Jepp Charts - Worth it?

As a IFR student, I'm wondering what the general take is on Jepp charts vs Government-issue charts. They both have their pluses and minuses....

Jepps seem to be:
* Better organized
* Better depictions on approach charts (e.g., terrain)
* Everything comes in the mail according to the 56 day cycle
* More expensive
* Hard to go from one approach to the next if you've taken them out of the binder (vs flipping to the next page in the book)

What am I missing?

TODR

TODR,

I have always used NOS plates because when I was young and really poor, I could buy just the ones I needed, and they had all the information required. a dozen or so years ago, I decided to try the AirChart Systems subscription - for about $350, you get a bound set of Low Altitude Enroutes, WAC charts, and a full set of NOS approach books (in April or May). You then get updates in the form of a few pages every 56 days, and a 28 day postcard with interim updates. I only look at the updates when I am going someplace, to see if the there has been anything for my route - there rarely is. The updates are cumulative throughout the year, and it is amazing (when you get to the end of the year) how few pages it takes to give all the updates for the entire country. Really made me wonder why I had been throwing away all that paper every 56 days for so many years....

Bottom line - the NOS charts give me everything I need to know, and I like the coverage price through Air Charts.

Paul

Ironflight said:

Bottom line - the NOS charts give me everything I need to know, and I like the coverage price through Air Charts.

Paul

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Good to know.

Some research on cost:

Jepp offers several different coverages areas, through both the "standard" manual service (larger areas) or "express" (smaller areas). For comparison purposes, a 1-year subscription via the "airway manual express" to Jepp is $170 for TX, about $150 for AR/LA/OK. However, the "standard" manuals are $315/yr for NM, TX, AR, LA and OK.

NOS approach plates are, what, $4.50/ea? TX has 3 books, call it $13.50 every 56 days or about $90/yr. Low-altitude enroutes are $4/ea, figure you'd need two, $52/yr. So, that's $140/yr to cover TX with approach plates and enroutes. You can get all the approach plates online for free as well.

I'll check out AirChart.

TODR

Approach Plates

I get them on a CD from RMS Technology Inc. I beleive it is $99 a year and a new CD every 56 days. I have theirflight planning software also. I print all my destinations before a trio and take the laptop along for an emergency alternate airport. This is legal now.

Jepps vs NOS

This is a "whatever works for you" issue. Those of us that spent time in the airline business will argue for Jepp charts because virtually every airline on the planet uses them. Part of the reason is that Jeppesen makes tailored services for the needs of airlines and in some cases they even print and distribute their operation manuals and the like in the same format. In the past my advice to a student was to use the NOS through training because the "written" will use NOS charts. Then, if you are planning on going to the airlines, get used to the Jepp format. As Paul said, the data is the same, only the format is different.

I just renewed my personal (F-5) Jepp service for the 42nd year. Yikes!

John Clark
RV8 N18U "Sunshine"
KSBA

Free

The FAA has a site that you can download and print in kneeboard format for free. http://avn.faa.gov/index.asp?xml=naco/online/d_tpp I realize this could be a a pain if you needed to print hundreds of approaches but you can just print out the ones for the airports and alternates you plan on using. I believe you can get them from the AOPA website for free as well.

bmurrish said:

The FAA has a site that you can download and print in kneeboard format for free. http://avn.faa.gov/index.asp?xml=naco/online/d_tpp I realize this could be a a pain if you needed to print hundreds of approaches but you can just print out the ones for the airports and alternates you plan on using. I believe you can get them from the AOPA website for free as well.

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I like the Freebie charts (nice to see - NWS and USGS are starting to cut back on free distribution) and you can certainly download and print what you need. This might be best for the occasional out-of-area approach. The only downside is that you darn well better print all the ones you need, or....

TODR

the cost of US full paper is ~ 750/yr for Jepp. The NOAA plates are free from the government in digital format. A number of vendors have repackaged the charts and generally sell them for ~100. the hard thing to find is digital low enroutes because the govt doesn't distribute those digitally yet. i find that myairplane.com does a good job of providing the NOAA charts and digitized low enroutes using a simple browser for $125.

the_other_dougreeves said:

I like the Freebie charts (nice to see - NWS and USGS are starting to cut back on free distribution) and you can certainly download and print what you need. This might be best for the occasional out-of-area approach. The only downside is that you darn well better print all the ones you need, or....

TODR

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Not having the right approach plates can be a very unsettling experience, and when you consider th range and speed of RV's, it is VERY easy to fly beyond the range of a short set of books. I like to have plates not just for my destination and alternate, but for the entire route that I am flying over - what happens if you are halfway through a 500 mile IFR trip and need to land for a mechanical? Think risk reduction, and you'll want to have your route covered.

Paul