Sky Demon Charts

[Nit3flight]

Hi all,

So I’ve tried to do a bit of research on this before I ask. What I want to know is could you use printed SkyDemon charts for the PPL skills test rather than a big laminated one.

The CAA exam guidance document says you can use computerised planning for the skills test as long as you can show you know how it came up with the answers

obviously I get you couldn’t use the gps functionality of the app for the first part of the test at least as you have to show how you’d use the chart to work out if you’re on track and make any adjustments. But this is where I’m getting stuck. The SkyDemon flight pack creates a 1:500k chart with your route printed on it. It also shows enough space either said that if you were off track you could use a printed version and a pen to work out your corrected heading. Would this be ok on a test?

[Wrong Stuff]

I don't know the official answer to whether you could use a print out of the SkyDemon charts. My hunch is that it would be difficult to find a regulation which prevents it.

However to your question whether it would be ok on a test, I think that's a definite no.

There are a number of points which make it a generally bad idea for any flight:

When measuring distance, you can't use a standard ruler marked in NMs. You've got to measure it on the printout and then work it out from scale at the bottom. More work under pressure and you're much more likely to bust heading or height limits while staring down at your map.
There's generally a good amount of space around a route, but not always. It wouldn't take a big error at the wrong time to get into difficulties.
Are you sure your printer has perfect scaling horizontally and vertically? Because if not, any course angles or distances with a N-S component will be wrong.

For a skills test, I think it's a particularly bad idea.

Firstly, don't you still have to do a diversion without a GPS map? If so, it's a dead certainty the examiner will give you a diversion to somewhere that's not on your printout.

Secondly, if you're asking on here, rather than being able to just point to a rule or getting the OK from your instructor, it's obviously a contentious question. You might be technically in the right, but what if the examiner has a different opinion about its acceptability for a skills test?

Thirdly, the ultimate aim of the skills test is to prove to an examiner, who probably doesn't really know you, that you're a safe pair of hands to trust with an aircraft and passengers' lives. Turning up with what might be viewed as a Mickey Mouse, home-brewed navigation method just screams bad airmanship and will immediately sow seeds of doubt in their mind. Why would you start off your skills test by risking putting someone's back up? You're just making it 10 times harder to pass.

[BoeingBoy]

The rules you seek are in EASA Part NCO.

AMC1 NCO.GEN.135(a)(10) Documents, manuals and information to be carried
ED Decision 2014/016/R
CURRENT AND SUITABLE AERONAUTICAL CHARTS
(a) The aeronautical charts carried should contain data appropriate to the applicable air traffic regulations, rules of the air, flight altitudes, area/route and nature of the operation. Due consideration should be given to carriage of textual and graphic representations of:
(1) aeronautical data, including, as appropriate for the nature of the operation:
(i) airspace structure;
(ii) significant points, navigation aids (navaids) and air traffic services (ATS) routes;
(iii) navigation and communication frequencies;
(iv) prohibited, restricted and danger areas; and
(v) sites of other relevant activities that may hazard the flight; and
(2) topographical data, including terrain and obstacle data.
(b) A combination of different charts and textual data may be used to provide adequate and current data.
(c) The aeronautical data should be appropriate for the current aeronautical information regulation and control (AIRAC) cycle.

Whilst the SD print off complies with the law, as Wrong Stuff suggests, it might be better to use the full chart and have the flexibility of utilising larger areas, especially when diversions are considered.

[rarelyathome]

The rules you seek are in EASA Part NCO.

Don’t use EASA rules. The only valid reference is here https://www.caa.co.uk/uk-regulations/

The rules may be the same but things are always changing and the only valid regulation for the UK is there.