What is a primary characteristic of the Lambert Conformal Conic projection?

The Lambert Conformal Conic projection is primarily characterized by its preservation of shape. This means that while the projection may distort areas and distances, it maintains the angles and forms of small features, making it especially useful for aviation and other navigational applications where angular relationships are critical. The conformal property allows for accurate depiction of shapes on a local scale, which is why it is frequently used for maps of regions with an east-west extent.

In the context of other characteristics, such as area preservation, distance preservation, or scale preservation, they do not accurately describe the Lambert Conformal Conic projection's primary purpose. Area-preserving projections (equivalent projections) or those focusing on distance or scale (equidistant projections) are designed with different objectives and trade-offs, emphasizing other geographic characteristics instead of shape.