US Sectional Charts

[2KA]

If you like sectional charts (and I do), you may be interested to know that up-to-date, downloadable sectional charts are available for the most popular soaring flight planning software. Just visit the Sectionals tab on my website at http://www.soaringdata.info to find:

- CMR format files for desktop SeeYou
- GeoTiff (preferred) and JPEG files for Google Earth
- Charts for GlidePlan, including composite custom charts for many contest sites

As always, stuff on my website is completely free.

Happy downloading!

Lynn Alley
"2KA"

[John Godfrey (QT)[_2_]]

On Thursday, March 14, 2019 at 3:57:07 PM UTC-4, 2KA wrote:
> If you like sectional charts (and I do), you may be interested to know that up-to-date, downloadable sectional charts are available for the most popular soaring flight planning software. Just visit the Sectionals tab on my website at http://www.soaringdata.info to find:
>
> - CMR format files for desktop SeeYou
> - GeoTiff (preferred) and JPEG files for Google Earth
> - Charts for GlidePlan, including composite custom charts for many contest sites
>
> As always, stuff on my website is completely free.
>
> Happy downloading!
>
> Lynn Alley
> "2KA"

Bravo! Many thanks for all you do Lynn!
QT

[Ramy[_2_]]

Thanks Lynn!
The CMR sectionals can also be used in LX flight computers. The latest firmware lets you easily switch between the standard terrain map to sectional chart.

Ramy

[Jonathan St. Cloud]

On Thursday, March 21, 2019 at 6:22:43 PM UTC-7, Ramy wrote:
> Thanks Lynn!
> The CMR sectionals can also be used in LX flight computers. The latest firmware lets you easily switch between the standard terrain map to sectional chart.
>
> Ramy

Which firm ware because I have been asking for but do not see on 6.20. I like to refer to a sectional but think they are a bit busy for full time map use.

[[email protected]]

I believe you must update to the “beta” firmware. The version I’m using is 6.33a

[Ramy[_2_]]

Correct, the latest beta firmware has an option to change the map setting for a particular page, so you can have sectional in one page and terrain in another. Seem to work well.
BTW the latest beta firmware also addresses most of the issues with mode C alarms.

Ramy

[[email protected]]

Is there a (free online) source for sectional charts, downloadable as an image file, that cover your choice of area boundaries, and are "seamless" across a boundary between the official FAA chart sections? My purpose is to view such an image in standard image-viewing software, on a PC (for planning) and on a smartphone (for reference during a flight).

E.g., our soaring area is near the border between the "New York" and "Montreal" sectionals. In the past I've downloaded both of those sectionals from the FAA web site, cropped to a smallish portion of each, and "glued" together manually in image editing software, trying to line up the longitude lines. That's tedious to do precisely. Also some map features (e.g., some roads or rivers) then still have a discontinuity where they cross the boundary, even as other nearby features cross smoothly. (I have no explanation for that.)

I think the CMR files can be joined seamlessly, but they are not suitable for direct viewing by human eyes, outside of specialized software that re-projects them. As is, the aspect ratio is distorted, e.g., circles look like ovals. Lynn has told me how to use such software to then export the reprojected seamless image, but the procedure is more of a hassle than I'd like to tackle.

There are several web sites where you can view sectionals in such a seamless way, but not download. (Screen image capture doesn't count, the resolution is too limited.]

[2KA]

Moshe,

The only thing that makes this hard is your requirement to download and view the charts using "standard image-viewing software". That requirement puts you in the business of trying to stitch sectional charts together, which is tedious.

Instead, you should consider using specialized software on your phone that handles this problem. If you have an Android, you can use Avare, which is wonderful and free. On the iPhone you can use Foreflight, which involves a subscription. There may be free options for displaying sectionals on the iPhone that I don't know about.

On the PC, the SkyVector website is outstanding for flight planning.

Lynn Alley
"2KA"

[Mike Schumann[_2_]]

Download the free FltPlan Go app to your iPad or iPhone. It does exactly what you want plus a LOT more.

[2KA]

Moshe,

Just took a quick look at FltPlan Go on iPhone. Looks pretty nice, also free.

L.

[[email protected]]

On Saturday, 23 March 2019 04:35:06 UTC+13, wrote:
> Is there a (free online) source for sectional charts, downloadable as an image file, that cover your choice of area boundaries, and are "seamless" across a boundary between the official FAA chart sections? My purpose is to view such an image in standard image-viewing software, on a PC (for planning) and on a smartphone (for reference during a flight).

Yes there is. The FAA are here to help you.

https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/flight_info/aeronav/digital_products/vfr/

These charts are GEOTIFF format and can be used with almost any GIS software.

> E.g., our soaring area is near the border between the "New York" and "Montreal" sectionals. In the past I've downloaded both of those sectionals from the FAA web site, cropped to a smallish portion of each, and "glued" together manually in image editing software, trying to line up the longitude lines. That's tedious to do precisely. Also some map features (e.g., some roads or rivers) then still have a discontinuity where they cross the boundary, even as other nearby features cross smoothly. (I have no explanation for that.)

I use QGIS (a free package) to do this. You can load multiple charts and as they are georeferenced they fit seamlessly together.

--
Philip Plane

[[email protected]]

On Friday, March 22, 2019 at 3:36:13 PM UTC-4, 2KA wrote:
> Moshe,
>
> Just took a quick look at FltPlan Go on iPhone. Looks pretty nice, also free.
>
> L.

Thanks. I actually have an Android phone, could use Avare. But I don't want to overload the phone with too much going on. Already burdening it with IGCdroid etc. And I use Tophat on another device to actually navigate. I would still like to find a way to stitch the sectionals as images. I find it surprising that in 2019 we still can only get the official sectionals in their old paper-oriented tiles.

[[email protected]]

On Friday, March 22, 2019 at 3:54:20 PM UTC-4, wrote:
> On Saturday, 23 March 2019 04:35:06 UTC+13, wrote:
> > Is there a (free online) source for sectional charts, downloadable as an image file, that cover your choice of area boundaries, and are "seamless" across a boundary between the official FAA chart sections? My purpose is to view such an image in standard image-viewing software, on a PC (for planning) and on a smartphone (for reference during a flight).
>
> Yes there is. The FAA are here to help you.
>
> https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/flight_info/aeronav/digital_products/vfr/
>
> These charts are GEOTIFF format and can be used with almost any GIS software.
>
> > E.g., our soaring area is near the border between the "New York" and "Montreal" sectionals. In the past I've downloaded both of those sectionals from the FAA web site, cropped to a smallish portion of each, and "glued" together manually in image editing software, trying to line up the longitude lines. That's tedious to do precisely. Also some map features (e.g., some roads or rivers) then still have a discontinuity where they cross the boundary, even as other nearby features cross smoothly. (I have no explanation for that.)
>
> I use QGIS (a free package) to do this. You can load multiple charts and as they are georeferenced they fit seamlessly together.
>
> --
> Philip Plane

OK, but you still need GIS software to do the stitching and re-projecting. And all I want as the final product is an image file.

[2KA]

I really don't think Avare will overload your phone. I use it all the time with multiple apps running without any problems. Give it a try and see. It is totally free to do so.

L.

[Tom BravoMike]

On Friday, March 22, 2019 at 2:58:29 PM UTC-5, wrote:
> On Friday, March 22, 2019 at 3:36:13 PM UTC-4, 2KA wrote:

>
> Thanks. I actually have an Android phone, could use Avare. But I don't want to overload the phone with too much going on. Already burdening it with IGCdroid etc. And I use Tophat on another device to actually navigate. I would still like to find a way to stitch the sectionals as images. I find it surprising that in 2019 we still can only get the official sectionals in their old paper-oriented tiles.

Take a look at Map Merge from OziExplorer.

https://www.oziexplorer4.com/w/

I believe that's exactly what you need to stich the maps. To save them in a format different from Ozi's proprietary one (e.g. TIF, JP2, PNG, JPG, ECW), you need to get the licensed version of Map Merge for $29.