The HAGAR map questions

The tasks the exam asks

This is the HPAC guide's own list. Each task has a short method below.

Task	Method
Find what is at a latitude and longitude	Section 1
Give the coordinates of a feature	Section 1
Say what a symbol means	Section 2 (use the legend)
Read the elevation of a point or an obstacle	Section 3
Find isogonic lines and read the variation; convert true and magnetic	Section 4
Say which airspace a point is in, with its floor and ceiling	Section 5
Identify airways, air routes, control zones, control area extensions, transition areas, terminal control areas	Section 5
Find obstacles along a route between two points	Section 3
Measure the distance between two points in NM, statute miles or km, and convert	Section 6
Read the tower or aerodrome frequency	Section 2
Say what activities happen in a CYA / CYR area	Section 7

1. Coordinates

The chart has lines every 30 minutes of latitude and longitude. The small ticks are 1 minute. Coordinates are written in degrees, minutes and tenths of a minute: N45°54.7′ W73°40.0′.

To find a point:

1. Latitude first. Find the labelled parallel below the value. Count the minute ticks up. Lay the ruler across the chart there.
2. Longitude next. Find the labelled meridian east of the value. Count the minute ticks west. Mark it.
3. The point is where the two cross. Read the symbol. Check it in the legend.

To give the coordinates of a feature: do the same backwards. Read the latitude by counting ticks from the nearest parallel, then the longitude from the nearest meridian. Write N first, then W.

2. Symbols and the legend

You may use the legend. Learn where these are in it, so you find them fast.

On the chart	It means
Solid blue line around an airport	Control zone. Starts at the surface. The ceiling is printed inside (e.g. 4500).
Blue shaded band with a number (e.g. 3500)	Controlled airspace (terminal control area or control area extension). The number is the floor. You are in it only above that height. A jagged line separates areas with different floors.
Blue line with a V number (e.g. V37)	Airway. Class E from 2,200 ft AGL.
Hatched area labelled CYA or CYR	Class F airspace. See section 7.
Circle with a compass rose	VOR beacon.
Small dotted circle	NDB beacon.
Airport symbol with a block of text, e.g. NAME 815 50 122.8	Name, elevation 815 ft, runway 5,000 ft (50 = hundreds of feet), frequency 122.8. MF or ATF may be written before the frequency. TWR = tower frequency.
Tower symbol with two numbers, e.g. 1993 (1173)	Obstacle. 1,993 ft above sea level; (1,173) ft above ground.
Big digit with a small raised digit in a grid square, e.g. 2³	Maximum elevation figure: nothing in that square is higher than 2,300 ft ASL.
Dashed line labelled 12°W	Isogonic line: variation is 12° west along it.
Colour bands and small numbers with a dot	Terrain height and spot elevations in feet ASL.

No frequency printed at a small aerodrome? The traffic frequency is 123.2.

3. Heights and obstacles

• Obstacle height: the first number is ASL (above sea level). The number in brackets is AGL (above ground). Give the ASL number unless the question says "above ground".
• Highest obstacle along a route: draw the line between the two points. Look at every tower symbol near the line. Compare the ASL numbers.
• Highest point in a grid square: use the MEF (big digit = thousands, small digit = hundreds). The HPAC guide calls it "the highest ground altitude within the quadrangle".
• Elevation of an airport: the second item in its text block.
• Elevation of ground: read the colour band in the legend, or a spot elevation nearby.

4. Variation: true and magnetic

1. Find the nearest isogonic line and read it (for example 12°W).
2. True to magnetic: add west, subtract east. Magnetic = true + 12.
3. Magnetic to true: subtract west, add east. True = magnetic − 12.

Memory: "East is least, west is best." Example: true track 262°, variation 10°W, magnetic track 272°.

To measure a true track: put the centre of the protractor on the start point, line it up with a meridian (north), and read the angle to your line, clockwise from north.

5. Which airspace is here?

Check in this order. Stop at the first one that fits.

1. Inside a solid blue line? You are in the control zone from the surface up to its printed ceiling. Its class is in the legend or the label (Class B, C, D or E).
2. Inside a shaded band, and above the printed floor? You are in that controlled airspace: a terminal control area (Class C or D) or a control area extension / transition area (Class E).
3. Below every printed floor and outside control zones? Check for a transition area (Class E from 700 ft AGL) or an unmarked control area extension (Class E from 2,200 ft AGL). If nothing is drawn, it is Class G.
4. Above 12,500 ft ASL: Class B. Above 18,000 ft: Class A.
5. Class F areas (CYA/CYR) are drawn on top. Read their own altitudes.

Two words to know: an airway is controlled (Class E from 2,200 ft AGL). An air route is uncontrolled (Class G).

6. Distance

1. Measure between the two points with the ruler, in centimetres.
2. Use the scale bar at the bottom of the chart. It shows NM, statute miles and km. Read the unit the question asks for.
3. Without the scale bar: 1 cm = 5 km. km ÷ 1.85 = NM. km ÷ 1.6 = statute miles.
4. Check: 1 minute of latitude = 1 NM.

Example: 6 cm = 30 km = 16 NM = 19 statute miles.

7. Class F areas

The label is CY + A (advisory) or R (restricted) + three digits + a letter in brackets.

• CYA: you may enter with care.
• CYR: no entry when active, unless you have permission.
• Letters: (A) aerobatics, (F) aircraft test, (H) hang gliding, (M) military, (P) parachuting, (S) soaring, (T) training.
• The chart prints the altitudes and hours next to the area.

Example question: What activities can you expect in CYA 118 (A)(T)(H)? Answer: aerobatics, training and hang gliding.

8. How to practise

1. Get any current VNC. Free: the FltPlan Go app. Paper: about $16 from NAV CANADA. Your instructor may have one.
2. Pick two airports on it. Do these, with ruler and protractor: - Give the coordinates of both. Find a third point from its coordinates. - Read each airport's elevation, runway length and frequency. - Find the control zone class and ceiling. Find the floor of the band around it. - Say the airspace class at one point at 2,000 ft and at 5,000 ft. - Find the tallest obstacle between the two airports. Read both numbers. - Read the MEF of the square between them. - Measure the distance in NM, statute miles and km. - Measure the true track. Convert it to magnetic with the isogonic line. - Find one CYA or CYR and decode it.
3. Repeat on a different part of the chart until each task takes under two minutes.