What type of chart is most favorable for plotting a great circle route?

A Gnomonic chart is particularly advantageous for plotting great circle routes because it represents all great circles as straight lines. This makes it significantly easier for navigators to determine the shortest path between two points on the surface of the Earth, which is the primary characteristic of great circle navigation.

Unlike other chart types, such as Mercator, Stereographic, or Orthographic charts, which distort distances and angles, the Gnomonic chart preserves this relationship along great circles. As a result, a navigator can directly plot a course by drawing a straight line on a Gnomonic projection, which corresponds to the curve or path of a great circle route on the Earth's surface.

The Mercator projection, while useful for various navigation purposes, does not show great circles as straight lines, making it less efficient for this specific task. Stereographic and Orthographic charts also have their specialized uses but do not provide the same seamless representation of great circles. Thus, for plotting great circle routes effectively, the Gnomonic chart is the preferred choice.