Sunday, August 20, 2006

Query

Let's say your aircraft is equipped with a terminal, en route, and approach certified GPS and a MFD that displays both VFR and IFR charts (although not approach plates). You subscribe to an update service that updates both with new navigational data every 28 days, and you religiously perform those updates.

Question 1: Are you legal to fly without having any paper charts on board? (Set aside the wisdom of such, given that the GPS and/or MFD could always fail. Just from a technical legal point of view -- are you in compliance with the Federal Aviation Regulations.)

Question 2: Suppose that you do have paper charts on board, but they are not current. If paper charts are required, would out-of-date charts, supplemented by a current set of electronic charts on your GPS/MFD, satisfy the regulations?

1 comment:

Avimentor said...

"No" to both questions.

14 CFR 91.103 "Each pilot in command shall, before beginning a flight, become familiar with all available information concerning that flight. ..."

So have current VFR and IFR charts as well as an A/FD and get a complete briefing (including NOTAMs and TFRs).

A while back, virtually all of the intermediate approach course waypoints were renamed on a GPS approach for an airport that I fly into regularly. Having an out of date chart for that approach would have done you very little good.

And if the FAA decides to violate you, they might even thow in 14 CFR 91.13 - careless and wreckless operation - at no extra charge.