As I write this editorial, the pilot community is buzzing with the news that Aeronav (a.k.a., the government chart folks) is going to start charging for the digital chart downloads after April 5, 2012. Well cover the fallout of this for IFR pilots in the next issue, as much of that fallout hinges on a meeting that wont happen until after we go to press.
Aeronav's decision to charge for digital chart downloads is criticized for potentially compromising pilot safety and hurting the general aviation industry by making essential up-to-date charts less accessible.
The author critiques the lack of transparency and responsiveness from private contractors, specifically Lockheed Martin's management of Flight Service, questioning the effectiveness of outsourcing government aviation functions.
Both scenarios are presented as examples of how funding and operational constraints driven by financial bottom lines undermine critical aviation services, making the activity more restrictive and less attractive to new pilots.
As I write this editorial, the pilot community is buzzing with the news that Aeronav (a.k.a., the government chart folks) is going to start charging for the digital chart downloads after April 5, 2012. We’ll cover the fallout of this for IFR pilots in the next issue, as much of that fallout hinges on a meeting that won’t happen until after we go to press.
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