Whats Changed Here?

With so many sources for PDF versions of government approach plates, available on the internet, its easy to get a quick book of approaches for your local area. People who need just a chart or two usually click the link on AOPAs web tool or Fltplan.com and print the chart.

jwanwest

Wednesday, November 26, 2014 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The official source for government approach plates and identifying changes is `aeronav.faa.gov`, which offers a "Compare PDF" tool to highlight differences between old and new charts.
The comparison tool visually marks changes in pink, distinguishing between critical "procedure changes" (e.g., altitudes, headings), minor "non-procedure changes," and often misleading "pixel changes."
Pilots using this feature should prioritize significant "procedure changes" and be aware that "pixel changes" are often automated highlights of minor layout shifts with no operational impact.

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With so many sources for PDF versions of government approach plates, available on the internet, it’s easy to get a quick book of approaches for your local area. People who need just a chart or two usually click the link on AOPA’s web tool or Fltplan.com and print the chart.

But you can also get charts straight from the source: aeronav.faa.gov. The web site is a treasure trove of free data (well, you paid for it last April) and it’s the best place to find out what changed on an approach plate if a new one was issued for your local berg.