Is Expired Data Usable?

There is no question that pilots planning to fly IFR should always keep a current database in their approved GPS. Its not difficult and it demonstrates a professional attitude toward instrument flight and aircraft maintenance. In the perfect black and white world of flight schools and checkrides, this would be standard. However, in the real world of dumb luck and Murphys Law, this topic gets a little murky. …

Key Takeaways:

• While pilots should maintain current GPS databases for IFR flight, FAA guidance (AIM 1-1-19) permits using an expired database if the specific procedure has not been amended since the database's expiration.
• To verify, pilots must compare the "procedure amendment date" on current charts with their GPS database's expiration date; a more recent amendment date on the chart indicates the procedure has changed.
• Understanding various chart dates, especially the "procedure amendment date" introduced more widely since October 2009, is crucial for determining if an expired database's procedure remains safe.
• Despite the possibility of verification, it is safest and most professional to consistently keep GPS databases current, as even subtle unverified changes can pose risks, and verification itself requires access to current chart data.

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