MART Vol. II MO/MP - NESA - Civil Air Patrol

Figure 5-12Contour lines are most useful in helping us to visualize vertical developmentof land features. Contour lines that are grouped very closely together, as inFigure 5-12, indicate rapidly changing terrain, such as a cliff or mountain. Morewidely spaced lines indicate more gentle slopes. Absence of lines indicates flatterrain. Contour lines can also show changes in the slope of terrain. Figures 5-13and 5-14 show how to predict the appearances of two hillsides based upon theirdepictions on a chart.Figure 5-13Figure 5-14Precise portrayal and interpretation of contour lines allows accurate predictionof the appearance of terrain you expect to fly over or near. Figure 5-15 shows thedepiction of a saddle in a short ridgeline, and Figure 5-16 shows how it mightappear from the aircraft. Many other types of terrain features can be predicted by86