On Oct 6, 10:55 am, "Mike Schumann"
wrote:
Here is a great link to a GIS mapping program that I found that can be used
to customize digital sectionals that are available from the FAA:

http://www.globalmapper.com/

You can download a demo version for free. This gives you 85% of the
functionality of the full package, which costs ~$250.

BTW, the charts must be purchased from the FAA at:
http://www.naco.faa.gov/ecomp/Catalo...S+DIGITAL+DSEC
for $1.50 each or a DVD of half the US for $12.60.

There is also a product http://www.glideplan.com/ that is geared to
planning soaring flights. With some coaxing, maybe Matt will add some
stitching ability, and extend this product into a fully featured
electronic sectional chart system for use while flying. He is already
providing current scans for no additional charge, so it is already
legal to use in the cockpit. Note that so far, I think GlidePlan is
plent good enough to replace my paper charts, but better printing
options would turn it into a great product. Oh, there is a commercial
product available for about $100/yr that will do this as well, but it
is aimed at the airplane pilot so likely has many features most of us
would not be interested in.

Also at the FAA page is a Digital National Flight Database with all
airport inofrmation. It's not clear, but I asume all the frequency,
etc., info is there as well. It would be really cool if someone came up
with a scheme to take what is currently available at the Worldwide
Turnpoint exchange (http://soaring.aerobatics.ws/SOARING/JL/TP/) and
somehow update the airport portions of the available files with current
frequency info. Heck, I'd be willing to pay a reasonable subscription
rate to know that the comments field in my GNII database is current, as
this would be yet another reason to keep the sectional chart tucked
safely behind my elbow.

-Tom