We have returned!

We have returned! Windsock has finally turned on the “GO” switch and is back in business. Our core business has changed some and would love to get some feedback from our customers. We have refined our sales and distribution for our core product, replacement 5 & 8 foot windsocks, and are gearing up to publish a list of remaining inventory still left over from when we closed our brick and motar store at John Wayne Airport. We look forward to hearing your comments. You can leave them here at the website or use our Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn sites by searching for “Windsock”. Thanks you for your patience and stay tuned!

Mike

FAA AeroNav Meeting Notes

Windsock Pilot Supplies has just returned from DC after attending the digital product line meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 13th. Chris Doesburg and myself are happy to report that the FAA is trying to work on creating an ongoing relationship with both the application developers and the current chart distributers. The numbers that have been thrown out there in regards to the cost of digital charts to the end user (pilots/customers) was mentioned but only as a starting point which will eventually be drilled down to a more reasonable number when the FAA has a better idea how many true digital customers are out there. More customers = less cost. At least that’s how it was presented.

What this means to you only time will tell. We do know that some great idea’s were bantered around and one of them included the 400+ current chart distributers to make the transition to digital charts as easy as possible. The idea stems from the thousands of different gift/product cards available from most retailers we are familiar with for the redemption of either dollars or an actual product. In this case a card would be sold to a customer which would include a key code. The key code would allow the pilot the ability to use it in any or all applications they wanted and the key would open up the charting information for which you paid for. It sounds like you might be able to buy charts separately or as a group or region in addition to the entire United States which would include all the products like: AFD’s, VFR Charts, IFR Charts & Plates. Hopefully we would be able to do this as an online service in addition to the cards to make it even easier.

The advantage of using the current FAA chart agents is that the application developers would be able to continue to create the awesome programs that we have come to enjoy, and we would make sure you get the data you need. The other advantage to using chart agents are their current contracts with the FAA and their experience in delivering the products efficiently through a system that is already in place. An additional benefit would be for the application developers as the agents would not be competing with any of them throughout the process. The last challenge would be just getting the word out.

Mike Mann

FAA’s AeroNav Digital Charting Statement

AeroNav Products hosted a meeting on Dec. 13, 2011, for companies interested in distributing our digital product line in the future. The meeting goal: to collaboratively discuss options for FAA’s AeroNav Products to develop a proposal to best distribute digital products.

Highlights of the meeting included:

• Legislative history of the aeronautical charting program dating from 1926 to the present.
• 49 USC Section 44721 provides for the collection of fees for the purpose of reimbursing the government for the costs of creating, printing, and disseminating aeronautical products and services.
• AeroNav Products’ High Performing Organization requirement, approved by OMB, to develop a digital products strategy delineated in the plan.
• Need to protect the technical content and critical navigation information embedded in the digital products.
• Current digital product revenue cannot sustain the charting program.
• AeroNav Products needs to recover $5M for the first year and the price of digital products needs to be set at a rate to recover these costs.
• Industry groups presented multiple pricing structures to recover those costs and more work is necessary to determine the pricing.
• AeroNav Products is committed to continuing to provide digital aeronautical products to support new and innovative technologies for pilots.
• Based on the input from this meeting and other information we’ve gathered, AeroNav Products will develop a proposal for the sale and distribution of digital products and will make this proposal available to the public.

http://aeronav.faa.gov/index.asp?xml=aeronav/safety_alerts

Tis the season to be current!

We have all the local VFR, IFR charts & AFD’s in early. Stop on by the store and pick them up or surf our web store and save yourself a little time. Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays from all of us at the Windsock!

DC Here We Come!

Attention! All pilots that use electronic navigation products. On December 13th, Chris & I will be attending a meeting at the FAA AeroNav Products Facility in Silver Springs, MD, to learn what changes will be made in the distribution of electronic charting as it relates to the end user. We will join around 50 companies that represent the distribution side of aeronautical charting as developers and or AeroNav charting distributors. We will keep you posted on the changes that might happen in regards to how you receive your charts in the future in addition to what it might cost you in the end (hopefully less). You can follow us on this blog or Facebook (don’t forget to “like us” as well, we surely do appreciate it), as we will be posting to both sites. For those unfamiliar or are new to flying, the following is an example of an electronic navigation plate, ILS 19R . Thanks again for supporting Windsock Pilot Supplies!

Lightspeed Headset Sale! Zulu 2′s and S

Lightspeed Headset Sale! Zulu 2′s and Sierras are on sale until December 24th, 2011. Zulu 2′s will be $850 and the Sierras will be $550 after $50 rebate. While supplies last!! http://ow.ly/7vXNH

FAA IFR Charts

We have received in our low & high enroute charts in addition to the current approach plates from the FAA. Call or visit our website today! http://ow.ly/70kyX

FAA Charts

Here is the current data for FAA charts that will be coming out in the near future. Being an authorized FAA dealer we get them a little earlier than most so call ahead to get your charts as soon as they are available.

Aeronautical Charts and Related Products for the October 20, 2011 Edition:
·        Sectional Aeronautical Charts from
o        Albuquerque, Chicago, Dawson, Hawaiian Islands, Phoenix, Salt Lake City
·        Airport / Facility Directory
·        Supplement Alaska & Pacific
·        World Aeronautical Charts : CF-18
·        US Gulf Coast Helicopter Chart
·        Instrument Navigation Charts and Publications
o        US Terminal Procedures Publication
o        IFR Enroute Low and High Altitude charts
·        VFR Terminal Area Charts
o        Chicago, Phoenix, Salt Lake City
·        Puerto Rico – Virgin Islands (with Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Planning Chart on reverse side)
·        Aeronautical Planning Charts
o        North Atlantic Route Chart
o        North Pacific Route Chart
o        IFR Gulf of Mexico – West
o        IFR Gulf of Mexico – Central

Aeronautical Charts and Related Products for the November 17, 2011 Edition:
·        Sectional Aeronautical Charts
o        Anchorage, Brownsville, Fairbanks, Kansas City, New Orleans, New York, San Antonio, Seward
·        Instrument Navigation Charts and Publications
o        US Terminal Procedures Change Notice
·        VFR Terminal Area Charts
o        Anchorage/Fairbanks, Boston, Kansas City, New Orleans, New York

FYI! It’s sad but true, Aeroshell & oth

FYI! It’s sad but true, Aeroshell & other oil companies are raising their oil prices on Sept. 19th. Now is a great time to change your oil!

New San Francisco sectional & terminal,

New San Francisco sectional & terminal, Las Vegas terminal along with all IFR Charts will arrive on August 25.