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Frequently Asked Questions - and Answers

Q #1. Do you really (??) stock all the charts you describe?

Yes, we stock all the NOS, Canadian, and DOD VFR and IFR charts and pubs; and,

No, we do not stock current Jeppesen charts. Most Jeppesen tripkits and/or subscriptions are pulled and assembled in Denver when ordered (so they are as up-to-date as possible). The only Denver-produced Jeppesen charts that are packaged ready-to-go are the Airway Express Manuals.
Frankfurt-produced tripkits for Africa, Asia, China, CIS (including Russia and Siberia), Eastern Europe, Europe, India, Middle East, Scandanavia and Transatlantic areas are assembled in Germany and shipped to Denver. This inventory is usually sufficient to meet demand for these without expensive expedited shipping from Europe.
To avoid rush pull and/or shipping charges allow 4-6 working days for delivery of Jepp charts within ConUS.
We do maintain Jeppesen Mexico and Transatlantic subscriptions available on loan for those who must have this coverage overnite (or quicker than a tripkit can be provided from Denver or Frankfort).
We are also building a library of obsolete tripkits which are available for planning-only loan when you order (and pay for) a current tripkit for a later date. This avoids the dilemma of ordering a tripkit early enough for thorough planning, but then having a tripkit one or two weeks old when you depart - or - getting tripkit delivery a day or two before you depart, but having to discover your route and alternature airport options hurriedly and/or in the air. Discounts of 30% are available on new tripkits which are needed for and later donated to the planning library.

Q. #2 Can you get Sectional charts for Kenya and South Africa? How Long? How Much? They MUST be current!

Good News - The DOD TPC charts are Sectional-scale; we have them in stock; and they're cheap - $5.50 ea - ALL charts we stock for sale are current (we expend a good deal of effort to keep them current).

Bad News - Westernmost Tanzania (Lake Tanganyika area), most of Mozambique and northern areas of South Africa are not yet available as TPC's.

Good News - DOD ONCs (WAC-scale) cover all land areas (except Canada); they are in stock and cost only $3.75 ea.

Bad News - DOD ONC's and TPC's are revised at 6 to 12 year intervals (more or less); and, that's why they don't put frequencies (Nav or Comm), runway lengths, lighting etc. on the chart. Only navaid type and name; and airport elev and name (and main Rwy(s), if paved) are charted.

Good News - The DOD publishes a Supplement to provide most of the "missing" chart data. The Africa Supplement is revised every 16 weeks (with interim changes in an 8 week Change Notice).

Bad News - The DOD Supps and FLIPs (TPP or approach books) list the airports and navaids by name, not by city (a cross-reference index covers only major cities). Also, the Supplement is $13.75 [probably because it also includes the FLIPs for sub-Sahara Africa and has the circulation of a grade-school newsletter].

Good News - The Africa Supplement and FLIP (TPPs) are combined in one book. If you don't find your city there, go to the chart, find the city and see what its airport (or navaid) is named. Then, look for that name in the Supplement or FLIP.

Bad News - The airport may not be in the Supplement (the name's changed or it's just not listed or has been closed) or the information may be incomplete. This may indicate the airport is marginal and/or safely useable only by pilots who understand its shortcomings. [The Aussies say, "If you need a bloomin' book to use that airport, don't go there, mate"]. If you're disappointed in what you see or "don't see" (on paper or when over the airport), get a local instructor well-recommended by his peers or students to teach you what to do (and not to do) to safely use what's there.

Good News - When you've been well-trained to fly to fly in less developed areas, you'll be a better pilot, a safer pilot, and you'll enjoy flying even more!

Q #3. I'm an Instrument Pilot and use NOS enroutes and approach plates. Can I save money by getting them from APS?

If you can understand that buying a car for $11,000 cash (up front) costs more than paying $1,000 a month for 12 months, we can sensibly compare NOS subscriptions to APS Standing Orders. (N.B. $11,000 would earn over $12,000 in a decent mutual fund or cost even more to borrow for one year). A subscription means paying a large total up front, and "buying" every issue for a year or more. A Standing Order lets you pay as you need or use the charts. If your needs change, you can change selection, skip an issue, or cancel part or all of the Standing Order. The table below compares your real costs over the 14-month life of an NOS subscription (1 month to get it started and then 7 issues every 56 days which equals a year and 27 days); and then your real cost if you skip one of the 7 issues (job change, engine overhaul, expired physical, etc).

Cost Comparison of NOS Subscription and APS Standing Order (NOS prices effective 10/1/99)

Charts Selected	7 issues/editions over 13 months				1 issue/edition skipped
Enroute Charts	NOS price	NOS cost	APS cost	APS saving	NOS cost	APS cost	APS saving
Lo & Hi Sets - 18 charts	351.75	395.06	394.80	0.26	395.06	338.40	56.66
Enroute Low Set - 15 charts	284.55	319.58	325.92	6.34	319.58	279.36	40.22
East or West Lo Set - 9 chts	185.85	208.73	206.64	2.09	208.73	177.12	31.61
Lo Enroute - 9 assorted chts	248.85	279.49	225.51	53.98	279.49	193.29	86.20
Lo Enroute - 5 assorted chts	139.75	156.96	134.93	22.03	156.96	115.65	41.31
Hi Set - 3 charts	76.65	86.09	84.04	7.39	86.09	70.19	15.90
Terminal Procedure Publications (approach charts)
Full Set - 20 books **	306.60	344.35	428.96	- 84.61	344.35	357.76	-13.41
Half Set or 10 assorted bks **	185.50	208.34	241.47	- 33.13	208.34	206.97	1.37
4 assorted books	77.00	86.48	112.21	-25.93	86.48	90.18	-3.70
Enroute Charts + Terminal Procedure Publications
Lo + Hi + TPP sets 18c 20b**	667.80	750.02	833.88	- 83.86	750.02	691.38	58.64
Lo + TPP sets 15c, 20b **	591.15	663.93	755.41	-91.48	663.93	626.21	37.72
E or W set+10 TPP 9c 10b**	378.35	424.93	501.48	-76.55	424.93	419.08	5.85
9 assorted chts + 10 TPPs **	441.35	495.69	494.48	1.21	495.69	412.08	83.61
5 assorted chts + 4 TPPs	261.5	293.70	248.75	44.95	293.70	213.21	80.49

** These pubs or pubs & charts are shipped by UPS (all others by Priority Mail) add/subtract approx $10 for E or W of mid-west US, respectivel;y.

We can summarize the results:

If you are getting only Enroute Charts, you'll save money with an APS Standing Order.

If you get only TPPs, you should go for an NOS Subscription to save money, even if there is a chance you won't need one of the issues (if you are sure you won't need two or more issues, the APS Standing Order is better).

If you are getting Enroute Charts and TPPs to include a full set of TPPs and/or Low Enroute full or E or W sets, you should get them all as an NOS subscription - unless there is strong probability that you will not need or use every issue of the subscription.

If you are getting an assortment of TPPs and Enroute Charts that does not include any sets, you should get them as an APS Standing Order.

Note - NOS price increases, if they occur are effective October 1st with no advance notice. UPS price increases usually occur in February.
Small increases in UPS and Postal rates can be absorbed without changing your costs above. A significant change in the number and/or weight of the aviation maps above, or shipping rates, may require increases in the APS costs above.

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