I was just wondering if there was something I've missed to get additional visual items displayed on the SD charts (both on my PC for planning and on the iPad for Navigation).

The best example I have is the various white horses around me as whilst Avebury is noted as a VRP, the white horses aren't marked in SD but they are on the CAA charts (my 1:500,000 chart has them clearly).

As a secondary observation, the appearance of roads and rivers can be quite different - comparing the river betwen Avebury and Marlborough, the CAA map has a lot of detail (despite not being zoomable in any way) whereas the SD one is a lot of straight lines (very obvious when zoomed in).

The same is evident on the A361 between Avebury and Wroughton, there is a marked bend in the road, clearly visible on the CAA map but completely absent on the SD plot.

I understand that it needs to be sampled as straight lines, but it seems that not enough sampling points have been used to give a true indication of the river shape, though maybe this is to reduce the data footprint.

I guess as SD is being used with GPS, it is not as important to have totally accurate mapping - but as there is an option to print the route, I was a little suprised they are not that accurate...

We consciously decided not to include things like white horses, quarries etc on our maps. One of the main reasons people buy SkyDemon is because our maps are simple and uncluttered. If you want to use the CAA chart as a moving map there are several apps that let you do that, and they're cheap too.

We think the detail of roads and railways on our vector charts strikes a good balance between resolution and speed of loading and presentation.

Surely, there is also the added fact that a pilot should always carry a constantly refered to, up-to-date, route marked map so that in the event of a GPS failure he is not bimbling around in a three dimensional no-mans-land!!! All the additional data for further accurate VFR navigation is there-on.

I love SkyDemon but traditional VFR navigation techniques must never be forgotten or allowed to fall into dissuse. You never know when you might need them in earnest!!!

Fly safe

Smokey

Thanks for the reply Tim, I was just checking there wasn't another overlay I'd missed for the extra features either on the moving map or for pre-flight planning. They are quite useful as turn points.

As for the detail levels of roads/rivers, I understand for the moving map whilst airborne that speed is important and the GPS fix means the exact shape of features isn't really an issue.

Howecver, that was really more a question for the planning side. I have been printing out a map with route on it, but found that this really isn't accurate enough for falling back on if there is a GPS issue so was again wondering if there was an increased detail level I'd missed. Clearly for pre-planning (which I tend to do on the PC) having the most accurate printout is beneficial and load time isn't an issue.

I guess I'll just continue to draw my route on the CAA map as well (though a nicely cropped and printed single sheet would be easier to refer to that a folded CAA map)

I have to say that the CAA maps are great when it comes to "in cockpit" use. Those moments when you haven't folded it quite right in the pre-flight checks (I'm sure we have all been there) and have to refold "in flight".

It guarentees at least 5 minutes of IMC flying on an otherwise perfectly sunny day when you begin to undertake the CAA set Mensa task of working out what folds goes where in order to put a 4' x 4' object into an 8" x 8" space.

The most enjoyable part has to be that it's the only IMC flying I have done where I cannot see outside the cockpit while, at the same time, not being able to see any of the instruments inside the cockpit.

Adds a new meaning to "flying by the seat of your pants". Best total instrument failure I've ever experienced and still trying to work out how to determine which way is up!

Just a thought!

Biggles -- EGKB

I do a lot of open cockpit flying where it isn't an option to take out a printed map, unfold it and re-fold it in a way that shows your route and fits on my kneeboard. Doing that would just tear it out of my hands.

For exactly that reason I was looking toward SD as my chance to a paperless cockpit. Therefore I put in my vote in favor of a more accurate map representation.

I would like to have the option to select the level of accuracy in the setup. Every video game lets me choose my balance between fidelity and speed. Why not SD?

-- Chris.