Cheap Charts

[stevenmc]

Hi folks,

This is my very first experience with PPRuNe, so please be kind.

I'm currently studying for a UK PPL, and have just finished reading the Air Navigation study materials. It's coming up to Christmas and my wife and family would like to get me something I would love. I'd love charts to help me learn.

Basically, I'd like half and quarter mil charts for the route I'm most likely to fly when I qualify (and areas 50nm either side of my route for safety). I don't intend to use these charts for actual flying, but rather just to help me become familiar with reading maps, and with that particular route (BFS->KOI) (EGAA -> EGPA).

All the charts are £15.99 new, and given that I'd need several, I could be looking at a bill of £80.

1:500,000 Northern England/Ireland
1:500,000 Scotland
1:250,000 Northern Ireland
1:250,000 The Borders
1:250,000 Northern Scotland East


Does anyone have any tips on how to get out-of-date charts cheaper or discount charts?

If this is a stupid question, feel free to explain. Thanks a ton!

Steven

[Genghis the Engineer]

Doubtless somebody will be happy to sell you last years on eBay, just search. However,you need current charts for flying and having slightly different ones that you may inadvertently switch them with isn't clever.

However, if you are flying light aeroplanes (as opposed to microlights or helicopters which tend to be slower) then you only really need the 1:500,000 ("half mil") charts, and the quarter mils are only nice to have.

There are cheaper half mil Jeppesen charts - and personally I much prefer them too as clearer and less cluttered. However, I'd not recommend them to somebody learning - the training and exams are all built around the CAA charts and using Jepessen charts will only confuse things.

G

[Pitts2112]

You might also consider using just one. There's more than enough stuff on any one chart to fill your evenings geeking yourself out on chart knowledge and route planning practice. :)

[Shoestring Flyer]

Curious to know why you feel you need both half mil and quarter mil maps?

Most GA pilots I know use half mil. Unless you are flying, or intend to fly, something particularly slow I would have thought that keeping the cost down with just the 3 half mil maps that cover the UK would have been the thing to do.
As other have pointed out having a current map is a mandatory flying requirement.

[A and C]

Good advice from Genghis !

[Genghis the Engineer]

A passing thought, a more long lasting present that would be entirely appropriate to learning nav would be (so long as you have at least one chart) a reasonable quality flight computer - which will last for years.

Setting aside that various people don't like them, many do, and you certainly need it for learning to fly.

As good a place as any to look is either Transair (http://www.transair.co.uk/category.asp?SID=1&Category_ID=2687) or Pooleys (http://www.pooleys.com/prod_list.cfm?product_category_id=11&product_sub_category_id=54&menuHold=24); personally, I like the Pooleys CRP-1W as being as good a tool as exists for light aircraft nav, although there are others - some significantly cheaper - that will be up to the job.

G

[BackPacker]

As long as you're only going to use them to study, and not for actual flying... Have you asked around at the club? Most pilots would be happy for you to have their old charts. (In fact, I'd be happy for you to have my old CAA 1:500.000 chart but I only have the Southern England one here.) Sure, you might need to erase a few pencil marks, and ignore the creases but other than that they should be perfectly fine for studying. And are free. (Granted, that makes them a rather cheap Christmas present though.)

I agree that the quarter mils are not really useful for PPL-style cross country work. Unless you fly something very slow, or do a PPL(H), or when you do extensive aerial photography work or something like that.

Other Christmas tips:
- A decent headset (rather expensive maybe, but what's your hearing worth...?)
- Kneeboard
- Decent sunglasses
- Subscription to a flying magazine
- A monogrammed/personalized hi-viz vest or jacket:*

[stevenmc]

Thank you all for your advice, I really appreciate it.

I guess I just assumed I would need to have the quarter mil charts too, but it's good to know that in your collective experiences, you can advise that it's not essential. I'll definitely not be using these for actual flight, so worry not. I've also got myself a CRP-1, which has been invaluable so far. I think your advice to just get a couple of 1:500,000 charts covering the UK or northern UK, is great advice and will really help.

Thank you for offering your charts for southern England - I'd really prefer to be studying areas I'm a little familiar with though, so I can relate what I know on the ground to how that is represented on a chart.

Thanks very much everyone. And if anyone has last year's 1:500,000 charts for the UK, please get in touch. You guys are awesome! Thank you :D