Hello,My apologies if this has been asked and answered before but I wanted to get your opinions on obtaining Visual Navigation Charts and Visual Terminal Charts (or Terminal Area Charts, TACs) for use with Orbx Australia SP3 DVD (or the individual AU Blue, Green, Gold, Red regions).I have my eye on the six published VNC printed/paper versions at an Australian pilot supply shop for about $9.50 per chart. I would think this would be a good option for flight planning and VFR to/from the most popular airports in the Orbx AU series. I've also been considering some VTCs or TACs for more detailed coverage around the busier airports. I've been considering some select WACs as well, especially the WAC for Tasmania as that would cover a lot of territory (the entire island) for around $10.00. There are a lot of WACs for the continent (I believe around 30), so purchasing all of them would be very expensive. Any one have any particular WACs that they especially like and recommend for purchase?Please give me your thoughts on the above. Do you recommend I go this route? Are the paper charts I'm planning to purchase a good idea and do you think they will add significant value to the excellent Orbx Australia regions? Do any of you use the paper charts yourselves and/or do you have access to digital/online versions at little to no cost that you might recommend? Any suppliers in the United States that sell Australian navigation charts? I've only been able to find Australian merchants at this point and shipping to the U.S. may be a little pricey.Any and all thoughts on this topic are greatly welcome. I appreciate any feedback you care to give! :( - Rob

I love using real world charts when flying. Most local pilot shops have expired charts for free too.I purchased my Aussie charts here....and although I have a set of Jeppesen Hi for the area the VNC charts are awesome. Love knowing where I am in an area I really do not know that well...http://www.downunderpilotshop.com.au/default.aspAnd here is what the VNC looks like (the same as a VFR chart in North America)

Mostly Australia is a whole lot of nothing.I'd start with some of the free resources first.http://www.airservicesaustralia.com.au/flying/default.aspLook in the Aeronautical Information Package for airport charts. You can also buy VNC, VTC and WAC from the airservices site. They are usually cheaper than the resellers but check the postage costs first.http://www.casa.gov.auHere you can download some PDF Visual Pilot Guides for Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide which are very very useful plus they are free for the download versions! I find the WAC less useful. They indicate the airfields, vertical obstructions but don't show airspace boundaries. An Australian road atlas may be of more use than getting a full set of WACs.The VNC covers wider areas than the VTC and both the VNC and VTC show airspace boundaries. The VNC doesn't have as many VFR reporting points as the VTC does. The VTC also includes VFR flight routes where applicable (ie around the cities)

For downloadable, no cost, Approach Charts (Aerodrome and Procedure Charts) you can go to the VATSIM web page (http://usa-w.vatsim.net/charts/), click on Australia on the world map image, and then choose "Australia" from the "Oceania Region" in the menu ... this actually transfers you to the Air Services Australia web page but takes you specifically to the list of Australian airports and respective charts.Another good resource for downloadable, no cost, Australian Aerodrome and Procedure charts is the X-Plane charts page ... http://www.crc.id.au/xplane/charts/ I use these charts with Orbx's FTX Australia all the time. I think it is far better and more challenging/realistic to plan a flight and use the "paper" charts on approach to do it "properly" ... especially when you consider the realism offered by the Orbx's FTX Australia scenery. Flying in to a place like Townsville for example, using the charts to get around Mount Stuart etc ... yep, that's the way to go.