The FCM is further broken down to specific areas:
Africa and Southwest Asia
Europe
North and South America
Pacific, South Asia, and Indian Ocean
Aeronautical Information Manual
The Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) is designed to provide the aviation
community with basic flight information and ATC procedures for use in the National
Airspace System of the U.S. You should be familiar with this manual for ready reference
when assisting pilots. It contains a wealth of data related to ATC functions. The AIM is
complemented by Notices to Airmen and the Airport/Facility Directory publications.
The AIM has information of a relatively permanent nature, such as descriptions of
aeronautical lighting and airport visual aids; descriptions of various navigation aids with
proper use procedures; procedures for obtaining weather, preflight, and in-flight
services; arrival, departure, and enroute procedures; emergency procedures; and a
pilot/controller glossary. The AIM is published or revised approximately every 6 months.
Airport/Facility Directory
The Airport/Facility Directory (A/FD) is a seven-volume booklet series that contains data
on all open-to-the-public airports, seaplane bases, heliports, military facilities, and
selected private use airports specifically requested by the DOD for which a DOD IAP
has been published, airport sketches, NAVAIDS, communications data, weather data
sources, airspace, special notices, VFR way points, Airport Diagrams, and operational
procedures. These booklets cover the conterminous United States, Puerto Rico, and the
Virgin Islands.
The A/FD also lists data that cannot be readily depicted in graphic form such as airport
hours of operation, types of fuel available, runway data, and lighting codes. The A/FD is
designed to be used in conjunction with charts and is published every 56 days.
The A/FD also contains the Aeronautical Chart Bulletin which provides major changes in
aeronautical information that has occurred since the last publication date of each VFR
Sectional, Terminal Area, and Helicopter Route Chart listed.
Sectional Aeronautical Charts
Sectional charts are the primary navigational reference medium used by VFR pilots of
slow to medium aircraft. Topographic information consists of visual checkpoints for flight
under VFR. Checkpoints include populated places, drainage patterns, roads, railroads,
and other distinctive landmarks. Aeronautical information includes visual and radio aids
to navigation, airports, controlled airspace, restricted areas, obstructions, and related
data. The Sectional Charts are revised semiannually except that most Alaskan charts
are revised annually.
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