Globe Cargo

"Does anyone use either nDAC or Jeppesen SimCharts 3.0 products? If so, what are you thoughts, do either of them cover all airports GC regularly serves? Justin"

I am using SimCharts 2.0 and have been going back and forth about upgrading to 3.0 but found most of the charts still usable. Some of the SIDS and STARS are slightly outdated or missing but the majority is there. SimCharts includes a module which allows you to view the charts from within FS and show your flown track on them.

"I didn't know you could show your ground track right on the chart! I've seen the screenshots showing the chart onscreen in FS but in reality I'd probably print the chart(s) I'm going to use. How is the coverage of areas outside of the U.S.? Is there enough coverage that paying the $72 for 3 regions is worth the price? Somewhere I thought I read that Jepp included charts for airports with at least a certain runway length, is that correct? Justin"

"I have SimCharts 3.0 and purchased the 3 region version (Eastern Euripe/Asia, South Pac, and Central/South America). Every chart I have needed for these regions has been on the CD. I am very happy with it although I would like to add Europe. I also use SimPlates 2004 but the coverage is spotty. For some reason, some airports have good chart coverage except for a significant missing chart like the facility chart. It is pretty odd and I wouldn't recommend SimPlates as a result. The charts for both are high quality and current enough for my use. I use the MyAirplane.com CD for US charts and they are all current. Lee "

"<!--QuoteBegin-nwadc10+Aug 25 2005, 08:14 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(nwadc10 @ Aug 25 2005, 08:14 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I didn't know you could show your ground track right on the chart!  I've seen the screenshots showing the chart onscreen in FS but in reality I'd probably print the chart(s) I'm going to use.  How is the coverage of areas outside of the U.S.?  Is there enough coverage that paying the $72 for 3 regions is worth the price?  Somewhere I thought I read that Jepp included charts for airports with at least a certain runway length, is that correct? Justin [right][snapback]4845[/snapback][/right] <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> The Simcharts are excellent. They are based on the Jeppesen Hi-Performance set which limits the set to only airports that have at least one runway 6000 ft or longer. I vaguely remember occasionally finding an airport with shorter runways as well, typically airports with regular commuter prop traffic. I currently have world coverage on version 2.0 and have yet to encounter an airport with scheduled airline service anywhere in the world that is not included in the set. Printing out the charts for an average size airport would take some 15-20 pages but a larger one (LAX, LHR, AMS, etc) would have more like 50 charts if you add up all the STARS, SIDS, airport diagrams, ILS, VOR, NDB, visual and RNAV approaches. The charts are on a CD but you can copy up to 10 airports (with all its charts) on your hard drive and keep swapping them as long are there are no more than 10 at any time. The charts that are residing on your drive (not those on the CD) can be accessed from within FS and displayed as if they were on your kneeboard. "

I use Simcharts 3.0 for airports outside the US but for airports in the US I use <a href='http://www.myairplane.com/' target='_blank'>http://www.myairplane.com/</a> especially if I am flying on VATSIM as the charts are updated more often there.

"The reviews you guys are giving are making me thing good and hard about finding the funding for the three regions pack <!--emo&:)-->[img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif[/img]<!--endemo--> Sounds like Jeppesen made a good product. When I say I'd print only the charts i'm going to use I mean that I'd print only the specific SID/STAR/IAP/APD chart that I will use on that particular flight and probably save them in a three ring binder for later use. I'd be nuts to print out the entire collection for a large airport <!--emo&:)-->[img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif[/img]<!--endemo--> Personally, I use <a href='http://www.naco.faa.gov/index.asp?xml=naco/online/d_tpp' target='_blank'>NACO Website</a> for USA charts but I've used MyAirplane before too. Justin"

"I personally gave Ralph charts for all GCI destinations, with the exceptions of US and Canada. (No use in occupying Ralphs space/bandwidth for stuff that is readily available for free on the web...) They are avialble in the ""Charts"" section under ""Operations""....... ....unless you really want to part with the $$$ for Simcharts. <!--emo&:huh:-->[img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/huh.gif[/img]<!--endemo-->"

"I just installed my newly arrived copy of SimCharts 3.0, 3 Regions. I must say I am quite impressed. I was expecting to get some SID/STAR charts, almost all APD's, and all IAP's for the available airports. Instead, I find that each airport you are given everything Jepp has for that airport including parking locations and INS coordinates for gates!!! There's also a good chart legend built into the program. I unlocked Pacific/Australia, Asia/Eastern Europe, and Western Europe. When I feel like investing more I'm going to get another 3 regions and will do the remaining regions except for the US. There are over 1800 airports available in the regions I unlocked, very impressive! That ought to make Atlas charter flights easy to navigate <!--emo&:)-->[img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif[/img]<!--endemo--> Justin"

I have version 2.0 and some of the areas do come with paper en-route charts. In my case it was with Western Europe and the 3 US regions. Not sure if you still get them with 3.0.

You can purchase paper enroute charts for extra but the coverage is very limited. Fortunately I have just about then entire northern hemisphere covered from another source. Justin

"When you have no problem uninstalling and installing again, you can change the regions you want. The maps of all regions are on the CD. So if you selected the 3 USA regions and decided you want Europe, just uninstall Simcharts and reinstall and make a different selection. Best regards, Arjen"

"I too have Jeppesen SimCharts 3.0 (all regions). I love the product, it is good value, and an essential requirement for online flying. It is however worth noting that the charts (althought exactly the same as the offical Jeppesen charts) are somewhat dated, and there is no update system in place. I have found out how out-of-date at the most inconvientent times - recently I was departing the Radom Fly-in in Warsaw and was assigned a new SID clearance whilst holding for departure, only to find that the simchart SIDs I had were all supersceded; similarly on approach to ATL I was assigned a new approach that was not included, so be preapred to use SimCharts in conjunction with some downloads from your fav chart site. Also, the simview application is quite buggy and the support from jeppesen is non-existant, but you learn to get around its little quirks. I saw the charts posted by Ted Barkley - great stuff, keep them coming."

"FYI, I'm working on finding some charts for Nadi (NFFN) which is one of the newer additions to the Polar Pacific route structure. As soon as I find applicable charts, I'll get them posted....."