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Old October 14th 09, 10:24 PM posted to rec.aviation.ifr
Ross
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Posts: 463
Default Jeppesen Garmin Nav Updates

BeechSundowner wrote:
On Oct 14, 11:55 am, Ross wrote:

I knew people
that would only print the free charts off the internet and fly. But,
what happens if you land somewhere you do not have a chart? ATC can read
one out to you and you can construct it on a piece of paper, but I would
not want to try to do that and fly - no auto pilot in the plane I had.


Glad to hear that you feel you do get your money's worth out of the
subscription. I guess when I compare the electronic world to paper,
it just doesn't equate in my simple mind that my few (relatively
speaking) IFR flights justify the $300+ cost when I can get a lot more
flight time in the fuel aspect. As you can see from my videos, I
actively seek hard IFR so I want and need every tool in my tool kit
and for holds, having the 430 even with an outdated data card for
situational awareness makes my life just that much simpler.

Agree with you about printing charts as I know some that will only
print charts for their departure, destination and alternate, but I use
a program called ATP (Aviator Trip Pack) which prints all airports
underneath my flight path (user defineable for corrider width) so I
dont' get caught "under-charted" nor as you point out, should I have
to depend on ATC for what is my responsibility of being adequately
prepared for diversion.

http://cmensys.com/ is the program I use. At this point, I am using
version one for my IFR planning as I haven't quite bought into the
Google mapping part. Program author EXTREMELY responsive to input
and version two is still work in progress. Cost? Freeware. Large
learning curve from get go, but once you get it, it's rather addictive
and simplifies IFR planning to a few clicks of the mouse. Prints two
charts per page (landscape) where you fold the page in half and tear
it (I'm too lazy to get scissors) LOL and viola, you have kneeboard
size charts.

ATP program best thing since sliced bread, makes it a snap to give me
what I need rather then having 5 different booklets of appproach
plates, ruffling through various states to find what I need on my once
a year trip from MS to OH or MD.

Local approaches, naturally, I only print the airports KJAN, KHKS and
KMBO.

To streamline what I need, I print only precision and ground based
approaches along my flight path, and for my departure, destination and
alternate, I print ALL approaches available (including GPS's).


I also may be in a different position than you. Both kids out of
college. Fuel and hangars at my airport are about the cheapest around,
the airplane (when I had it) was paid for, I did owner assisted
maintenance, had a very good mechanic that taught me alot. But I still
figured I put out about $8K a year to run the plane., but I did sell it
for almost twice what I paid for it. Not bad for owning for 12 years.
And in the current economy.

--

Regards, Ross
C-172F 180HP
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KSWI