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Charts and Plates: Air Charts is Top Value

The electronic age is here, but not everyone is embracing it yet, especially when it comes choosing between paper and electronic IFR charts and plates. Four out of every five pilots still prefer paper for aeronautical charting, even though paper charts are heavy and tablet computers and other viewing devices have simplified electronic chart viewing.

Aviation Consumer Staff
Verified

Th

e electronic age is here, but not everyone is embracing it yet, especially when it comes choosing between paper and electronic IFR charts and plates. Four out of every five pilots still prefer paper for aeronautical charting, even though paper charts are heavy and tablet computers and other viewing devices have simplified electronic chart viewing. While the paperless cockpit is indeed here, the serious IFR pilot still prefers NACO and Jeppesen paper charts. Why? Buyers are creatures of habit and many pilots have been using paper charts for decades and are reluctant to change. Pilots even seem to prefer that the supplier provide the printed charts,

Jeppesen’s JeppView

despite the fact that both Jeppesen and NACO e-charts can be printed by the user. Were all about cutting edge products and services, but were not electronic evangelists, either. If buyers predominantly prefer paper, its worth comparing the choices.

Legalities

To be legal for IFR, youre supposed to have current charts, under the catch-all “all available information” of FAR 91.103. But its the grayest of gray areas. The dirty little secret is that many pilots ignore this requirement in varying degrees and while we don’t condone this, we cant blame them. The risk of an accident, incident or violation due to expired charts is minimal, but still possible. Sticklers will insist on having the freshest possible nav data and we don’t blame them, either.

But having current charts might not even guarantee that you have the most up-to-date information. Case in point is the Comair crash in Lexington, Kentucky, on August 27, 2006. The crew had the latest IFR charts, but failed to note a NOTAM that pointed out a new taxiway leading to Runway 22, to which they were cleared.

Aviation Consumer Staff