Golf Hotel Whiskey: for pilots and aviation enthusiasts
Hats off to Carte.aero, who have just released a website that lets you view French 1:500,000 ICAO charts free online and plan routes on them.
The site includes air force low altitude activity, NOTAMs, visual approach charts, METARs and TAFs, Sigmet etc.
If you are flying with a glass cockpit or other state-of-the-art avionics, sooner or later you may start choking on the escalating costs to keep all of these fancy gadgets running with the data they require. In fact, the rising costs associated with all of this data was the subject of a recent AVweb post by Paul Bertorelli.
Paul began his post by noting that he received a few irritated emails from readers who were annoyed that when he reported on Garmin’s new GTN-series navigators, he failed to mention anything about database costs. He then commented how the modern cockpit has become a “data-sucking black hole” full of databases that do not communicate or share much information with each other.
Moreover, all of this data adds up to the point where, if you include the cost of any portables or paper charts, you can easily spend a few grand a year on data alone. Worst, it appears that the cost of data is only heading in one direction and that is up.
In the US where many of the innovative iPhone and iPad apps originate from, the FAA will stop offering free digital chart data next year – meaning you can say goodbye to any new iPad or iPhone apps that are free or inexpensive as many rely on this free FAA data.
And then there is the proliferation of GPS approaches with the FAA planning thousands more of them. In fact, Paul wrote that:
One reader wrote me and said he noticed that a couple of GPS approaches for Ft. Myers, Florida were dropped from his current navigation database. Jeppesen confirmed this. Why? Too much data to process for that cycle; those procedures were dropped to be picked up for the next revision cycle. This begs the question: Why have all this infrastructure if the system to process the data chokes in getting it to users?
Paul ended his post by writing that the aircraft industry and aircraft owners need to figure out a better path because as data costs begin to rival what is paid insurance, many pilots will not be able to afford to be aircraft owners anymore.
Hat tip to FlightSchoolList.com for finding and posting this short but interesting AVWeb video where the Manager of Corporate Communications at Jeppesen reveals how the company prints all of those approach plates. However, it was mentioned that Jeppesen now prints only about half of what they used to print or roughly one billion sheets of paper instead of two billion. Nevertheless, any custom order for new approach plates or manuals would be printed exactly how the video shows.
Good pilots are always learning as Paul, a blogger on Ask a Flight Instructor, noted when he recently learned something new about TAA approaches, procedure turns and how they are charted – especially on the Jeppesen charts. To make a long story short, Paul was recently flying and made a procedure turn mistake. After contacting the Jeppesen charting office, he learned something very important about how transitions and procedure turns are charted:
When there is a common transition to a fix, the “NoPT” is only added to the first leg of the transition. (please read that twice). For instance, if you look at the above approach plate, you can see that the words “NoPT” are placed next to the 3,100′ and 30 NM transition but not to the 8 NM and 3,000′ portion. Although it is not explicitly stated, the procedure turn is NOT authorized for that leg of the transition as well! Did you know that? I sure didn’t.
Paul also noted the following situations where procedure turns are not required:
1) When the symbol “No PT” is depicted on the initial segment being used.
2) When receiving radar vectors to the final approach course.
3) When conducting a timed approach from a holding fix.
4) When ATC specifies in the approach clearance “Cleared Straight-In (type) approach.”
5) When a teardrop procedure turn is depicted and a course reversal is required, this type turn my be executed.
6) When a holding pattern replaces a procedure turn, then the holding pattern must be followed (unless you meet one of the above rules).
7) When the procedure turn barb is absent from the plan view.
Paul concluded by saying that if and when you have a question about whether or not a procedure turn is required, you should immediately request clarification from ATC as this will save you both time and fuel. Definitely good advice worth following.
An Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) is a handy electronic information management device that helps pilots and flight crews be more efficient and can literally replace just about all of the paper-based reference materials such as the Aircraft Operating Manual and the navigational charts found in a pilot’s flight bag. However, 
choosing such a device, let alone one that is affordable and light weight, can be a challenge. Hence, John Ewing of Aviation Mentor has posted a comprehensive post about finding a low-cost method to store and display aviation charts.
John begins by acquiring a small notebook computer (a Dell Mini 0 to be exact) and then he tested various online services that provide electronic charts and procedures. What readers will like about John’s post is the fact that not only does he provide links to some of these services but he also includes graphics showing what you will get with some of these services.
However, it is important to remember that if you intend to use any electronic device to store or view charts during an actual flight, be sure to always have the printed charts handy as backup because you never know when a battery or something else will fail. After all, the Dell Mini that John uses has a 3 hour plus battery life but only if it is left closed and in sleep mode when not in use. However, John points out that he can also buy a cigarette-lighter power adapter for US$15 as an added measure to ensure longer life.
The total cost for John’s poor man’s electronic flight bag? US$300. Not a bad alternative worth considering.
Jason Schappert has a short post on MzeroA.com that is worth mentioning and referring to by those just learning to fly. His entry concerns a common question he and no doubt many other flight instructors and experienced pilots receive as to what types of charts or publications a pilot needs to have. Jason breaks down the charts needed into those that should be carried by visual flight rules or VFR pilots and those that should be carried by instrument flight rules or IFR pilots. For both VFR and IFR Pilots, Jason lists sectional charts and an Airport Facility Directory (AFD) as necessities. In addition, he writes that IFR pilots should also have an IFR Enroute and approach plates.
Furthermore, even though the miracle of modern technology allows some of these items to be available in electronic format, Jason mentions a story involving one of his students who brought his approach plates in electronic format for a flight only to have his batteries died during training. Moral of the story: A pilot should ALWAYS have a printed copy of any chart or publication handy.