How will the PPL be taught when paper charts disappear?

I think it might be like glass cockpits arriving at the airlines.. it may require a new batch of instructors to teach on – I don’t think you can have someone preach one method for 30 odd years and then change their ways … of course, in limited numbers but not generally.

I guess a lot will be defined by what Examiners will accept for the flight test?

Peter wrote:

Then everybody will de facto fly everywhere with a GPS (because all the Ipad products are moving maps) and all the navigation exercises will become meaningless

As long as schools are be able to print the needed maps, they can train classic navigation. You just have to make sure not to mess up the scale. And that your students don’t have unapproved electronics on board (as an operator, you should have last word in this). You would probably want them to have phones available, but that can be solved.

italianjon wrote:

I know of a few pilots who have started to fly effectively IFR while VFR and rely on the traffic calls of ATC. They only glance out of the window as part of the instrument scan, of horizon, altimeter, magenta line.

I know those. They’re very “popular” in some circles like among parachutists or sailplane pilots. They get called interesting names.

If the last printer packs up, I’ll start a chart on demand business. Sure, you can easily fly with just a tablet, and I have nothing against it in terms of reliability and data reliability, and for many pilots it is a real benefit, but nonetheless people like me enjoy flying with just paper, pen and the aviat from time to time and those will always pay a reasonble price for a paper chart. In fact, it is a dream that I will make true at some point, to fly around the US just with paper and compass in a 65hp champ or similar. I should hurry, if the US stops printing charts :-)

But out of experience I don’t think flight training should or could solely rely on moving maps, thus there will be a paper chart provider remaining.

mh wrote:

In fact, it is a dream that I will make true at some point, to fly around the US just with paper and compass in a 65hp champ or similar.

It could probably be arranged…

Haha, I did lots of float flying in an 85Hp champ. Whilst parked on a river one night, someone stole the portable GPS. We never replaced it, so it was pencil and paper from then on…

One time I was on a near max range flight and we thought we lost the aero chart out the window prior to the return leg. Bought a marine map, and it was a proper adventure, watching the 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 tick marks on the map go by, with the other eye on the fuel gauge. Never any risk as you can always land on the water near a town and walk to a petrol station (which you can see from the air!) for some mogas.

The map turned up later in never-never land under the rear seat, but it was great fun.

Highly recommend!

I think printed maps will soon go the way of the Dodo. I notice this already at the shop where I buy my pilot supplies – their choice of charts is getting narrower all the time. When queried about it, the answer was ‘everyone flies with ForeFlight on an iPad, we can’t sell them anymore’. I guess, they will soon only have the local paper charts for their students (the shop is part of a big FTO) for ab-initio training, but IMHO that also will disappear. The next generation of pilots will have grown up with tablets and iPhones etc and to them these presentations are normal. That said, of course the US has a uniform chart presentation that is reproduced 1:1 by the various EFBs.

I use Flight Planner and print out my own maps using electronic maps – two benefits in doing this:

1) My charts are always up to date (including AIPs)

2) If I’m ramp checked by the BR, then I have printed material for them to “check” – there are some inspectors who still refuse to accept electronic charts as adequate flight preparation…..

If I’m ramp checked by the BR, then I have printed material for them to “check” – there are some inspectors who still refuse to accept electronic charts as adequate flight preparation…..

Highly unlikely, no one expects you to carry paper charts. These inspectors are a myth nowadays. They all accept electronic charts as there is no requirement to carry any paper except for mandatory things like ARC, Registration,…..

What I want to know, is when will the certified Garmin devices show VFR charts / detail? Devices like the GNS and GTN series products show very poor VFR detail – too many unnamed towns and no VFR reporting points for instance. I know they are sold as IFR products, but there is no reason for them to exclude VFR detail. It could certainly be done.

Does anyone know why Garmin are holding out on this?

Howard