Charting a Course to Modernize Aeronautical Info
The FAA’s Air Traffic Organization is cleaning up aeronautical chart supplements and route data to improve the pilot experience in flight planning and flying.
Story written by C. Troxell, FAA Office of Communications
General aviation (GA) pilots rely on aeronautical charts and their supplemental information to fly safely and efficiently across the national airspace system, and the FAA is working innovatively to modernize and standardize these tools critical to safe and efficient flying.
In 2018, airlines and aviation associations shared with the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization (ATO) some of their challenges with aeronautical information and notices to airmen (NOTAMs) system architecture.
FAA aeronautical data experts convene monthly with other members of the NBAA, Airlines for America, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, IATA, Delta and other stakeholders to discuss modernization and standardization of aeronautical data and NOTAMs.
“Simplifying and reducing confusion about our NOTAM information and aeronautical data is incredibly important,” said ATO Technical Training Director Abby Smith, who is leading the agency through the modernization plan.
The FAA is cleaning up aeronautical chart supplements as part of an overall effort to modernize aeronautical information and NOTAMS in response to the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 and the Pilot’s Bill of Rights.
A chart supplement is a pilot’s manual that contains data on public-use and joint-use airports, seaplane bases heliports, visual flight rule airport sketches, navigation aids, communications data and weather data sources. GA pilots access the charts and supplements primarily on their tablets, or electronic flight bags.
Published by Mission Support Services every 56 days, the chart supplements include several sections with the major ones being: an airport facility directory with basic airport information; airport diagrams, or geographical images of airports; and notices of safety alerts.
Read full story: https://medium.com/faa/charting-a-course-to-modernize-aeronautical-info-2582e6eb0a20
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Story & photo credit: https://medium.com/faa/charting-a-course-to-modernize-aeronautical-info-2582e6eb0a20