On 2009-10-12 10:52:08 -0800, Sam Spade said:

Frank Stutzman wrote:
Sam Spade wrote:


A lot of effort goes into compiling the data; waypoints, nav aids,
frequencies, airport data, special use airspace boundaries and
altitudes, etc, etc.


Most of which is done on the tax payers dime.
Yes, Jeppesen does add value. For example, they compile it into
different formats for vendors as well as a lot of cross checking and
data validation.
However, the real hefty lifting is done by government agencies. As the
end consumer essentially ends up paying for the base information twice
(once
to Jeppesen and once through their taxes), I'll side with the OP and say
that Jeppesen is indeed overpriced.


And, the companies, Jeppesen and Garmin, aren't in business for the fun of it.


Yup, and they are welcome to charge as much as they can get for it. And they
can charge a lot for it because they are the only game in town. However,
if there was any other source for this information, you can bet I for one
would be encouraging the competition.

The taxpayers pay for instrument approach procedures and
route/development maintenance.

The nav database is of little use to anyone until Jeppesen does a lot
of work on it.

Special use airspace boundaries are painstakenly reconstructed by
Jeppesen from the arcane rule-making source. NACO has to do the same
to make Sectionals and TACs, and those aren't exactly free, either.

The compliation of airport, nav-aid and comm frequencies from many
sources isn't easy, either.

The taxpayer is being had by the fact NACO gives away its approach
charts. Those are distinct and separate from the development of the
IAP. No other country in the world gives away their approach charts.

I didn't know I would hit a nerve with you on this Sam. For aspiring
pilots with little or no money when taking lessons, its a pretty hefty
price tag to stay updated.