Where do get charts cheap?

[JimmiG 244]

Hi. I have recently found that in order to get the most out of FS, I need better tools for navigation. The default FS map combined with a school atlas just doesn't cut it anymore :-lolThere are many beautiful places that I want to explore in FS, but relying on the GPS map doesn't feel very realistic, and the GPS map isn't really detailed enough either. It doesn't show towns or cities, roads etc., plus it gives away the position of the plane which ruins the fun with navigation. "Navigation" is one thing, flying from A to B with the GPS coupled to the autopilot is NOT navigation.Also, I think it would enhance the realism a lot having actual dead tree-edition charts. It's like the newspaper; sure you can read it all online or watch TV, but for some reason you still need that paper every morning :)I'm mostly interested in sectionals since I fly piston engine GA planes most of the time and rarely visit the flight levels. I fly mostly over the US, because the FS scenery is most detailed there. Has anyone done navigation with real-world charts? Do they work with FS, or is the scenery not detailed enough in FS?I live in Sweden/Europe, so either a distributor in Europe, or a place which allows one to download charts are prefered.If the charts are downloadable, I want to have an option to print them out as I need them. I don't really like programs that you use with FS, because thay usually force me to pause the flight, switch to the other program, then return to flight. I want to just quickly glance at the map without pausing the flight, and for that purpose, I think paper is the only way to go. A map that pops up "inside" FS like the default GPS does would also be OK, as long as it doesn't display an airplane icon on top to show where you are.I found one place that sells out of date charts for $1 each (when bought in bulk), is that OK?Has anyone tried these? Here's the URL:http://www.aeroplanner.com/tools/dlsimcharts.cfm

[Guest cw1011]

A lot of aviation stores will give you expired ones for free. Just ask for them! They can't sell them after their expiration date.

[JimmiG 244]

No aviation shops where I live. It's a small town :)Also, will they sell charts for other countries (such as the US) in an aviation shop in Sweden? If anyone knows a shop in this country that would carry those, I would be interested in knowing.

[Guest UweR]

Hi, in Germany you have no chance to grab freebies at stores, the expired charts are sent back to the publisher and are exchanged for the current set.As a start to navigation with digital charts, you may want to search the library for "Rademacher". You

[Jim Padgett 11]

If you have a county airport go there and ask if there are any pilots that would give you their old charts. If you don't want to do that ask if they have a buletin board you can post a request on.

[Guest WorkingStiff]

There are many options for VFR flight planning/navigation.Here are a few I find helpful:If you have a Palm or Palm compatible handheld device you can download CoPilot by Laurie Davis for free. CoPilot allows you to do navigation, Weight & Balance, and has all the functionality of an E6B calculator. There's also a database available where you can download current NavData.You can find CoPilot at: http://lauriedavis9.tripod.com/copilot/And the NavData at: http://xcski.com/~ptomblin/CoPilot/There's also a very good freeware VFR flight planner called FlyWay that runs outside of Flight Simulator so it will give you the realism you're looking for. Features include:waypoint data for most U.S. airports, navigational aids and fixes; the ability to enter and search for waypoints; information about the waypoints (including frequencies, elevation, fuel availability and runway descriptions); calculation of courses, wind corrections and travel times based on entered waypoints; printing of route data, the waypoint information and the flight plan; and the ability to use the route data to fill in an editable FAA Flight Plan form, and to display a very rough map of the route. You can find FlyWay at http://www.bellz.org/flyway/With Flyway, all you'll need are approach charts and you can find charts at http://www.myairplane.com/databases/approach/index.phpIf you have Microsoft Excel, there's a spreadsheet that prints out your flight plans in Jeppesen VFR Flight Planner format at http://www.angelflight.org/californianorth/download/vfr.aspYou can find Navlogs in PDF formats at:http://www.remote.org/frederik/projects/aviation/navlog.pdfhttp://www.aviationspot.com/navlog.pdfhttp://www.thunderhorseaviation.com/free/F...anningSheet.pdfHope this helps.

[Guest jase439]

I subscribe to Echo Plate's service (used to be free :(. $5 every 3 months. I used to spend far more than this for printed plates though.

[Guest GorG]

Hi. For me, the funniest of FS is finding my way looking at the VFR chart. I usually fly in WA area, with a 30 m. mesh installed, and its amazing how well the terrain reflects in the chart. Whit a little attention you can identify all the rivers, lakes, mountains... I think I never go further than 2500AGL. In COF I ever found some water towers where my chart indicates them!!! And now we have telephone antennas, and the power lines... COF is great for VFR, in my opinion.A good thing of Fly! II is that it came with sectional charts u could look at while flying. These charts are avaliable for free download as "map packs", in fileplanet if i remember well. They are for the whole USA territory.I just downloaded these map packs, and took them to a friend that works in a printing press ( thanks Txusin ill never tip u enough beers :-beerchug ). If you play with the scale/resolution, you can get quite legible copies. I use to print a whole sectional chart in 6 A3 pages, then fold each by the middle to A4 size, and its very "user friendly" :) No need for gps nor fsnav, just old style navigation ;)These charts will be older than aeroplanners, i suppose, but download is free, and for 50 bucks you can surely print out many of them.

[Guest]

Try www.maptech.com they have aeronautical charts for all the US. just type the location, click the Aeronautical chart tab and up it comes.This will link you straight to the maps:http://mapserver.maptech.com/homepage/index.cfm?:)

[Guest pbn]

The flyII charts are also here on AVSIM. They can also be used in MSFS, with a little work though.Unpack the charts and load them in a viewer (I use a freeware program called "ER Viewer") and save them as BMP or JPEG. Then use Word or any other HTML capable editor to make a HTM file with the chart and whatever info which are useful for the area. save it in the folder where you have your saved flights. Start FS04 and setup a start situation which fits the chart and save it with the same name as the as the HTM file you created. Now when you load that flight flight you will have the map at your kneeboard at the briefing tab. It's quite easy to make the HTM file and set it up. This is ofcourse also usefull with any other digitized maps.A final note: make sure you make the map just big enough to make out the details in the HTM document as there aren't any way of zooming.I know this isn't as advanced as some of the availible software, but it's free and you don't need any other progs running while flightsimming.