FlightSim.Com Reviews: Desktop Wings World Aeronautical Charts

REVIEW:

Desktop Wings World Aeronautical Charts

by Nels Anderson (30 May 1997)

ne of the most asked questions amoung flight simulator users is "where do I get charts to use with my simulator"? Flight sims are realistic enough that the sketchy charts that sometimes come with the software or add-ons aren't really good enough to use the sim to its full ability.

The best answer to this problem is to use real aeronautical charts. Many people don't know where to get these, though, and even if a source is known getting a full set of charts for all the areas you want to fly can get quite expensive. Some flight sim pilots recommend getting expired real world charts but again you need to find a source.

Well, Desktop Wings comes through! Their new Full Color, Full Scale World Aeronautical Charts provide exactly what is needed for realistic navigation anywhere in the continental U.S., the Bahamas and Baja California.

AVAILABLE MAPS

Typical WAC section, showing the Miami FL area. This type of chart makes up most of the book.

What Desktop Wings has done is arranged with Howie Keefe's Air Chart Systems to provide expired charts to the flight sim community. If you bought this same set of charts for real world aviation, in the current edition, it could cost you as much as $400. But Desktop Wings is making these charts available for only $29.95. This is really quite a bargain!

There are a lot of charts in the book, which is 152 pages in length. Most of the pages are taken up with WAC (World Aeronautical Charts) of the U.S. WAC charts are in a scale of 1,000,000:1 which is adequate for flight sim navigation. WAC charts are much like the Sectional Charts that pilots normally use for VFR flight, except that the scale of sectionals is 500,000:1 and thus show a bit more detail. Finding the chart you need is easy using the map provided on the first page of the atlas. Book pages have quite a bit of overlap so flying from page to page is convenient.

In addition to the WAC charts there are separate charts of every Class B and Class C airport airspace. These charts are printed at a 500,000:1 scale so they are more detailed, which is exactly what you need in these busier airspaces. There is also a set of planning charts showing airways, terrain, etc. at a scale of 1" to 60 nm.

In addition to the maps there is a table listing every airport in the U.S. with radio frequencies for Approach, ATIS, Tower, Ground and Clearance Deliver.

HOW GOOD IS IT?

So, how good is the system? Well, it's good enough for real pilots to use. These maps are the real thing and as a licensed pilot they look very familiar to me. If you're not used to real aviation maps this is a great chance to start using them. If you are used to sectionals these charts will immediately be familiar.

Sure, the charts are expired but flight simulation scenery doesn't necessarily keep up with real world changes anyway, so this is really a minor concern.

Sample Class C chart, showing Buffalo NY airport.

CONCLUSION

If you want to be able to navigate your flight simulator through the United States and don't already have suitable charts, then buy this book! The price is a bargain, the charts are the real thing and I don't think you'll find a better deal for sale anywhere else.

World Aeronautical Charts is published by:

Desktop Wings, Inc.
PO Box 422
Dublin PA 18917
Phone: 800-848-6198 or 215-453-1405
FAX: 215-453-0286
Web: http://design-web.com/DesktopWings

Review by Nels Anderson
nels@flightsim.com

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