DuraChart Sectionals

Erice

Erice

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Oct 1, 2006
Messages
202
Location
Hamburg, PA
Display Name
Display name:
Erice
Have any of you seen DuraChart sectionals yet? I saw one for the first time this past weekend while I was at the air show in Reading, PA. Most of my sectionals rip after I've folded and unfolded them about three times. But these DuraCharts look like they will really hold up. You can start to rip them if you really try hard, but it takes a big effort. Supposedly they can be written on/marked on like normal paper charts.

They sell for $9 (plus shipping), but their subscription rate is less. which is close to what the FBO charges for regular paper NACO charts. I was impressed!

It looks like the company carries only about half of the sectionals so far. TAC, WAC, and IFR low-altitude enroute charts will follow "soon".

Apparently, they were introduced during Sun-n-Fun. They are I did a quick search on POA, and didn't find any reference to them. Sorry in advance if this is already old news. I have no connection to the company--just passing along a pilot report!
 
Thanks for the posting. I'm the webmaster for DuraCharts and we think these charts are awesome. We now have only 3 left to finish. Just joined as a member here and found your post.
 
As if FBO chart sales weren't enough in decline...

I welcome our new DuraChart overlords.
 
They seem to be based out of the Easton,MD airport. When I stopped there for a $100 fish sandwich a month or two ago, I found all these slightly different feeling charts in the local pilot shop. They didn't have the sectional I needed yet, but the gentleman attending the pilot shop gave me a free Washington sectional 'to try out'.

I have been using it for a while now and it holds up a lot better than the goverment charts. It is a paper like stock and you can write on it with regular pencil and pen (unlike Tryvek which is basically polyethylene and requires sharpies or other permanent markers).

This may be a good way for FBOs who got cut off by NACO through their new minimum purchase policy. The duracharts guys have no minumum orders for retailers (but dont allow overage returns either). The wholesale price for FBOs is considerably less than the $9 MSRP, iirc around $5. So while nobody is getting rich off selling sectionals, this may be a way for a FBO to keep some local and adjoining sectionals around with a better spread than purchasing from Sportys for resale.
 
OK , I just tried to do a tear test. After 3 attempts to tear , I was finally able to get a small tear out of it. The first time my hand slipped and punched myself in the face.

They are strong and appear to have some sort of plastic embedded in it.

When I said I really had to try , I REALLY had to try.
 
Last edited:
cavmedic said:
OK , I just tried to do a tear test. After 3 attempts to tear , I was finally able to get a small tear out of it. The first time my hand slipped and punched myself in the face.

They are strong and appear to have some sort of plastic embedded in it.

When I said I really had to try , I REALLY had to try.
Click to expand...

Plasticized tear proof paper has been around for ages. Normally large sheets the size needed for sectionals do not fold without being bulky, but technology advances.
 
They've made nautical charts like that which see a tougher environment (and don't tend to get updated on the cycle sectionals do). I'm not kind on charts but still they usually survive six months without being unusable.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top