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:

Pilots can access official government approach plates and compare changes between chart cycles using the "Compare PDF" tool on `aeronav.faa.gov`.
The comparison function highlights three categories of changes: critical procedural updates (e.g., altitudes, headings), minor non-procedural revisions (e.g., dates), and automated "pixel changes."
While procedural changes are essential for pilots to note, "pixel changes" merely indicate any visual difference detected by the system and often do not signify a functional change to the approach.

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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.