What navigation method uses terrain features to determine one's position and course?

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The method that employs terrain features to determine one's position and course is called terrain association. This navigation technique relies on the identification and correlation of visible landmarks, topographical features, or geographical formations with a map or navigational charts. Pilots using terrain association can maintain awareness of their location and navigate effectively by recognizing these features.

Terrain association is particularly useful in areas where traditional navigational aids may be limited, giving pilots a way to cross-check their position against recognizable terrain elements. By knowing the characteristics of the environment and matching them with what is observed, pilots can achieve a higher level of situational awareness and navigate with increased confidence.

Other navigation methods, such as dead reckoning, rely on calculations of speed, time, and direction rather than visual cues from the environment. Flight planning focuses on route organization prior to the flight and does not involve real-time assessment of location based on terrain. Visual navigation encompasses broader techniques using visual references but does not specifically emphasize terrain features, which is the core focus of terrain association.

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