Map Folding - is this a dark art?

[GrassStrip]

Hello - I was wondering if there is some secret that experienced pilots don't tell inexperienced pilots until they've flown 100 hours - how on earth do you fold your map and stop it resembling something you could enter in an origami competition?

I have a new map at the moment and my last flight fell nicely in the fold and I looked very swish with it neatly folded!

However the next trip I’m planning - yes you guest it - goes over the fold!

What am I to do? I will now have to refold those lovely creases the wrong way and it will end up looking like a right mess and all my credibility will go with it!

Is there some secret I have not been told? Did Trevor Thom write a book on map folding? Please advise....

[Kolibear]

Just fold it so you can use it, don't worry about the creases. After all you are on;y going to throw it away in a year or so when the new edition comes out.

BIG paper clips at each corner are a great help though.

[rustle]

See here (http://www.listfaq.flyer.co.uk/mapfolding.htm) for details on how to fold a chart correctly.

[SATCO Biggin]

I normally screw mine into a ball and let it roll around the cockpit floor. Then you can pick it up and use it as a globe. Makes drawing straight lines on it a bit difficult though.

But seriously.... there is a good way of doing it but I am not familiar with the method. It should leave you with your most regularly flown area predominent and the ability to 'fold out' the legend bit that has the aerodrome frequencies on it as needed.

Maybe its part of the CPL syllabus?

Regards

[Hansard]

The CPL syllabus requires more folding and re-folding of maps than I thought was possible - and if you turn up for a nav lesson with a beautiful map all nicely squared and clipped together in all the right places, you can GUARANTEE that the instructor will divert you to somewhere on the inaccessible other side. My map was such a mess after the training that I had to buy a new one for test day. Instructor mentioned some kind of concertina method, which would work nicely if the 'height' of the map was 8 inches, but I never sussed out how to concertina, in a cockpit, something that is 3 feet high.

Have printed off the instructions kindly provided by rustle.

[Miserlou]

I use 1/4 mils for legal compliance in the local area or Jeppesens. They are not laminated and thus easier to fold another way. They are already folded to a sensible size.

[FNG]

I fold my map up very carefully, but it still looks like a bag of s**t tied in the middle (with mouldy string) within one week of first use. I am vaguely distrustful of those with exceptionally neatly folded maps. They might be Mormons*, or something.


*The spellchecker wanted me to say Moomins, but that would be even weirder.

[drauk]

Colour photocopies (using a cheap inkjet printer/scanner) worked really well for me during training.

[Tinstaafl]

1: Use non-laminated charts. Much, much easier to fold & unfold.

2: Use a soft pencil. 2B is my preference. It's soft enough to mark the chart and be erased without significantly wearing away the map surface AND hard enough not to wear away too quickly. As a bonus you don't need a different writing tool for your flight record/PLOG, wizz wheel etc.

You also don't have the problem of having to carry some form of dissolving fluid to remove the marker pen ink needed for laminated charts.

3: Trim your charts to remove wasted paper eg the white border, legend etc. You can glue important things such as chart issue number etc either in a sparse area on the front of the chart or on the back.

4. Start with the open chart in front of you. Identify the areas that you don't need to look at in flight for navigation and those you do.

Make sure you include a reasonable buffer around your track line and possible diversion or escape points in your consideration of the areas on the chart.

The general idea is to first fold underneath the areas your not going to need at all, then the areas that are a potential need. That should leave your track and its buffer left.

Concertina the track (if it's a long one) or at least fold away the sections not needed at first.

The idea is that the bits you'll definitely need are displayed, possible bits are only an unfold or two away and bits you won't need are buried deeper.

If you can, it helps to try to keep the folds somewhat symmetrical. It will keep the map thickness somewhat constant which makes writing on it easier.

[High Wing Drifter]

You also don't have the problem of having to carry some form of dissolving fluid to remove the marker pen ink needed for laminated charts.
A rubber will remove permanent marker pen lines of a laminated with the need for any fluids.

[paulo]

I've heard that the FAA syllabus for map folding is much easier. :p

[FNG]

Yeah, but if you get your map-folding licence in the States you have to do a ten-hour conversion course before you can fold a map in the UK.

[mad_jock]

Charts are a pain in the tits.

personally I chop the sod up. Anything which isn't required is hacked off. Then if your only flying in one area its in the center then sensible folds. Always fold both ways along a crease so you can fold it back on yourself.

Have seen many brillant attempts using bulldog clips paper clips etc. All it made me do as an instructor is garantee that i will pick a diversion which is going to be most awkard.

Must admit to wards the end of my VFR flying I got very lazy. One was always on board but i don't think I looked at it for the last 9 months.

MJ

[Monocock]

I go along with Kolibear.

Each trip I make means the map is folded in the most appropriate manner. At least this way you know that the congested bit of airspace that you need to have on you lap doesn't lie in a fold.

I also use those really tiny bulldog clips to keep it from unfolding.

Top tip if you do use paper clips/bulldog clips........when you leave the plane make sure there are the same amount attached to your chart as there were when you got in.

I had a plane re-upholstered a while back and went to the hangar the evening of the day the bloke had been to gut the interior. In amongst the pulleys for the rudder was a mini-bulldog clip that I had lost the week before.

Makes me shudder just thinking about it:ugh:

[J.A.F.O.]

Folding maps is like arguing with women, there are two ways to do it correctly and come out the winner and nobody knows what either one is.

I'm normally pleased with my folded chart if I can make the wings flap by pulling the tail.

[Flyin'Dutch']

I tried the method as advocated by the link Rustle kindly provided, but ended up in the pub more often than my liver could stand so did the next best thing. Copied the way professional map sellers fold their maps in their booklets!

Take your half mil and fold it in the middle along the North South axis.

Keep the map folded and fold it again in half but this time along the East West axis.

Fold the top of the map again in half along the East West axis.

Fold the bottom of the map again in half along the East West axis.

Fold the tops and bottoms again in half along the E-W axis.

You will now be able to concertina the map and go up and down finding the bit you are interested in.

If you have managed to work this out and concertina the map in you will have an approximately 66 x 14 cm folded map. To make it more portable and easy to stick into sidepockets or between seats you can of course fold this once more so that you end up with a 33 x 14 cm folded map.

I know the description is only short but I know my attention span is about 30 seconds and suspect others' may not be much longer when it comes to something as exciting as mapfolding.

Have fun!

FD

[Wot No Engines]

You could also try the technique I used to use navigating a rally car - club stuff based on a 1:50000 os map. I've also seen this suggested for aviation, but can't remember where.

It involves folding the map several times in each axis, and then making a few accurate cuts. The whole lot can then be gathered in with the corner sections between folds placed together and flat - sick these to a backing card, and you can now move east/west or north/south just be turning the folds left .

It's no good for marking a route that spans a fold, but it is very neat and easy to use. For planning, I would use an un-modified map and then transfer lines across using reference points in each section.

Sticking the sections of map permenantly back to back helps as well.

Otherwise, I have done as others - cut as mich off of the edges as you can - areas I know I won't go to at all are not needed. The ledgend is not needed on the map - carry separately, etc. Having done this, folding is a lot easier. I also place several strinps of white insulating tape on an unwanted section for the flight (but on the main fold), and write all useful info here - expected frequencies, headings, QNH, etc - I don't have room for anything more in the glider !!

[Sliding member]

I had difficulty with map folding so I only flew within about 40nm of the airfield (or 20 if I had a 1/4mil);)
The frustrating thing I find is when you buy your chart and its been folded by the club/shop or whatever, so has to be refolded again and always goes back to the previous creases.
Finally, how do microlighters cope with there charts? I wouldn't want to be doing a bit of folding in a flexwing! (maybe one day I'll find out - when I can make my mind up)

[Whirlybird]

Microlighters - and helicopter pilots - fold their charts suitably in advance of EACH flight. Microlighters carry them in big map cases with a transparent front showing the bit you need. Helicopter pilots fold them as small as possible...especially R22 pilots ...and stick them somewhere out of the way; I often put mine under my arm.

As far as I'm concerned, refolding your map for each flight is part of flight planning. Make sure you have the whole route easily accessible, and any possible diversions a maximum of a fold away. This means your map will gradually become more flexible and easier to fold as the year goes on...and I reckon a tatty looking map is a sign of an experienced pilot; after all, who wants to walk out to their aircraft looking like a new student, with a pristine unused map etc.

If you want one that looks good before you fly, get on AFE's chart subscription service. You not only always have up to date charts, they come in a big envelope, ready folded. Yes, of course I refold them...it's guaranteed that wherever you want will be on the first main fold...but it does mean they look good until you fly. :D

[Tinstaafl]

Hey Whirly, did you ever manage to find a source for unlaminated charts?

[Whirlybird]

Hi Tinny. No, I didn't, but I haven't looked very hard. Having just flown in France and Germany with unlaminated charts, I do think they save a lot of space and fold more easily, but I got fed up with using pencil and having to rub out old lines with an erasor. So...not sure on that one. Still looking for the perfect chart, along with the perfect kneeboard and the perfect flight bag. :)

[Tinstaafl]

Ah! Kneeboards & flight bags!

My kneeboard is the A5 aluminium plate with its riveted clip removed from one of those ASA tri-fold things. I clip PLOG, maps etc to it & keep it down side of the coaming next to the windscreen.

My nav bag is an old yellow surplus canvas satchel. Much better than those bloody large black cases you see people with. Mine can be positioned between the front of my seat and behind my legs without interfering with anything. Everything in it is accessible in flight.

If not flying it can be slung over my shoulder.

[parris50]

I got as far as step 11 before going down the pub. The 4th sentence is the one that gets me. "Starting with the top fold..." This would only work if I turn the chart through 90 deg first. But then step 12 becomes impossible... arrrrgggg.

Has anyone actually managed this?

See you in the pub...

[High Wing Drifter]

Parris50,

The short version of that description is fold both axis in half. Then horiz and vert segments in half and half again until you have 7 vert folds and 4 horiz folds.

Then simply fold the horiz edges to the centre so the edges meet in the middle. Zigzag the vert folds to a concentina (sp?) and then fold in half again.

You end up with a road atlas type fold than you can easily unfold to be like a book.

Horiz = long edge.

[parris50]

High wing drifter,

Yup, thanks that did it!

Gotta find another excuse to go down the pub.

:ok:

[Whirlybird]

My nav bag is an old yellow surplus canvas satchel. Much better than those bloody large black cases you see people with. Mine can be positioned between the front of my seat and behind my legs without interfering with anything. Everything in it is accessible in flight.
If not flying it can be slung over my shoulder.


I'm beginning to realise that something like that is the answer. On our recent trip to Salzburg in a C150, we were really tight on weight and balance. I had all my gear in a large holdall that would convert to a backpack if we needed to walk out of any small airfields. Within that I had my flight stuff in a cotton carrier bag, to save on weight of course. Well, it was wonderful. No carting heavy flight bags around, just grab my carrier bag and sling it on my shoulder. No surplus stuff hidden in pockets, only what I actually needed, and easy to find. And, as you say, can be put in front of knees, or hung on something, so easily accessible in flight.

Maybe simplicity is the answer. Unlaminated maps that fold easily, and basic carrier bags. I know someone who carries that to kneeboards too - a piece of paper and a pen in his sleeve. But I do rather like my tri-fold, lots of pockets, keep everything in it, kneeboard...at least for now.

[mad_jock]

On the subject of bags.


I use one of those brief case soft bags you get given when you go to a conference. You can buy them from argus for 10 quid as document satches or some such.

It has room for a ANR headset, over night wash bag, pad of voyage reports and Loadsheets, Scottish highlands chart, yellow vest a couple of torches, pack of batteries for the ANR and a A4 knee board. With plenty of room to spare.

It has a front zip pocket where the license lives and pockets front and back for keys and mobile for going throught the xray. 4 pen holders on the front face and a shoulder strap if thats the way you want to carry it.

Much better than a black box flight bag you seem to get more into it as well. Don't bruise your legs carrying it and its alot more handy to stow.

MJ

MJ

[mini]

Cover yer map with clear Fablon, costs little or nothing, you can fold it anyway you want. Use white board markers, wipe off with a cloth (sleeve...)

:ok:

[Keef]

I've used the method on the link Rustle posted - for the last ten years at least. It works brilliantly.

if you're only going to fly in a certain small area, then it makes sense to fold the chart so that it displays that bit. if you go further, you need to be able to refold the chart quickly, accurately, and expertly.

M and I just flew off the bottom right hand corner of the Southern UK chart, then right across the French North West chart (and nearly off the bottom left hand end of that). The "link" method worked perfectly all the way there and back. I had the chart on my lap, and knew where I was all the time.

That method came from Duncan McKillop, and I reckon is one of the most useful little tips I've picked up as I've bungled my way around Europe...