FAA to charge for charts!

[nigelb]

Heads up - the FAA is going to start charging companies for online charts with no access for individuals. Read it about it here:

http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/FA ... 722-1.html

Of course this affects anyone that downloads FAA charts both in the real world and in the FS world and any web sites and mobile apps that used the service. The charges are set to begin 5 April, 2012.

Nigel²

[DaveB]

I don't like FAA much in this instance.. I thought it was Fleet Air Arm

Fear not Nige.. the next step will be to charge for visiting their website

ATB
DaveB

[Paul K]

How does this affect me ?

[Chris Trott]

One thing to note, just as with everything else government, they can't just start charging for something. If sufficient backlash comes from the users they will be forced to back down from the proposal, especially if they fail to give a public commenting period (something the FAA has conveniently forgotten in the past and had to reverse "decisions" on because of). I suspect that they will not be charging. The online charts can't be used for actual navigation. I can use them for reference, but I either have to print them out or buy the paper charts from the pilot shop or other provider to be able to legally use them in the air. The only way to legally use the charts electronically in flight is with an Electronic Flight Bag, which is not free anyway and those providers are already paying the government for the charts they get for that purpose.

I suspect you'll see them drop this by the end of the year because enough people will push back that the existing fee structure for commercial use of the charts and the money that they get from the Aviation Trust Fund and paper chart sales (which they already cut back significantly on supply of by their own choice, not because sales were dropping) is more than enough to cover flightsim enthusiasts and pilots who use the online charts for reference.