Preparing the trip to Prague for the May 1st weekend, I need a chart for VFR flying in Czechia. The best I find is the DFS 1:500.000, published December 2014. That seems fairly recent, and I generally like the DFS charts. Would this really be adequate for the trip (flying strictly VFR, and NOT on top for lack of any kind of gyroscope driven instruments) or is there a better suggestion?
I just bought the 2015 “Aerodrome Database Czech & Slovac Republic”. It comes with a 1:500.000 VFR chart. See here.
Then, there is also the “official” 1:500.000 chart which is available at many pilot stores, as well as the DFS Visual 500 chart, but both aren’t out yet in their 2015 issues.
AFAIK, the one you’ve got should be the official one. ŘLP made a deal with the publisher of the Database and it comes with the official VFR map (non-laminated version) for free. At least that was the case a few years back. I’m assuming the same holds true for the English edition.
No, it’s definitely a different one.
The ICAO chart looks like this:
Thanks for the quick replies – I ordered the kit mentioned by Boscomantico.
Yep, that’s the one. Well, my fingers were faster than my brain. It has been a few years (the time flies) and it wasn’t the English version. But they used to bundle the official (ICAO) one. It was supposedly a campaign to increase safety by giving away an up-to-date map for free with this very popular publication. I’m sorry for the unnecessary confusion.
Edit: Jan, I don’t know if you are aware of the VFR Manual . It might be of some use to you.
Thanks for the tip, Martin, that has been downloaded and installed on the portable computer that I will take.
There were 2 charts of 1:500 000 scale attached to Databaze letist in 2014. One of them was the official one (published by RLP, Czech ANSP), the other was prepared by published of Databaze letist. This alternative one also includes Slovakia. Even this is not official I would not be afraid to use it – the publisher has done really decent job capturing all the info.
2015 edition doesn´t have ICAO official chart – as it was not published by Czech ANSP – will be out only in October when more changes to airspace are to be made.
