GACA AC-175-04 - Production of World Aeronautical Charts

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ADVISORY CIRCULAR

SUBJECT DATE AC NUMBER VERSION

Production of World Aeronautical

Chart (WAC) – ICAO 1:1 000 000 and

Aeronautical Chart – ICAO 1:500 000. 16/05 /2024 175.04 01

Note: This Advisory Circular provide s additional information and recommended actions that

elaborate on provisions or concepts prescribed in the General Authority of Civil Aviation

Regulation (GACAR).

1. Introduction

This advisory circular serves as guidance on the utilization and significance of the World

Aeronautical Chart (WAC) - ICAO 1:1 000 000 and Aeronautical Chart - ICAO 1:500 000, as

published in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP), in

accordance with GACAR Part 175 and ICAO Annex 4 requirements.

2. Purpose

The purpose of this advisory circular is to inform pilots about the importance of utilizing the

World Aeronautical Chart (WAC) - ICAO 1:1 000 000 and Aeronautical Chart - ICAO

1:500000 for flight planning and navigation.

3. Scope

This advisory circular applies to all pilots operating within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

airspace and provides guidance on the appropriate use, interpretation, and limitations of the

WAC - ICAO 1:1 000 000 and Aeronautical Chart - ICAO 1:500 000.

4. Related Regulatory Provisions

(a) GACAR Part 91 – General Operating and Flight Rules.

(b) GACAR Part 175 – Aeronautical Information Services .

(c) GACAR Part 1 – Definitions Abbreviations and Editorial Conventions.

5. Related Reading Material

(a) ICAO Annex 15 – Aeronautical Information Services.

(b) ICAO Annex 4 – Aeronautical Charts.

(c) ICAO Doc 10066 – Procedures for Air Navigation Services — Aeronautical Information

Management (PANS -AIM) .

(d) ICAO Doc 8126 Aeronautical Information Services Manual.

(e) ICAO Doc 8697 Aeronautical Chart Manual .

(f) ICAO Doc 8400 – Procedures for Air Navigation Services — ICAO Abbreviations and

Codes ( PANS -ABC) .

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6. Approval

This advisory circular has been approved for publication by the Executive Vice President of

Aviation Safety and Environmental Sustainability Sector of the General Authority of Civil

Aviation .

7. Cancellation

This is the initial version of this advisory circular, and therefore it supersedes no other

advisory circulars. It must remain in effect until cancelled, suspended, or amended.

8. Background

a) The WAC - ICAO 1:1 000 000 and Aeronautical Chart - ICAO 1:500 000 are

comprehensive charts that provide essential information for pilots . The aeronautical data

shown on these charts is kept to a minimum, consistent with the use of the chart for

visual air navigation. It includes aerodromes, obstacles, terrain features, elements of the

ATS system, prohibited, restricted and danger areas, and radio navigation aids .

b) WAC and Aeronautical Chart - ICAO 1:500 000 are constructed using Lambert's

conformal conic projection and conform to ICAO specifications.

c) These charts are designed to enhance situational awareness and facilitate the safe

conduct of flight operations. The use of the WAC - ICAO 1:1 000 000 and Aeronautical

Chart - ICAO 1:500 000 is considered essential in order to ensure safe and effective

flight operations.

d) Users are reminded to use the most appropriate chart type for their operation and

consider the scale of each chart type.

9. Reporting chart errors

Errors on charts can be report ed via email to:

aip@gaca.gov.sa and aim@sans.com.sa

10. World Aeronautical Chart (WAC) - ICAO 1:1 000 000

10.1 Function

This mandatory chart provide s information that fulfils the requirements for visual air

navigation and is also designed to be used as a pre -flight planning chart .

10.2 Identification

a) Eight ( 8) sheets are produced by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia .

b) WAC – ICAO 1:1 000 000 are published in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP).

c) Sheets are identified by the reference number of the corresponding World

Aeronautical Chart – ICAO (WAC) 1:1 000 000 delineated in ICAO Annex 4

Appendix 5 (sheet layout) .

d) The following index show s the coverage and sheet layout for the WAC:

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Sequence Sheet Number

WAC Coverage Areas

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11. Aeronautical Chart – ICAO 1: 500 000

11.1 Function

The Aeronautical Chart — ICAO 1:500 000 serves the following functions :

a) It provide s information for visual air navigation during low speed, short or

medium -range operations at low and intermediate altitudes .

b) It serve s as a basic aeronautical chart .

c) It is suitable for basic pilot and navigation training .

d) It supplement s specialized charts (e.g. Area Chart — ICAO and Enroute Chart

— ICAO) that do not provide essential visual information .

e) It is suitable for use in pre -flight planning.

Note: The Aeronautical Chart — ICAO 1:500 000 can be used as an alternative to the

World Aeronautical Chart – ICAO 1:1 000 000.

11.2 Identification

a) The entire territory of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is covered by forty -five (45)

sheets.

b) Aeronautical Charts – ICAO 1:500 000 are published in the K ingdom of Saudi Arabia

AIP.

c) Each sheet is identified by the name of the principal town appearing on the sheet.

d) Sheets are identified by the reference number of the corresponding World

Aeronautical Chart – ICAO (WAC) 1:1 000 000 , as delineated in ICAO Annex 4

Appendix 5 (sheet layout) , with the addition of one of the following letter suffixes

indicating the quadrant:

Letter Chart Quadrant

A North -West

B North -East

C South -East

D South -West

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Notes:

- Sheet 254 6 is the number of the WAC – ICAO 1:100 000 sheet .

- Sheet 2546 -A is the number of a single Aeronautical Chart — ICAO 1:500 000 sheet in the

North -West quadrant of the WAC – ICAO 1:1 000 000 Sheet.

- Sheet 2546 -B is the number of a single Aeronautical Chart — ICAO 1:500 000 sheet in the

North -East quadrant of the WAC – ICAO 1:1 000 000 Sheet.

- Sheet 2546 -C is the number of a single Aeronautical Chart — ICAO 1:500 000 sheet in the

South -East quadrant of the WAC – ICAO 1:1 000 000 Sheet.

- Sheet 2546 -D is the number of a single Aeronautical Chart — ICAO 1:500 000 sheet in the

South -West quadrant of the WAC – ICAO 1:1 000 000 Sheet.

e) The following index chart show s the coverage and sheet layout for the Aeronautical

Charts – ICAO 1:500 000:

Sequence Sheet

Number Sequence Sheet

number Sequence Sheet

Number

1 2444 -D 16 2546 -B 31 2565 -D

2 2445 -A 17 2546 -C 32 2566 -A

3 2445 -C 18 2546 -D 33 2566 -B

4 2445 -D 19 2547 -A 34 2566 -C

5 2446 -A 20 2547 -C 35 2566 -D

2546 -B

2546 -C

2546 -D

2546 -A

Sheet number of the

World Aeronautical Chart

— ICAO 1:1 000 000

Sheet outline of the World

Aeronautical Chart — ICAO

1:1 000 000

Sheet outline of the

Aeronautical Chart —

ICAO 1: 500 000

Sheet number of

Aeronautical Chart —

ICAO 1:500 000

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6 2446 -B 21 2547 -D 36 2667 -B

7 2446 -C 22 2563 -A 37 2667 -C

8 2446 -D 23 2563 -D 38 2668 -A

9 2447 -C 24 2564 -A 39 2668 -B

10 2544 -B 25 2564 -B 40 2668 -C

11 2545 -A 26 2564 -C 41 2668 -D

12 2545 -B 27 2564 -D 42 2669 -A

13 2545 -C 28 2565 -A 43 2669 -B

14 2545 -D 29 2565 -B 44 2669 -D

15 2546 -A 30 2565 -C 45 2670 -A

Aeronautical Chart — ICAO 1:500 000 Coverage Areas

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12. Maintenance of WAC and Aeronautical Charts – ICAO 1:500 000

The aeronautical charts included in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia AIP are kept up to date

through amendments to the AIP. If incorrect information of operational significance is

detected on published charts, it is corrected through NOTAM. Information regarding the

planning or issuance of new charts is notified through Aeronautical Information Circular

(AIC).

Approximate revision periods:

a) Base: 4 years

b) Aeronautical data: when a significant change occurs .

The effective date of each chart is clearly depicted , as well as the date when the data was

acquired .

Users should also check Kingdom of Saudi Arabia AIP Supplements (SUP) and NOTAM

for important updates between publication cycles.

13. Topographical Charts

The topographic data used in produc ing the WAC and the Aeronautical Charts – ICAO

1:500 000 is sourced from the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information

(GEOSA) .

TEL: 00-966-920000427

E-mail: info@gasgi.gov.sa

Website: https://www.geosa.gov.sa

14. Obstacles

a) A list of o bstacles with a height of 100 m (300 ft) or more above the ground is published

in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia AIP ENR 5.4.

b) Obstacles with a height of 100 m (300 ft) or more above the ground are depicted on t he

WAC – ICAO 1:1 000 000 and the Aeronautical Chart — ICAO 1:500 000.

c) Whe re there are crowded obstacle area s, such as wind turbines , the W AC – ICAO

1:1000000 and the Aeronautical Chart – ICAO 1:500 000 depict several of the highest

obstacles with symbols and labels. The number of obstacles shown depends on the scale

of the chart and the available space to ensure important information is not obscured.

15. Maximum Elevation Figures (MEF)

a) The Maximum Elevation Figures (MEF) represent the highest elevation, whether natural

or man -made, within the area bounded by ticked lines. For the Aeronautical Chart -

ICAO 1:500 000, the ticked lines are marked at intervals of 30 minutes of latitude and

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30 minutes of longitude (half -degree). For the W AC – ICAO 1:1 000 000, the ticked

lines are marked at intervals of one degree of latitude and one degree of longitude.

b) The MEF is based on available information about the highest known feature in each

quadrangle, with an additional 200 feet added to account for possible vertical error.

The MEF values are represented in thousands and hundreds of feet above mean sea level

(AMSL) and rounded up to the nearest 100 -foot value. The last two digits of the number

are not shown. For example, a value of 35 represents an MEF of 3 500 feet .

c) It is important to note that while the MEF is based on the best information available, it

is not verified by field surveys.

d) The MEF must not be considered as a minimum safe altitude .

16. Limitations:

Pilots should be aware of the limitations of the WAC – ICAO 1:1 000 000 and

Aeronautical Chart - ICAO 1:500 000, which include the following:

a) The charts may not reflect real -time changes such as temporary airspace

restrictions or aerodrome closures. Pilots should consult NOTAM , AIP SUP, and

the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia AIP for the most up -to-date information.

b) The level of detail provided on the charts may vary in certain regions . Pilots should

exercise caution when operating in areas with limited chart coverage.

c) Information for territories outside of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is published for

information only and has not been verified .