Alaska Charts and other Flying Information.

[FS Tester]

While waiting for the Alaska Scenery DLC to be released, I'm thought that this would as good time as any to start preparing for my Alaskan flights by downloading charts and other information that will enhance my Alaskan flying experience.

Here are a few of the resources I found on the web that you may like too:

The seventeen sectional charts for the state are here. Note that these files can be quite large - around 50MB or so. If you print them out (I have not), I think you will need a very large space on your wall to stick them to

Digital Terminal Procedures Publication (d-TPP) Airport Diagrams for Alaska can be downloaded here.

The FAA has a page dedicated to Alaskan Flying, as does the State of Alaska.

Atlas Aviation Library has a nice introduction of flying in Alaska, as well as information specific to the Juneau area.

Philip Greenspun has written an article: Bring your own ropes -- a guide to flying to and in Alaska, and you can read F. E. Potts' Guide to Bush Flying guide online, if you have the time!

Another interesting set of information I found on the FAA site were these Alaska VFR Routes videos, described as:"Flight safety tips on Alaska mountain pass routes, geography, weather & hazards, and emergencies"

Alaska VFR Routes Part 1, Anchorage to Cold Bay via Kodiak and Lake Clark

Alaska VFR Routes Part 2, Anchorage to Bethel via Merrill Pass and Alternative Routes

Alaska VFR Routes Part 3, Anchorage to McGrath and Nome

Alaska VFR Routes Part 4, Anchorage to Fairbanks and North Slope

Alaska VFR Routes Part 5, Anchorage to Canada via Trench

Alaska VFR Routes Part 6, Anchorage to Southeast Alaska via Coast and Prince William Sound

Alaska VFR Routes Part 7, Alaska Duplicate Place Names and Locations

Alaska VFR Routes Part 8, Alaska Emergency Services

I hope you find these informative & whet your appetite for Alaska!

If you have other links to useful information, feel free please post them here!

[RoboRay]

Oh, I hadn't seen the VFR Routes videos. Thanks for the links!

I did get a set of paper WACs covering Alaska. As they are twice the scale of Sectionals, they don't take up nearly as much room and still provide the airfield, navaid, routes and terrain data. I still need 7 charts to cover Alaska, though.

For online digital chart viewing, rather than downloads, try http://vfrmap.com/

If somebody does want paper sectionals, expired copies suitable for sims can be had cheaply at http://www.mypilotstore.com/MyPilotStore/sep/7089

[FS Tester]

Maps. I think were are going to need these!

With the size of the State, using an on-line map is probably the best bet when trying to find the location of aerocaches, but here are a few other links with downloadable (or savable) maps that you might like:

• Five simple maps showing the location of airports in the state.
  These thumbnails show FAA-designated commercial service airports, reliever airports, and general aviation airports in the State of Alaska. Click on each of the thumbnail maps to display detailed regional airport maps.
• A simple road map of the state.
  This map shows the state's major roads and highways as well as its counties and cities, including Juneau, Alaska's capital city, and Anchorage, its most populous city.
• This online Alaska reference map shows major cities, roads, railroads, and physical features.
• This is a more detailed map of the state, and one that I think I'll use a lot to get my bearings.

Got any that you would like to share?

[PilotScott]

Microsoft could make some easy money by tying into the "Flying Wild Alaska" series. Release an Era Alaska Caravan or 180 taildragger. I wouldn't mind having Ayla or Ariel as a copilot.

[Vespa7]

vfrmap.com it's great! Microsoft should add those maps (bing map+vfr charts) to the game, with a second monitor would be perfect.

But still remains the problem of finding radials for navigation. I have printed a goniometer on a thin sheet of paper and I put it in front of the monitor...

[UH60L]

Careful, all that navigation stuff, it's not what MS wants. Flight will get too complicated if all that realistic stuff is ever added.....

It took Dodge 5 years to take the first steps in making that ugly 4-door start to look like a "dodge charger", and I fear I'll be long dead before they build a real one.

I fear the same thing with MS and "flight". I'll be long dead before it becomes a simulator again.

[RoboRay]

Originally Posted by UH60L

Careful, all that navigation stuff, it's not what MS wants. Flight will get too complicated if all that realistic stuff is ever added.....

Actually, it's already there. Has been since Day 1. To learn that, you just have to make an effort to objectively examine the product before making nonsensical claims.

[KLM606]

An overlay for radials is a good idea.

[aceofspades55]

Don't forget I believe GMap is going to be available for flight soon.