Got my first ever Pooleys!
Chocks Away!
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Got my first ever Pooleys!
I got my first ever Pooleys delivered on Thursday. I'm very impressed with all the information in it. Even my wife took an interest!
I've had a look through it, and it's pretty exciting thinking of all the airfields that I can hopefully visit.
I was surprised to find that LARS is pretty much not available on weekends (when I'd be most likely to want to use it), and also the number of airstrips that do not have any type of fuel, and the others which only have Jet A1 - this is by no means a critisism of the airfields but it's just a reminder for me that fuel planning is ever so important.
It's pretty facinating seeing the number of private airstrips, and the opportunities this gives us as pilots.
I'm not sure what the AFE equivalent is like, but well done Pooleys, and here's to another 50 years of publishing the guide!
T.
I've had a look through it, and it's pretty exciting thinking of all the airfields that I can hopefully visit.
I was surprised to find that LARS is pretty much not available on weekends (when I'd be most likely to want to use it), and also the number of airstrips that do not have any type of fuel, and the others which only have Jet A1 - this is by no means a critisism of the airfields but it's just a reminder for me that fuel planning is ever so important.
It's pretty facinating seeing the number of private airstrips, and the opportunities this gives us as pilots.
I'm not sure what the AFE equivalent is like, but well done Pooleys, and here's to another 50 years of publishing the guide!
T.
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Hi - Know what you mean. I got my first one, after some prompting by more experienced pilots, last year and it has been an essential part of the flying kit since. I found that a one stop shop for most of the info in need to go places is invaluable and it also encourages you to scan for new places to go.
The update service is well worth following and they do seem to keep ahead of some of the official publications when it comes to changes.
If you havnt done so already it is worth getting the loose-leaf version.You can then either use the relevant original pages for the flight or do what I do and copy the pages so I can write notes if needed.
Happy Xmas and enjoy browsing through all that info!
Chris
The update service is well worth following and they do seem to keep ahead of some of the official publications when it comes to changes.
If you havnt done so already it is worth getting the loose-leaf version.You can then either use the relevant original pages for the flight or do what I do and copy the pages so I can write notes if needed.
Happy Xmas and enjoy browsing through all that info!
Chris
Pooleys alert
I have just opened a early Christmas present - a Pooleys 2007 refill for my existing ring binder. What have the idiots (well actually Bob P is a charming man) done? They have gone down from 4 to 2 rings, so that the new refills don't fit. Much hand hole punching in store for when I can be a****ed. V irritating. Might switch to AFE next yr on principle.
Season's greetings and happy landings in 07
Skua
Season's greetings and happy landings in 07
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I once had one of those Poolys things but then I discovered the Jepp botlang airfield manual and the poolys was religated to its secondary role of wheel chock, a role it performs superbly.
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When I read Skuas post, I thought bugga, but on checking, my refill which arrived yesterday does fit my existing binder, but had it not it would have gone straight back, then I would have bought an AFE guide instead. Is this a way to get us to spend yet more money buying a new binder when there is nothing wrong with the old one, other than it doesn't fit. 
I was wrong, it doesn't fit. I didn't look properly. Other than cutting off the top and bottom rings with the grinder, it's first an grumpy email to Pooleys to complain. If it takes as long for them to get back to me as it did to send the guide, it will be a waste of time. AFE is looking more attractive.
I'm not buying a new binder on principal.
I was wrong, it doesn't fit. I didn't look properly. Other than cutting off the top and bottom rings with the grinder, it's first an grumpy email to Pooleys to complain. If it takes as long for them to get back to me as it did to send the guide, it will be a waste of time. AFE is looking more attractive.
I'm not buying a new binder on principal.
Last edited by maggioneato; 24th Dec 2006 at 14:53.
Chocks Away!
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Yes, it is the loose leaf one I've got - so I'm looking forward to the updates too. The idea of photocopying the relevant pages for each flight is a very good idea indeed!
A and C (& others) The Jepperson or AFE guide - how do they compare?
T
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I got my Pooleys update recently. I was impressed with the new colour layouts and very unimpressed with a free frequency guide dated about 2003! I to found the additions did not fit my binder, but picked one up from a local airfield for £6.50, so not too much pain.
With the increase in information on the web, I wonder how long it will be before I stop getting Pooleys. Downloading the details of where I am going and a few alternatives free and bang up to date can be done in a few minutes.
Rod1,
Pooleys user since 91’
With the increase in information on the web, I wonder how long it will be before I stop getting Pooleys. Downloading the details of where I am going and a few alternatives free and bang up to date can be done in a few minutes.
Rod1,
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shemy
If you buy the Jepp product you get 13 updates a year so it would seem logical that the 2007 poolys would have been updated with the 13 amendments that Jepp customers get throughout the year.
I take it that Poolys has an amendment service ?
I take it that Poolys has an amendment service ?
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Tiggermoth
In answer to your question, the AFE graphics are not the best and I,m not sure how the ammendments work in a spiral bound book.
Pooley's graphics have been much improved ofer the years but still rather small and the ammendments are an issue if the format is not loose leaf.
The Jeppesen has the best graphics by far and the ammendment service is the best, real europe wide coverage is avalable (in one off trip kit format if you wish)
Jeppesen costs more but in my opinion is worth the money, when the cockpit workload is high at a new airfield at the other end of europe having a chart in the format that you use at home is worth a lot.
Pooley's graphics have been much improved ofer the years but still rather small and the ammendments are an issue if the format is not loose leaf.
The Jeppesen has the best graphics by far and the ammendment service is the best, real europe wide coverage is avalable (in one off trip kit format if you wish)
Jeppesen costs more but in my opinion is worth the money, when the cockpit workload is high at a new airfield at the other end of europe having a chart in the format that you use at home is worth a lot.
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Well....I don't like the Jeppesen Bottlang guides that much....
...downsides:
1. No indication of landing fees whatsoever
2. No local info such as taxi phone numbers, food available on airfield etc
3. Information is frequently out of date...particularly phone/fax numbers.
I'm not saying that the Pooleys or AFE are brilliant either, just that the Bottlangs aren't perfect.
...downsides:
1. No indication of landing fees whatsoever
2. No local info such as taxi phone numbers, food available on airfield etc
3. Information is frequently out of date...particularly phone/fax numbers.
I'm not saying that the Pooleys or AFE are brilliant either, just that the Bottlangs aren't perfect.
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AFE updates are monthly by email - you have to write them in yourself - but if you have the loose-leaf version they do send out some replacement pages from time to time. It's not like Jeppesen, i.e. every change doesn't trigger a replacement page - you are expected to be handy with a pen.
What do you expect for £20-odd?
Tim
What do you expect for £20-odd?
Tim
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Interesting difference of veiws but I can assure dublinpilot that the Jepps do have an indication of avalability of food and taxi's (but not the phone numbers) as to the updates some of these will be found in the "chart notam" section before a full revision of the plate happens.
The only direct price comparison is if you look at UK and Ireland coverage with inital price and (year two) Pooleys £61 (£49) AFE £57 (£47) Jeppesen £70 (£50)
The Jepps cost a little more but not by much when the quality is considered, the other thing to be taken into account is soon the VFR Jepps will be avalable on Jeppveiw CD.
This will be a real bonus if you have ever had to lug a european set of Jepps around, Jeppveiw has halved the weight of my (IFR) flight planning kit I look forward to my VFR planning kit being reduced to the weight of a compact disc.
The only direct price comparison is if you look at UK and Ireland coverage with inital price and (year two) Pooleys £61 (£49) AFE £57 (£47) Jeppesen £70 (£50)
The Jepps cost a little more but not by much when the quality is considered, the other thing to be taken into account is soon the VFR Jepps will be avalable on Jeppveiw CD.
This will be a real bonus if you have ever had to lug a european set of Jepps around, Jeppveiw has halved the weight of my (IFR) flight planning kit I look forward to my VFR planning kit being reduced to the weight of a compact disc.
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A&C,
The Bottlang does have a knife & fork symbol, but no further info beyond that. Pooleys & AFE tend to do that better, indicating what level of service is available on the aerodrome, and if none, then what's in the locality along with the phone numbers so that you can check their opening times or make a reservation.
As you say Bottlang shows a Taxi symbol, but no phone numbers. Not much use when you land and there is no one around, and you're in the middle of nowhere. Having a taxi phone number can come in very handy. It's the easiest way to civilisation, and usually very helpful in finding a hotel for the night if your stay was unexpected! Probably not so much of a problem for you IFR boys, but something us VFR tourers have to deal with
The lack of a figure for landing fees is what I find it's biggest drawback. I do check these with the airport when getting PPR to avoid a nasty shock, but it's handy to have some indication of fees when deciding where to go.
As I said earlier, I'm not saying that the others are brilliant, but I though that you were praising them so much, that people might get the impression that Bottlang were somehow perfect. I would prefer a Pooleys/AFE over the Bottlang, but unfortunately when traveling to the conteniant, I've little choice but use Bottlang.
dp
The Bottlang does have a knife & fork symbol, but no further info beyond that. Pooleys & AFE tend to do that better, indicating what level of service is available on the aerodrome, and if none, then what's in the locality along with the phone numbers so that you can check their opening times or make a reservation.
As you say Bottlang shows a Taxi symbol, but no phone numbers. Not much use when you land and there is no one around, and you're in the middle of nowhere. Having a taxi phone number can come in very handy. It's the easiest way to civilisation, and usually very helpful in finding a hotel for the night if your stay was unexpected! Probably not so much of a problem for you IFR boys, but something us VFR tourers have to deal with
The lack of a figure for landing fees is what I find it's biggest drawback. I do check these with the airport when getting PPR to avoid a nasty shock, but it's handy to have some indication of fees when deciding where to go.
As I said earlier, I'm not saying that the others are brilliant, but I though that you were praising them so much, that people might get the impression that Bottlang were somehow perfect. I would prefer a Pooleys/AFE over the Bottlang, but unfortunately when traveling to the conteniant, I've little choice but use Bottlang.
dp
"What have the idiots (well actually Bob P is a charming man) done? They have gone down from 4 to 2 rings, so that the new refills don't fit. Much hand hole punching in store for when I can be a****ed. V irritating. Might switch to AFE next yr on principle."
I've just e-mailed Pooleys to ask why the loose-leaf version isn't being produced with 4-hole punching. The 2006 version fitted my existing 4-ring binder...just. The reason I prefer the 4 hole binder is that the pages are less likely to rip when leafing through the binder in a hurry. 2 holes are insufficient unless rip-proof paper has been used. Has it? I somehow doubt it.
I've been buying Pooleys for about 10 years. But I shall wait for their answer before spending my money with them again!
Hated Bottlang with its little symbols and horrid paper.
I've just e-mailed Pooleys to ask why the loose-leaf version isn't being produced with 4-hole punching. The 2006 version fitted my existing 4-ring binder...just. The reason I prefer the 4 hole binder is that the pages are less likely to rip when leafing through the binder in a hurry. 2 holes are insufficient unless rip-proof paper has been used. Has it? I somehow doubt it.
I've been buying Pooleys for about 10 years. But I shall wait for their answer before spending my money with them again!
Hated Bottlang with its little symbols and horrid paper.
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I buy an up to date guide every year, and here’s my quick review.
Bottlang (nice overview map or the local area, flimsy and not many small airfields).
Poolys (good level of detail, but small maps, and typeface/layout makes it hard to read in the air).
AFE (largest amount of airfields – 2007 color edition even has small grass strips like Swanbrough Farm - biggest maps, clear and easy to read.)
Not one of them is perfect (I’d like the AFE with the Jepp overview map, and some of the additional text from the Poolys), but for me the AFE is the best.
Rans,
www.Flight For life.co.uk
Bottlang (nice overview map or the local area, flimsy and not many small airfields).
Poolys (good level of detail, but small maps, and typeface/layout makes it hard to read in the air).
AFE (largest amount of airfields – 2007 color edition even has small grass strips like Swanbrough Farm - biggest maps, clear and easy to read.)
Not one of them is perfect (I’d like the AFE with the Jepp overview map, and some of the additional text from the Poolys), but for me the AFE is the best.
Rans,
www.Flight For life.co.uk
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So, here is a confession !
A couple of years ago, I got a bit guilty flying with a 1988 stolen copy of Pooleys, so I set off to a local aviation supply shop to purchase a new and current copy of AFE - which I prefer.
Copy in hand I went to the till and while standing in line, I noticed a box full of last years copy for a fiver.
Well, being a true Yorkshireman, there was only one course of action. I duly returned the new copy and went to purchase the price beneficial copy.
I then got a right chewing off by the shopkeeper who questioned my very existence and cast nasturtiums about my qualities as a commercial pilot.
My thought was I saved a tenner or so, so me and my mate went to the pub!
I still have it and it serves me well
Flame away boys, I don't care - it's Christmas !
A couple of years ago, I got a bit guilty flying with a 1988 stolen copy of Pooleys, so I set off to a local aviation supply shop to purchase a new and current copy of AFE - which I prefer.
Copy in hand I went to the till and while standing in line, I noticed a box full of last years copy for a fiver.
Well, being a true Yorkshireman, there was only one course of action. I duly returned the new copy and went to purchase the price beneficial copy.
I then got a right chewing off by the shopkeeper who questioned my very existence and cast nasturtiums about my qualities as a commercial pilot.
My thought was I saved a tenner or so, so me and my mate went to the pub!
I still have it and it serves me well
Flame away boys, I don't care - it's Christmas !
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BEagle
Your attitude to airfield plates on computor shows how little long distance flying you must do in a light aircraft, a set of UK and near europe Jepps (IFR) and the Jeppesen Botlang VFR manual runs to six books each of about 2KG plus the bag to carry it all and you have total used 14Kg of payload or to put it another way half an hours endurance or sixty miles range.
As access to the aircraft at larger airports can be limitted the whole kit plus personal bags needs to be transported to the hotel if you don't want to spend the first 2 hours of each flying day at the airport flight planning.
Enter the small laptop and printer at about 25% the weight of the books and able to connect to the web for the airfield plates, WX, computor plogs, flight plan forms in AFTN (to cut down on fax time) and soon to file flight plans direct.
Yes we do print paper approach plates for the destination and diversion airfields and have a paper plog, because the computor is updated by CD the amendments take 126 seconds to do, the header on the plate will tell you if the plate is not within the current amendment cycle so the chances of using a superseded plate are almost nill.
Flight planning can all be done in half an hour before breakfast at the hotel, the flight plan filed by fax. So no more rushing around airport offices trying to find Met and flight planning and then waiting an hour for the flight plan to get into the system.
Jeppesen tell me that the Botlang VFR plates are soon to be avalable on "Jepview"................... the sooner the better in my view!!
As access to the aircraft at larger airports can be limitted the whole kit plus personal bags needs to be transported to the hotel if you don't want to spend the first 2 hours of each flying day at the airport flight planning.
Enter the small laptop and printer at about 25% the weight of the books and able to connect to the web for the airfield plates, WX, computor plogs, flight plan forms in AFTN (to cut down on fax time) and soon to file flight plans direct.
Yes we do print paper approach plates for the destination and diversion airfields and have a paper plog, because the computor is updated by CD the amendments take 126 seconds to do, the header on the plate will tell you if the plate is not within the current amendment cycle so the chances of using a superseded plate are almost nill.
Flight planning can all be done in half an hour before breakfast at the hotel, the flight plan filed by fax. So no more rushing around airport offices trying to find Met and flight planning and then waiting an hour for the flight plan to get into the system.
Jeppesen tell me that the Botlang VFR plates are soon to be avalable on "Jepview"................... the sooner the better in my view!!
Last edited by A and C; 29th Dec 2006 at 16:58.