Two charts?

[Pilot16]

Hi

I didnt get round replying to my other threads, but I have read them and thanks to all the people who have replied, it was helpful.

Another question now... Im planning on getting a quarter mill chart so i can have that beside the half mill one. The half mill will remain the primary method for navigating. I think the quarter mill might help with checking that im on track because of more detailed features depicted on the chart which you dont get on the half mill one.

What are your opinions? How many charts do you carry? Will carrying a second one distract me from navigating efficiently, or will it be of assistance to navigation?

P16

[SteveR]

1/4 mil is very handy for finding your way round E.Anglia, but I've recently gone back to 1/2 mil for other places.

I seem to have a terrible need to be able to follow progress with my finger on a chart, and the 1/4 mil makes that more attractive. I don't think it's terribly good practice, and really want to get back to holding a heading for a decent few minutes, then making adjustments.

Steve R

[Tinstaafl]

1/4 mil is useful around congested & complicated airspace. 1/2 saves you having to swap charts all the time.

[FlyingForFun]

Never used the UK 1/4-mill charts.

But I have used the US Terminal Area charts, which are 1/4-mill. Not entirely sure that they really helped me at all compared to the Sectionals (1/2-mill), but they are a legal requirement so I used them.

Having come from an environment where I got very used to using 1/2-mill charts, I have to admit to getting confused more than once. No problem when planning a trip in advance, creating a plog and following the plog. The problem is when you just "go flying", making up the route as you go, estimating distances on the chart. Once or twice I "forgot" which chart I was using, and estimated distances as if I were using a 1/2-mill chart. Which resulted in me going twice as far as I should have gone, and then wondering why I'd overshot my intended turning point by so much. :eek:

My personal advice would be not to bother. But if you do go for them, then use them regularly, you'll only confuse yourself if you keep them for occassional use.

FFF
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[Aussie Andy]

I bought a 1/4 mil chart once, when training, to see what was on it but have always used the 1/2 mil by preference - as others have said, less need to change maps so frequently. Exception being in Australia where you have to use the 1/4 mil charts (forget what they call them, VNC or TNC?) when in major city's airspace.

Andy

[18greens]

I love 1/2 mils. I always think if its on the map you can definately see it on the ground (apart from Bagshot Mast - I wish they would paint a nice big yellow square next to it).

I always found the 1/4 mils too fussy with too much info on them and ground features you couldn't see. They may have changed recently but that was my memory. Also you run out of map too quickly on long cross countries.

I agree with the comment about the US terminal charts, they are great although its hard to remember a thumb is only 5 miles, not 10. I believe they are going to produce similar charts for the London area soon.

[bluskis]

It depends on the speed of your airplane, and the distances you are flying. In slow, really slow airplanes, a 1/4 mil makes sense.

On the other hand I used to find a 1 mil chart more useable for long flights, say 600nm.

Now I stick to 1/2 mil. There certainly is a chance of error in swapping scales, as there is in using a ruler with mulltiscales.

[Algy's Monocle]

An eccentric cove in the WW2 Air Transport Auxillary by the name of Douglas Fairweather was familiar with England and Scotland to such a degree, that he had no use for the clutter of charts of any scale and declined to carry them.

When rebuked by the Ministerial Bods for violating standing orders, he henceforth flew with one token chart: A map of Roman Britain.

Worked for him.

[HelenD]

I now prefer the 1/4 mil chart especially when flying in Scotland. This preference came about because when I was struggling a little with my navigation my instructor decided it was because I was using a 1/2 mil chart. Once using the 1/4 mil chart my navigation rapidly improved. I will start using a 1/4 mil chart in the South East when the one I have on order arrives. On my QXC I took both the 1/4 mil and the half mil charts because of how one destination appeared on the 1/4 mil chart.
Charts are down to personal preference but you should make sure you keep at least 1 up to date and carry the up to date chart with you even if you are mainly using the other chart since there will be times when you will want to make sure you are using current information

[sycamore]

I use a 1/2 mill. for nav., but if you are looking for particular turning points ie, pub, telephone box,etc then scan the 1/4 mil. and cut it to A5 and stick it alongside the point, for the greater detail. You can go further and use a 1:50 th map in the same way, and you can get it in colour off "multimap",and the picture as well.