Cool VFR charts

[Guest papatango]

I have been trying to find a way to get Sectional Aeronautical charts for the US cheap. They make flying a whole lot more fun. It seems a bit too easy to use GPS. It more enjoyable to be looking at the terrain, lakes, roads, cities, etc. in FS and then look at a map and figure out where you are. Then you can see lake and city names, and get somewhat familiar with the area.I don't work for this company, but I just downloaded a demo of Maptech's AeroSims. I put it on my PC and flew around the Boston area. It was very cool seeing everything in the FS world correspond to real life. I think that I am going to buy the software. For $49 you get all of the Sectionals for the entire US, plus a tool for route planning. I put it on my laptop, and just kept the map in front of me as I flew. I highly recommend it, especially if you are a VFR flyer. It is as cheap as it is because the charts are outdated. I think that they have outdated approach plates as well.Papatango

[Guest]

Cool. Note that you really CAN just head to the flying club at the local airport and get FREE outdated, printed charts. I got a VFR chart covering Toronto <->Ottawa, perfect for me. In addition to the VFR chart, I ended up with the Canadian airport directory, IFR low altitude, high altitude enroute info, and instrument approach plates. Way more than I know what to do with right now.Seriously, if you want charts, your local flying club will likely just give you older, expired ones, which are great for simming.

[Guest papatango]

Thanks for the feedback. I thought about that, but I wanted charts for the entire US. Also the route planning tool is pretty nice to compute your distance and headings, and print out your route as well. You can also zoom right in to the part you are flying. Your way is a lot cheaper though :)Papatango

[Guest outtatimeiii]

Wow, I am going to have to look into this LOL. The only sectionals I can use at the time are from aeroplanner.com, but thats a small window, kinda hard to work with. I might stop over to the airport sometime and talk to them LOL.

[Guest]

Not always, not everywhere...You have to have one near you where you know some people. Then they have to not have a contract with someone to supply them (maybe a store selling outdated charts to simmers might give them a discount on new charts on handing back the old ones), etc. etc.And of course they're likely to have charts only for the immediate vicinity. e.g. a New York club is unlikely to have charts for Anchorage or Mexico (unless a member just flew there and left them at the club on return).And all that if there's an airfield near where you live.