Used Approach Charts

[cheeselover]

Hi everyone,
Does someone know a place where I can get affordable used approach plates I can use with microsoft flight sim. I have tried the online charts but my printer went busted:mad: .
Thanks

[ramsrc]

First of all, welcome to PPRuNe.

Your question is unfortunately a slightly tricky one. To be honest, it is probably going to be cheaper to get yourself a new printer given the price that they are these days.

Used charts are getting more and more difficult to get hold of in these days of high security.

An alternative is to get hold of Jeppesens "Sim Charts" program - It allows plates to be displayed on screen while flying. Not as good as having them on paper but better than nothing. However, it is rather expensive.

A cheaper alternative is "SimPlates 2004" which is very good value for money - It can be found Here (http://www.dauntless-soft.com/PRODUCTS/SimPlates/frame.html), but doesn't have the pop-up feature.

Not really the answer you were looking for I know, but the best I can do - unless someone else has any other ideas.

PS: You may have more luck with this in the Computer/Internet Issues forum

[Groundbased]

I use this site:

http://www.geocities.com/bobandrepont/iap.htm

There are links to many sites that provide charts for simmers. You have to ferret about a bit in some cases, but lots are available as pdf downloads. You could save them all onto disks and get someone else to print them out for you.

Regards

[goatbusters]

I have a large number of European airport charts and enroute charts. If interested please contact me at: [email protected]

[Kestrel_909]

Oh Goatbusters, sounds interesting. I've added you to MSN if you have it, be interested to see what charts you have, I can't be a million miles away from you, just across the border.

Simplates - expensive yes, and does it have an up-date feature. They may do for flying offline, but if you wish to use them online with the various organisations that provide ATC then not only do they want pilots to use charts, but are becoming more and more aware of AIRACs and hoping you have the up-to-date ones.

I have a large collection of charts, similar to simplates but from well back into 1999 and well out-dated now, but very useful for those remote airfields you can't find online.

Another link for charts is www.navdata.at . The site gives the current AIRAC cycles for various add-ons for FS, and if you go to the charts page it will give you links to sources for charts.

I've been a bit of an stingy person with printing them, but have really started to recently rather than flipping between windows to see them. Co-incidentally I was just sorting my large file of them into alphabetical order in their poly pockets for easy referance :sad: saddo I know

I think enroute charts can be bought quite cheaply from a shop near Manchester airport, for about £3 each, though correct me if am wrong.

I have some high and low alt enroute charts here for Europe but all out of date and kindly passed on to me.

[goatbusters]

Kestrel_909 sorry I don't have MSN.

I have charts for European airports from Aalborg to Zweibrucken, although I have already given away certain major airports such as LHR, CDG, etc. I have recent sets of all high altitude and low altitude enroute charts for Europe. Tempting to lash them all on ebay.

[Kestrel_909]

Don't blame you, money could be made:)


I'd be interested possibly in some, will be in touch

[mad_jock]

You can get all the current charts for the UK from the ais website. Its the offical plates that all the jeppys etc are made from. Just register and then you will have the same access everyone else has. Most European countrys have the same set up with on line access to the plates it just takes a bit of time looking for them.

If you want some more of the larger european airports and on route charts on paper. Jeppys do a book of out of date plates for using studying for ATPL ground exams. Transair should have them.

And a post in wannbies might get you a cheap set before getting deleted.

To be honest its not a case of security or anything like that. The plates are on public distribution with no checks. Its more of a case of the bloke that does the up dates has no need of them and if an out of date plate turns up in an aircraft on a CAA check there is major noises. So they get chucked in the bin as fast as possible so no cock ups occur.

MJ

[Kestrel_909]

Hi madjock,

I am aware of the UK AIS site, and have some copies on CD too, my gripe is printing them :sad: in being a stingy git when it comes to ink.

I have seen a few other AIP sites around, including Bahrain but I couldn't find charts on it. Many organisations in the simming hobby have produced their own in pdf format, and have Flight SImulator Use Only in bold through them.

It's surprising though with how many each airline goes through each year that there aren't more floating around, and I do hope they are recycled after use!:ok:

[cheeselover]

thanks for the replys everyone, Ill try a post in the wannabes section.

[mad_jock]

They arn't recycled to the best of my knowledge. Out of date plates and charts are considered a serious risk to aviation safety. And are disposed off accordingly so no cockups can occur.

And as flight crew arn't normally interested in flying sims when we get home they get chucked as quickly as possible. And to be honest 1 update can leave you with 100 plus plates on the floor.

Also it not normally the flight crew who do the up dates. Someone from ops who has little or no concept what a plate is just thats its a complete pain in the tits every other month to sit for 2 days updating the jeppys.

MJ

[IRRenewal]

You could start here for up to date stuff: Eurocontrol (http://www.eurocontrol.int/ais/links/europe.htm).

Cheers

Gerard

[routechecker]

all the European AIPs here; http://www.ead.eurocontrol.int/eadexplorer/indexPU.html

Cheers

[Billings]

Hi!

My first post on PPrune :). Been watching a long time, but never had anything useful to post!! But, being a long time sim pilot I might be able to help here.

Cheeselover, As someone said earlier, it would actually be cheaper for you to get another printer than to buy, even second hand charts.

The latest European charts are available online at the relevant AIS site and plenty of links have been posted for you to find them.

With US charts, I have recently found a site http://www.fltplan.com
Once you log in, it allows you to enter a departure and destination airport, then shows you any presaved routes that are in it's database but also provides a list of DP's/STARS/IAP's and aiport charts that you can select. They are in GIF format so will load in no time and can be saved for later printing. The last time I checked, any charts I pulled were up to date and correspond to the latest AIRAC cycles.

I know it's a pain to print, but, it is definitly cheaper and speaking for myself, I'm not going to fly into every airport that has charts, so I only print out the charts that I use most frequently. Saves a bit more time and ink :).

I think they also have Low and High alt charts aswell that can be printed.

Anyway, hope this helps.

Cheers!

PB

[P.Pilcher]

I don't blame you being a stingy git and not wishing to waste printer ink. How much do you pay for cartridges? Buy some ink and refill them yourself - you won't worry about the price of ink then!

P.P.