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
