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7 Answers

Terminal Procedures: Loose leaf or bound?

Asked by: 7205 views Instrument Rating

I've just started working on my instrument rating. I noticed that terminal procedures are sold either bound or in loose leaf. What is your preference? Why choose one over the other?

7 Answers



  1. John D. Collins on Aug 17, 2011

    This is purely personal preference.  Often pilot shops will not carry the unbound versions as they can get penalized if they return too many unsold books. If you have a binder that will store the unbound versions, you can remove the charts that you need and not have to mess with the entire book.  With the bound charts, I use one of the large spring clips to mark the airports that I am flying to, others will use rubber bands.

     

    Now a days, it is common to have the charts on a MFD, some portable GPS units, various EFB’s and now more popular than ever the IPad.  I generally buy the bound books for backup, but use a printed version of the charts I need from my computer as there are several websites that can download and print them for free.  I also carry a GPSMAP 696 that has charts, but I don’t update that except once a year.

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  2. Micah on Aug 17, 2011

    Foreflight via iPad. Subscription is $75/$150 annually for all US charts. (iPad not included)
    http://www.foreflight.com/ipad

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  3. Micah on Aug 17, 2011

    Also, ForeFlight replaces almost all NACO charts (sectional, terminal, airport), so while you may not use it exclusively (nice to have a paper backup like a WAC), it does reduce VFR chart costs as well.

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  4. Paul Tocknell on Aug 17, 2011

    I prefer the spiral bound charts for as John mentioned, I can easily remove specific plates from airports and create a “trip kit” of just the approach plates I will be using. Much better than thumbing through hundreds of pages of approach plates just to get the ones you need. Even some of the new digital vendors are designing their software so you can continue creating “digital” trip kits as well.  
     

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  5. Bob Watson on Aug 18, 2011

    My vote is for the loose-leaf. I have a binder to store them in and plastic sleeves for the frequently-used ones. I just take out the ones I need and clip them to the clipboard. When I get back, I put them back in the binder. When they become all wrinkled, a new issue is usually close at hand.
    I’ve done the binder clip and rubber-band tricks with the bound version that John describes but usually with frustrating results (like they always seem to pop off at inconvenient times) so I avoid that style now.
    I’ve also gone online and just printed up the ones I need when I’m not doing a lot of instrument flying. I haven’t tried an EFB option, but they look interesting (and would make the flight bag a bit lighter).

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  6. Tommy D Eldridge on Aug 19, 2011

    I really like my Avidyne EX600 we have in the Super Hawk http://www.privatepilotinsider.com. You can zoom in on the chart with bright brillant colors. If I did not have that the Ipad would be my next option.
     

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  7. Earl Kessler on Sep 01, 2011

    I just bought the iPad with Jeppesen Flight Director and Terminal Charts. It’s a little more money than Govt. plates and charts but the presentation is more easily understood.  The update is awesome, just push one button and a minute later your 28 day update is done.  As a back-up I print out the Govt. plates for the destination, alternate and departure airports and part of the Jepp subscription gives me paper enroute charts.

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