The perfect chart?

[FlyingForFun]

Another discussion thread to keep you occupied through the wet weather this weekend...

Last night, I was studying the VFR Flight Planning part of the ATPL course. Much of the course is based on a VFR chart of southern Germany.

Of course, charts from different countries are all subtly different. The German chart had a very nice feature - at the bottom was a small map of the area covered by the chart, divided into flight information regions, showing the frequency to be used for flight information in each region. What a great idea - and it hardly takes up any space! How many other people have been confused about which of London Information's frequencies we're supposed to use in which part of the country? A small diagram at the side of the chart would be a great help!


So, on that basis, I wonder what would make the ideal chart? We've got some well-travelled fliers on this forum, as well as flyers based in various parts of the world, so we've probably seen a fair number of different styles of chart. What elements of each chart would you take to make the perfect chart?

I'd like to:


Start with a UK 1/2-million chart
Definitely leave it laminated - my un-laminated US charts lasted less than a month!
Show runway layouts of airfields on the chart. UK 1/4 million charts currently do this, but not 1/2 million charts - it's a great aid to planning your arrival, and also helps when using airfields as visual landmarks
Add a diagram of flight information frequencies, as per the German chart


Any other improvements anyone would like to see?

FFF
---------------

[Saab Dastard]

FFF,

The perfect chart is:

Motorised, voice activated, self-folding, self-cleaning!

And double sided - 1/2 mil on one side, 1/4 mil on the other!

:D

SD

[Evo7]

And doesn't have your destination right on the fold....

Am I the only one who would like a third-mil chart? Seems like it would be the best of both :)

[AerBabe]

Could we have a symbol saying which fields use smoked bacon in their sandwhiches? :D

[stiknruda]

East Anglia where I predominantly fight gravity has a plethora of tall, white circular edifices used to store water.

These erections stick out like the proverbial puppy's parts and can generally be spotted many miles away.

As there are very few areas where water towers are near each other they would be great VFR landmarks, if pinpointed on a chart.

The CAA chart folk often ask for suggestions but I will confess that I have never gotten off my ar$e and suggested this. Perhaps we should pick out the best suggestions from this thread and send it to the cartographers at the CAA?

Not sure how they will depict smoked pig, though!


Stik

[Whirlybird]

Cheap, non laminated charts like in the US mean you can fold them easily for use in an R22. If they're cheap enough I don't mind throwing them away at frequent intervals. But apart from that I find US charts terrible - hard to read, not enough colours, and not enogh info.

[Tinstaafl]

Definitely unlaminated. It's a pain in the @rse trying to fold laminated charts, and even when 'folded' they're still bulky & may not stay folded. Not to mention finding your 'special' map pen before writing on the chart, carrying metho & a rag or similar to erase...

Stuff that. I'll stick with paper & pencil. At least when (not if) I drop my pencil(s) I can write on it with just about anything.

I like US charts because most information needed for a flight is printed on them: freqencies, runway lengths etc etc

I prefer the colours, shading, tinting & symbology used on 1:1 000 000 WAC series. Don't like the colour coding used on 1:1 000 000 ONCs. Not as great a degree of height discrimination AND one colour indicates generally level terrain, not elevation.

I like the chart size of ONCs though. Minimises the number of map changes & edges.

[Flyswift]

Ummm....

To be able to download them from the .Net. The maps will be highly selectable, ie from a range of 1nm upwards; and you only need to download the section that contains your route, diversions etc, for that trip. If it were a subscriber service you would be guarenteed of an up-to-date chart also.

All you need do then is print it on you photo quality printer, using glossy paper. No need for a masters degree in paper folding either.

Just a thought...........

FS

[Tinstaafl]

Don't like strip maps such as you suggest.

I've had to divert more times than I can recall to places that weren't part of my original planning ie not my destination NOR my considered alternates.

Better to have area coverage I believe.

[Whirlybird]

Come to think of it, I don't care what charts are like, but could we have the same ones the world over please? Since flying is international, would standardisation really be too much to ask?