As mentioned on the front page at AVSIM, the DOD is making it much more difficult for general public to access the DOD database for aviation and other such navigation.Understandable from a defensive point of view, especially in light of the current times. But what about 3rd party offerings? Is Jeppesen going to be told what to print, and what not to print?In my mind, the AVSIM community is not adversely affected, as since we all have simulation in mind when we visit AVSIM, and therefore, a static DB of Oct 1, 2005 NAV Data is acceptable.Again, what comes to mind for me is the question around 3rd party providers.Cheers,bt

I'm more than a little interested as to what effect this will have on VATSIM.

The data will no longer be publically available for a variety of reasons.National security is only a very minor part of that.The main reason are tightened licensing requirements from other nations who are ever more coming to figure out that there's money in them there charts.Most likely the data WILL be available to those who have a real need to know (so not a flightsim enthousiast, but an airline or Jep would be able to get it).Jep doesn't provide the data free of charge so it's harder to get and will leave a paper trail (I'd guess if someone walks into a pilots' supply store and buys a complete set of Jep IFR charts for the US paying with cash he'd be remembered, plus such stores all have security cameras in place).

License makes sense...this stuff is not cheap.bt

And I thought it was just European Governments that liked to restrict what information was available to the general public. :(

Access to charts shouldn't be a problem, I don't see any mention of NACO...or am I missing something ?The way I understand it, this would only affect AIRAC availability.

I see this as getting knocked two steps back for flight simmers as the navigation equipment (FMC's etc..) are just starting to come alive in the hobby. I have no problem paying for the data - but if a simmer can afford the information, then the national security objective isn't being met.From what I see, the information will most likely be limited to military and commercial aviation agencies - period.Makes me wonder the future of terrain data, satellite data etc..Sad to see it go and sadder to see it necessary.BobKMEM

If I remember right, Jepp does alow access to their D-base in some shape or form. We looked at them pretty hard for the FSATCN project. They just had everything in different d-bases.

Indeed sad to see it go, but to me the saddest part is the fact that any security reasons is pure BS. Any Joe Blow can still buy charts using a number of means that will not give his identity away. No, to me it