Browsing through the UK air accident reports, I found 3 where contributory factors were differences between the aerodrome charts published as part of the UK AIP and commercially published charts.I made me wonder why commercial chart publishers prepare their own versions of the "official" charts rather than providing links to them?

Maybe to make some money? :) They couldn't earn anything by publishing links.For example Jeppesen is widely used, because it's one standard for airports all over the world, the charts are very well designed so that it's easy to find everything and as all charts are similar, it is easier for pilots to use them. Instead of getting completely differently designed charts from different AIPs, a certain standard is used which makes those so successful.

That seems a reasonable argument. I'm open to correction, but I thought the UK charts were to the ICAO standard.

Donny AKA ShalomarFly 2 ROCKS!!!Wasn't a discrepancy between the Italian chart and the one issued to the airman a factor in the severing of a skilift cable that caused a lot of deaths on the ground? The skilift just wasn't included on the chart, and the crew had no idea till after they landed. A B2 put its bombs precisely on target in the former Yugoslavia, the only problem was that the target had become the Chinese embassy.Best Regards, Donny:-wave