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Have you ever picked a VFR checkpoint that you couldn't spot from the air? We've all been there. Here's our guide to help you avoide the same mistake again...
As you plan your route, use your sectional to search for easily identifiable points along your route. Avoid picking points that are more than 5 miles laterally away from your route. Towards the beginning of your route, each checkpoint should be about 5-10 miles apart. As you reach cruise flight, you can begin extending the distances between checkpoints, up to 20 miles per checkpoint.
Generally speaking, the smaller the point, the closer it needs to be for you to spot it. If you're using a large town, wide body of water, or busy airport, 5 miles or more may work. As for smaller points like railroads, local airports, small towns, or lakes, they should be roughly 1-3 miles away.
The higher you fly, the easier it will be to spot large objects that are further away. Keep in mind, the higher you fly, the harder it will be to spot things like lakes, railroads, or intersections. It goes without saying, but avoid picking points that are right below you! Unless you roll your aircraft on its side, it's pretty hard to see things directly below you.
Flight visibility is a factor too. If haze, rain, or low clouds are in the forecast, you should plan points closer to your route.
Finding a good VFR checkpoint is a matter of location, size, and distance. Large objects that contrast well with the surrounding environment are the best choice. Here's a list of some of the easiest points to spot from the air:
If you're flying at night, finding checkpoints is all about lighting. Airport beacons, towns, highways, wind farms, and lit towers are good choices.
Some points on sectional maps are flagged as "VFR Checkpoints." They are identified with a flag icon, along with the name of the checkpoint underlined. These checkpoints are prominent buildings or landmarks that can be visually easy to identify from the air. However, use caution, because many flagged points require some local area knowledge for identification.
As you plan your route, you can use satellite imagery from ForeFlight or Google Earth to verify the point you've picked is realistically visible from the air.
If you don't want to get lost, avoid using these checkpoints for your route:
So there you have it. Picking good checkpoints comes down to finding things that you can easily identify from the air, and that are close to your flight path. Spend time picking good contrasting checkpoints, and you'll have no problem spotting them from the air.
Whether you're preparing for a checkride, or trying to knock the rust off before you fly to new airports, we can help.
Sign up for our VFR Charts and Publications course, and learn everything you need to know about charts and NOTAMS: Learn more and sign up here.
What do you use for checkpoints? Tell us in the comments below.
Swayne is an editor at Boldmethod, certified flight instructor, and a First Officer on the Boeing 757/767 for a Major US Carrier. He graduated as an aviation major from the University of North Dakota in 2018, holds a PIC Type Rating for Cessna Citation Jets (CE-525), is a former pilot for Mokulele Airlines, and flew Embraer 145s at the beginning of his airline career. Swayne is an author of articles, quizzes and lists on Boldmethod every week. You can reach Swayne at swayne@boldmethod.com, and follow his flying adventures on his YouTube Channel.