius from the reference point is other
than 25 nm, it is specified and the reference, from which the MSA has been
calculated, is mentioned below the MSA circle.
34. The plan view, as the name suggests gives a depiction of the
approach as it would be flown as viewed from the top. Generalized terrain
contour information may be depicted when terrain within the approach
chart coverage exceeds 4000ft, above the airport elevation or when terrain
within 6 nm of the ARP rises to at least 2000 ft above the airport elevation.
Generally, terrain high points and manmade structures less than 400 ft
above the airport elevation are not depicted.
(a) The primary navaid forming the facility is in a shaded box
with the in bound course, frequency, navaid identification and morse
code. This is slightly enlarged and in bold print for ease of
recognition and discrimination from other navaids within the charted
area.
(b)

All other navaids are in a rectangle box and not in bold print.

(c ) In bound course is in bold print and enlarged for ease of

recognition.
(d)

Any note if applicable is mentioned within a box.

(e) Descent chart as per DME distances is listed for use in case of
non-precision approaches. For example when in an ILS chart, the
descent chart would be printed for a localiser only approach i.e.
glide slope out.
(f)
Highest obstruction within the charted area will be depicted
by a bold arrow as shown below:

35. Profile view: The profile view of an approach chart gives a depiction
of the instrument approach, as it would be flown if viewed from the side.
(a) Dashed glide slope line depicts a non-precision approach glide
path and break-off in case of un serviceability of the glide slope
equipment on board the aircraft, or failure of the ground station
providing the electronic glide slope, on a precision approach chart.
(b)

Maltese cross depicts the final approach fix.

(c ) The alphabet M depicts the missed approach point for a nonprecision approach.
(d) On the left hand or right hand corner of the profile view box,
the OCA (Obstacle Clearance Altitude / Height) is printed. The
figure outside the brackets is the altitude i.e. AMSL and the figure in
brackets is the height i.e. AGL.
36. Below the profile view box, there is another box within which is
mentioned the descent gradient percentage or glide slope angle and the
respective rate of descent to be maintained for a particular ground speed.
This is only for charts that have a final approach fix.
37. To the right of the data mentioned in the above paragraph you first
have the type of approach lighting system available followed by the missed
approach icons.
38. Lastly you have the minimums box, both for straight-in landings as
well as circle-to-land minimums. Incase of an ILS approach chart, the
minimums are given in terms of Decision altitude / height, visibility and
whether the full approach lighting system is available or not, for both full
ILS and only localiser approaches. The same data is available for nonprecision approaches. This data is given as per the approach category of
the aircraft.
(a) Circle to land minimums are given in terms of speed in knots
IAS, altitude / height and visibility in meters.

39. Generally the scale used is 1 inch = 5 nm. Scale is mentioned on the
left side of the chart outside the margin.
40. Latitude and longitude are marked every 10 minutes in the plan
view.
41. If there are any changes in the approach chart, they are mentioned in
brief at the bottom of the chart outside the margin area prefixed by
CHANGES
42. Most of the symbols used in the approach charts are the same as
used in en-route charts. However there are a few specific symbols that are
specific to approach charts only.

Approach Chart Symbols

Typical Instrument Approach Chart

FLIGHT PLANNING
43. Now that we have seen how to use the Jeppesen en-route charts, the
SID charts, instrument approach charts and the airport charts, we will now
briefly dwell upon the aspects of planning a flight.
44. Pre-flight planning to many people means nothing more than
scanning the charts or just drawing a straight line from place to place,
instrument pilots cannot afford this nonchalance. Murphys well known
law states that, Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. When we
combine that with the fact that emergencies always seem to snowball, we
tend to become a little more careful.
45. At least 50 percent of effective instrument flying is psychological,
thus a proper careful, pre-flight procedure will put us in a mental condition
to properly handle the flight.
46. Each pilot in command shall, before beginning a flight, familiarize
himself with all available information concerning that flight. This
information must include weather reports and forecasts, fuel requirements,
alternates available if the planned flight cannot be completed and any
known traffic delays of which he has been advised by the ATC.
47.

We will now go over step by step as to how to plan your IFR flight.
(a) Step 1: Firstly you should know the aircraft you are flying, its
performance capabilities and the equipment on board.
(b) Step 2: You know your departure airfield. Now you should
know which is your destination airfield. Check whether your
destination airfield is capable of accommodating your aircraft in
terms of runway length, LCN, and fuel availability etc. This can be
done by looking at the FLIP part-II and the airport directory
available in the Jeppesen glossary. You can also ascertain the airfield
watch hours and plan your departure time accordingly.
(c) Step 3: Having done this, you should move to the weather
briefing. After all, if the weathers too bad you wont go. Remember,
an instrument ticket is not license to fly in any and all weather.
Rather, it is proof that youve been taught to recognize

which weather not to fly into, as well as which weather conditions

you and your aircraft are capable of handling.
(d) Step 4: After checking the weather, you will have to check any
NOTAMS that might apply to your flight.
(e) Step 5: Now select the en-route chart series that pertains to
your route.
(f)
Step 6: Check all the possible routes that are available to go
from your departure airfield to your destination airfield. Obviously
the shortest route is preferable, but not always. You have to take enroute weather into consideration.
(g) Step 7: Now check that the navaids forming that route are
available in your aircraft for use or not.
(h) Step 8: Having seen the different routes available, now check
the minimum flight levels pertaining to that route and whether your
aircraft is capable of those levels or not.
(j)
Step 9: Having now decided on the routing, now calculate the
total distance from departure to destination air field.
(k) Step 10: Now with this distance and your average ground
speed expected and the fuel calculation that you do as per the
Manual of Air Transport Operations (IAP 3314) check whether you
would be able to make it to your destination with or without any
refueling halt. Remember, now if your require a refueling halt you
have to now decide where to carry it out, once again referring to
your FLIP PART II or the Airport directory. In this case remember
you flight has been broken up into two or three different legs. Once
again you have to cater for all the steps mentioned above including
alternates for intermediate halts.
(l)
Step 11: Having done all this, now decide on a departure time
and file your flight plan.
1.

48. Now lets take an example of an AN-32 that has to go from

Tambaram to Delhi Palam.
(a) Step 1: Aircraft is AN32, capable of climbing to flight levels
up to FL310. Maximum fuel capacity is 5330 kgs. Average cruising
TAS is 270 kts. Navigational equipment on board is two ADFs, two
VORs, one DME and one transponder.
(b) Step 2: Departure Airfield is Tambaram. Destination airfield is
Delhi, Palam.
Departure

Airfield
:
Rwy 05/23
:
Rwy 12/30
:
Fuel availability :
Airfield watch hours:

Destination Airfield
:
Rwy 10/28
:
Rwy 09/27
:
Fuel availability :
Airfield watch hours:

Tambaram
Length 4763 ft, PCN 26
Length 5853 ft, PCN 28
ATF
Sunrise to sunset (except on
Sundays / Holidays)
Delhi, Palam
Length 12500 ft, PCN 55
Length 9220 ft, PCN 45
All grades
24 hrs

(c) Step 3: Find out your departure airfield weather trend and enroute weather.
(d)

Step 4: Check with ATC relevant NOTAMS if any.

(e) Step 5: You know that Tambaram is in the close proximity of

Chennai. Looking at the Middle East chart index map, you can see
that Middle East ME (H/L) series 11 has Chennai marked within it.
Also if you draw a straight line from Chennai to Delhi, you will find
that you could use ME (H/L) series 10, ME (H/L) series 9 or even
ME (H/L) series 8 charts.
(f)
Step 6: Open ME (H/L) series 11 and look at the relevant
zigdex. Since Tambaram is closest to Chennai, open the chart at
panel 2 marked Chennai. Chennai is located on section D of
panel 2. Also you can see Tambaram airfield marked with a green

circle. You know that Delhi is in the general North, North westerly
direction from Chennai. You can see that White-20 route is available
till Hyderabad and beyond. You also have White-19 from
Hyderabad going in a northerly direction towards reporting point
NINAT via Vikarabad NDB and Bidar NDB. To continue further
lets now go to ME (H/L) series 10. As you saw in the previous
chart, White-19 is going towards reporting point NINAT and
White-20 is towards TAMID. Both these points are close to
Nagpur. So in ME (H/L) series 10 chart, open the chart and locate
Nagpur on the zigdex. Nagpur is on panel 7. So now open the
chart at panel 7. You can see that White-19 and White-20 are
meeting at Bhopal. From Bhopal as you can see, that there are two
routes emanating in a northerly direction.We will proceed to ME
(H/L) series 8 chart. Open the chart at panel numbers 7 and 6
to get the complete route from Bhopal to Delhi. You can see that
White-19 is terminating at Bhopal however White-20 continues till
Delhi. However White-20 from Bhopal to Delhi is a one way ATS
route towards Delhi. So now you have the option of following either
White-20 right from Chennai to Delhi or White-20 from Chennai to
Hyderabad and then White-19 from Hyderabad till Bhopal and once
again White-20 from Bhopal till Delhi.
(g)

Step 7: Navaids forming White-20 are:

(aa) Chennai VOR/DME MMV 112.5 MHz
(ab) Hyderabad VOR/DME HHY 114.7 MHz
(ac) Bhopal VOR/DME BPL 117.1 MHz
(ad) Delhi VOR/DME DPN 116.1 MHz
Navaids forming white 19 are:
(aa) Hyderabad VOR/DME HHY 114.7 MHz
(ab) Vikarabad NDB VB 321 KHz
(ac) Bidar NDB BR 240 KHz
(ad) Bhopal VOR/DME BPL 117.1 MHz

(h) Step 8: Now we will see the minimum en-route altitudes or

flight levels for the respective routes.
(aa) White-20: Between MMV and HHY VOR minimum
flight level is FL 200. Between HHY and BPL VOR

minimum flight level is FL 250. Between BPL and DPN

VOR it is FL 75.
(ab) White-19: Between HHY VOR and VB NDB, the
minimum flight level is FL 130. Between BR NDB and BPL
VOR it is FL 250.
The AN32 is capable of climbing to FL 250, so both these
routes are acceptable.
(j)
Step 9: Now we will calculate the total distance from Chennai
to Delhi using the two routes.
White 20:

IInd Routing :
White 20
White 19

White 20N

MMV VOR to HHY VOR

Distance
=
HHY VOR to BPL VOR
Distance
=
BPL VOR to DPN VOR
Distance
=
Therefore total distance =
MMV VOR to HHY VOR
Distance
=
HHY VOR to VB NDB
Distance
=
VB NDB to BR NDB
Distance
=
BR NDB to BPL VOR
Distance
=
BPL VOR to DPN VOR
Distance
=
Therefore total distance =

285 nm
356 nm
318 nm
959 nm
285 nm
34 nm
41 nm
323 nm
318 nm
1001 nm

Thus we would prefer White-20 routing from Chennai to Delhi

because the distance is lesser.
(k) Step 10: Now the distance from departure airfield to
destination airfield is 959 nm. At an average TAS of 270 knots, not
catering for any winds, this distance would be covered in 3 hr 33
min. The average fuel consumption of AN-32 during cruise is 1200

kgs per hour. Therefore you would require around 4270 kgs of fuel
just for flying from Chennai to Delhi. But since you have to plan for
destination alternate, the most suitable diversion would be either
Chandigarh or Agra. Let us take Agra as our destination alternate
since it is a better option because you would be flying abeam Agra
before reaching Delhi and by then it would be possible to find out
Delhis latest weather and other information pertaining to the airfield
and it would be easier to make a decision whether to continue till
Delhi and then direct to Agra if required or direct to Agra before
itself, which would mean lesser time in air and landing with
sufficient fuel. From ME (H/L) series 9 chart it can be seen that the
ATS route from Delhi to Agra is White-33 S, the minimum flight
level being FL 75 and the distance being 106 nm. So if your were
to divert to Agra from over head Delhi, you would take
approximately 23 minutes at an average TAS of 270 knots and
would consume approximately another 570 kgs of fuel. So now you
would actually require 4770 kgs of fuel. Now remember that fuel is
consumed during start-up and taxy. In the AN 32 it is taken as 225
kgs. Also you would have to carry out an instrument approach at
Delhi. Since it is an IFR flight. This instrument approach would
require around 330 kgs of fuel more. So now the total fuel
requirement comes to 5325 kgs. The AN-32 is capable of carrying
5330 kg. So you can go ahead with this flight plan. No, you cannot
go ahead, because this is the bare minimum fuel required. There has
to be a safety factor, for which the fuel calculation are done as
below: (aa)
(ab)
(ac)
(ad)
(ae)

Departure to destination fuel required.

Destination to diversion fuel required.
10% of the sum of the above two figures.
30 minutes of ODR fuel requirement.
Start up, taxy fuel required.

So going as per the above fuel calculations:

Departure to Destination fuel =
4270 kgs
(Fuel for instrument approach) =
+330 kgs
=
4600 kgs
Destination to diversion fuel =
500 kgs
10% of the sum of the above two=
510 kgs
30 minutes of ODR = 600 kgs (taken as standard for AN-32)

Start up taxy = 225 kgs (taken as standard for AN-32)

ODR: Overhead diversionary reserve. It caters for holding overhead
the diversion airfield, an instrument approach, overshoot and
landing. This makes a total of 6435 kgs of fuel required to undertake
the flight which is more than 1000 kgs than the fuel carrying
capacity. So ultimately we have come back to square one and rethink the routing which you would like to follow catering for a
refueling halt in between, again trying to use the routing having least
distance possible. The best option would be to land at Bidar for a
refueling halt with Hyderabad as your diversion for the first leg and
thereafter continue from Bidar to Delhi following White 19 route
followed by White 20N from BPL VOR to Delhi, again with Agra
as your destination alternate. Fuel figures required for these two
individual legs would meet the safety requirements of the Air Force.
(l)
Step 11: Having now calculated your flying time and catering
for a refueling halt in between, you can now decide on a take-off
time. Remember you are going from Tambaram to Delhi and not
from Chennai to Delhi for which we have done all the calculations
for distance, fuel, flying time etc. that is because there is hardly any
distance between Tambaram and Chennai airfields. Your take-off
time is important because remember Tambaram and Bidar ATC
watch hours are only from sunrise to sunset. Now you can go and
file a flight plan for your route.
(m) Step 12: Having filed your flight plan, it
your air navigation card. The navigation log
information with regard to your take-off time,
routing, reporting points, track, heading to
between reporting points, EET, ETA etc.

is now time to make

card would contain
ADC, FIC numbers,
maintain, distances

CONCLUSION
49. We have gone through in brief as to what are Jeppesen en-route,
approach, airport and SID charts and how to use them and understand what
various symbols printed on them mean. We have also seen as to how to go
about planning a flight using the information available on the en-route

charts. The subject of Jeppesen chart usage is as such very vast and there
are a lot many more minute details and definitions of various terms that are
available in the Jeppesen glossary.
50. While using Jeppesen charts, remember to keep abreast of all
changes that may occur in the symbols used on the charts. Try not to use
obsolete and outdated charts. Keep a check on all relevant NOTAMS. Do
thoroughly study every current approach chart for every airport you would
be using as a destination or alternate. If possible, you should use a
highlighter to mark salient features such as minimums for your category of
aircraft, the missed approach procedure and other important data. Do get
the latest weather before initiating an approach to ascertain whether or not
the airport is above your minimums. It will also give you an idea of what
to expect when you break off at your minima. Use every bit of functioning
navigational equipment you have on board. It wont do you a bit of good if
you suddenly need it and it has to warm up. Dont descend below your
MDA or DA unless you actually see the runway or approach lights and is
in a position to make a landing.
51. With this knowledge of Jeppesen charts, and the above guidelines,
IFR flights are easy to plan and execute. So happy IFR flying.