Aerad IFR Charts

[beerdrinker]

A couple of years ago AERAD decided to combine their HI and LO IFR EU charts onto single charts. This met with a lot of opposition as the LO info was very hard to read. Apparently a lot of people bought Jeppesen LO charts as they kept their HI and LO EU charts seperate.

I did just that but did not like the Jeppesen charts.

I heard a story that AERAD were going to go back to publishing seperate HI and LO EU charts. Is this true?

[beerdrinker]

Further to my own question, I have now heard from European Aeronautical Group (who publish Aerad Charts) that they are planning to release UK & EU Low Altitude Charts seperately later this year. Good news.

[IO540]

I too chose the Jepp airways charts for their much better readibility, but to be honest have not yet had a reason to look at a paper IFR chart.

One cannot generally plan an airways route acceptable to CFMU off the printed chart anyway, so one uses various electronic tools like Flitestar and this (http://rfinder.asalink.net/free/)autorouting website, and I print off enroute sections from Flitestar.

However I admit that if you don't use any PC tools for flying, and always get ATC to amend the route as necessary, then the paper chart is a must, and one needs to draw the "flight plan accepted" route back onto it.

[beerdrinker]

I too use the rfinder website to get an IFR route. I then plot it with Navbox Pro Plan, then use either the Austrian AIS website or [url]http://www.cfmu.eurocontrol.be to check its acceptabilty for Eurocontrol. Navbox Proplan gives me a Plog and a printed ATS Flight Plan.
However before filing it or checking the route's availability I check the planned route on a Chart. This is because I can remember trialing Flitestar and it did not know about weekend airways or one way airways.
I then carry the chart on the aircraft during the flight because invariably I will be given a reroute by ATC.
As I said the "new" HI/LO Aerad charts were a backwood step and I found the Jeppesens in Europe very hard to read. That is why I am glad Aerad is bringing back LO airway charts.

[shaun ryder]

One cannot generally plan an airways route acceptable to CFMU off the printed chart anyway

Not quite understanding this one?

You must realise that the base of alot of airways are way above you and the capabilities of your aircraft. Unless you have oxygen. The reason why CFMU spits out your flight plan is most likely because it has been incorrectly filed. You enter an airway thats base is above the FL you have filed then it will not accept it. I would suggest using DCT between way points off airways that you will not be flying in.

[beerdrinker]

Sorry, but I do not understand your points when discussing Airway Charts.

I get a route from the rfinder website, check that it is acceptable to Eurocontrol, file, it and have it accepted. During that planning stage I check the base level of the airways and file appropriately. It is easy to check such things on a chart.

[shaun ryder]

I agree, the Aerad chart is far more user friendly than Jeppessen.

[IO540]

Of course I have oxygen - airways flight in Europe is quite difficult without it - but that's not the point. The point is that the chart doesn't contain all the required information. There are all kinds of conditions on which routes can be used when. A whole big subject.

[S-Works]

I get the Aerad charts with my No1 AIDU plates but actually use the Jepp charts for flight planning. As IO points out getting an acceptable plan is harder, you HAVE to read the text pages that are amended every 2 weeks to check what limits are places on certain routes at certain times of the day.

You will often plan a route on the chart with all of the MEA's waypoints etc correct file it and it will bounce. Reading the text notes you will find that a certain section of XXX airway is not available between x & x times and thats why your plan bounced.

But back to the original question...... My Aerad guide is still showing a combined chart for this year.

[mm_flynn]

CFMU - particularly amussing trying to plan to and from LOWS at or below FL150:ugh: