WAC vs SEC?

[Bill]

So, I was at the airport last night charting up for the flight to Gastons, and I'd need three sectionals to cover the flight, while one WAC would basically get me there. After looking at it, and in the name of reduced cockpit clutter, I chose the WAC.

Other than a "busier" chart, and some loss of detail, am I loosing anything important using WAC over sectional?

 

[Ed Guthrie]

So, I was at the airport last night charting up for the flight to Gastons, and I'd need three sectionals to cover the flight, while one WAC would basically get me there. After looking at it, and in the name of reduced cockpit clutter, I chose the WAC.

Other than a "busier" chart, and some loss of detail, am I loosing anything important using WAC over sectional?

Been awhile, so forgive me if I miss an item or two. The big items:

WACs cycle annually; sectionals cycle biannually. You really can't rely on a WAC to have accurate airspace depictions.

IIRC, WACs also lack some airport information you would find on a sectional.

 

[Ghery]

And, on the off chance you get ramp checked, how do you prove that you have the latest and greatest information that a pilot is required to have? Sectionals are cheap, carry them.

 

[Richard]

And, on the off chance you get ramp checked, how do you prove that you have the latest and greatest information that a pilot is required to have? Sectionals are cheap, carry them.

I don't understand how that correlates. Sectionals are not required. Even with a current sectional chart in the cockpit, what does that prove?

A literal interpretation of 91.103, one should carry a current AF/D, full printed DUATS, written notes from the FSS briefer, POH performance charts (and written proof the PIC has consulted the charts), a W&B for the flight, and current ATIS or AWOS/ASOS information. Does a sectional fulfill those requirements?

 

[GL1100]

I definitely rely on sectionals more because of the detail and info
I also live smack dab in the corner of 4 sectionals so I get
used to buying them

 

[poadeleted20]

I don't understand how that correlates. Sectionals are not required. Even with a current sectional chart in the cockpit, what does that prove?

While they are not specifically required, the absence of one is an invitation to a game of "Stump the Chump" with an FAA Inspector, and the Inspector is definitely not the chump. Consider the current chart a $1/month insurance policy against difficult questions.

A literal interpretation of 91.103, one should carry a current AF/D, full printed DUATS, written notes from the FSS briefer, POH performance charts (and written proof the PIC has consulted the charts), a W&B for the flight, and current ATIS or AWOS/ASOS information. Does a sectional fulfill those requirements?

I don't agree. A literal interpretation requires only that you familiarize yourself with all the relevent data, not that you carry five tons of paper with you. But unless you have a photographic memory, there are way too many things you might need to know during a flight than you can recall without that sectional. Our students don't even go up solo in the pattern at Salisbury without one (and a current A/FD), just in case something happens on the airport and they have to divert to Ocean City or Cambridge (yes, I've seen it happen).

 

[Richard]

While they are not specifically required, the absence of one is an invitation to a game of "Stump the Chump" with an FAA Inspector, and the Inspector is definitely not the chump. Consider the current chart a $1/month insurance policy against difficult questions.

I don't agree. A literal interpretation requires only that you familiarize yourself with all the relevent data, not that you carry five tons of paper with you. But unless you have a photographic memory, there are way too many things you might need to know during a flight than you can recall without that sectional. Our students don't even go up solo in the pattern at Salisbury without one (and a current A/FD), just in case something happens on the airport and they have to divert to Ocean City or Cambridge (yes, I've seen it happen).

FYI: I carry a current sectional and current green book on every flight, even if I plan to stay in the patt.

RE: 91.103. W/O that paper how you going to "prove" (Ghery's point) that you did familiarize yourself with "all available information"? Is Q&A with the FAA ramper enough? Consider the W&B/expected performance.

 

[SkyHog]

while I personally always carry sectionals, I don't understand, why would one not be OK to use a WAC instead? It's not quite as detailed, but it appears to me, looking at the wac and sectional here, that they carry almost identical info (except not having Class D depicted).

 

[poadeleted3]

We looked at using a WAC on our trip to West Virginia. I could cover the entire route with just one chart, vs 2 or 3 sectionals. After buying a WAC and doing some flight planning with it, I went out and bought the sectionals I needed instead. I don't think the WAC has enough detail for good pilotage navigation if my GPS' die, I didn't like the fact that D space wasn't on the chart, I didn't like the lack of the detail on the shelves in Class B airspace, and my wife said she wouldn't enjoy using them as much. With a sectional, if I lost my GPS's, I'd have no problem taking the chart from my wife, who enjoys updating our position on them, and proceeding direct via pilotage. I don't think I'd do that with a WAC.

 

[John J]

Take both and more

The WAC is a great simple X-C chart and the Sectionals give you the close ups of departure and arrival areas. Also do not forget the Terminal Area Charts. Carry them all for it makes for a good safe flight.

John J

 

[John J]

Take both and more

The WAC is a great simple X-C chart and the Sectionals give you the close ups of departure and arrival areas. Also do not forget the Terminal Area Charts. Carry them all for it makes for a good safe flight.


John J

 

[John J]

Sorry about the double post

I guess the dial up is very slow

John J

 

[Ghery]

Take both and more

The WAC is a great simple X-C chart and the Sectionals give you the close ups of departure and arrival areas. Also do not forget the Terminal Area Charts. Carry them all for it makes for a good safe flight.

John J

Been looking in my flight bag? WAC, SAC and TAC for the intended areas of flight. Always.

Oh, that reminds me. I need to order a new Hawaii Sectional for next month...

 

[John J]

Been looking in my flight bag? WAC, SAC and TAC for the intended areas of flight. Always.

Oh, that reminds me. I need to order a new Hawaii Sectional for next month...

I wish I could go to HI. It would be such a nice experience to fly out there

John J

 

[Richard]

Hawaii, eh? Which island(s)? How long?

 

[Ed Guthrie]

while I personally always carry sectionals, I don't understand, why would one not be OK to use a WAC instead? It's not quite as detailed, but it appears to me, looking at the wac and sectional here, that they carry almost identical info (except not having Class D depicted).

Why not rely solely on WACs? One example would be a new Class C. The FAA is usually fairly polite about such things and implements the airspace change on a date coinciding with the new sectional. Unfortunately that date could be 1/2 year out of cycle with the WAC. Another example would be a new restricted space... Or...

OTOH, 150 kts will blow E-W across a sectional in ~2.0 hours; N-S across both sides in the same. I prefer WACs for extended x-country flights as they require far less paper clutter, and far less folding and refolding in a faster aircraft. WACs work fine if you check the airspace changes, make notes as needed onto the WAC, and then carry and consult the AF/D.

YMMV.

 

[SkyHog]

Makes perfect sense to me. But - if one were to make notes of changes along the routes on the WAC - there would be no real problem with using a WAC for navigating?

I sure wouldn't want to fly close to mountains or try to navigate passes with one, but for a simple point A to point B...a WAC would be easier to carry.

With that said, as a newbie - I'll be sticking to sectionals for a long time to come. The question comes with added confidence and experience.

 

[Ed Guthrie]

Makes perfect sense to me. But - if one were to make notes of changes along the routes on the WAC - there would be no real problem with using a WAC for navigating?

I don't have a problem navigating from a WAC, and from a legal point of view if you have the information, you have the information.

OTOH, someone else said he would have a problem navigating from a WAC. Obviously YMMV.

 

[cherokeeflyboy]

I don't have a problem navigating from a WAC, and from a legal point of view if you have the information, you have the information.

OTOH, someone else said he would have a problem navigating from a WAC. Obviously YMMV.

OK, ED I am gonna ask. what is YMMV??.........................KD

 

[SkyHog]

OK, ED I am gonna ask. what is YMMV??.........................KD

Not Ed, but I am a computer geek:

YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary

 

[Ghery]

Hawaii, eh? Which island(s)? How long?

Traveling to Oahu on July 6 for meetings that evening and Thursday and Friday. Flying (commercial) to Kona on the 9th and coming home on the 17th. That part of the trip is just plain relaxing with my wife. Schedules permitting we'll fly with Mike Lauro of Tropic Bird Flight Service out of Kona, as we did a couple years ago. His C-172 is the nicest looking plane I've flown in Hawaii and he is great to share a cockpit with.

 

[Ghery]

I don't have a problem navigating from a WAC, and from a legal point of view if you have the information, you have the information.

OTOH, someone else said he would have a problem navigating from a WAC. Obviously YMMV.

Or you could navigate the way we do on cross countries. My wife has the sectional open in her lap with her finger where she thinks we are (and GPS couldn't do better) and I use a low altitude enroute chart to follow the airway (even though I'm flying VFR). The low altitude charts cover even more ground with less paper than the WAC and I still have the advantage of a sectional that is open to where we are at any point if I need it. In any case, I have the current WAC, the current Seattle sectional, the current Seattle TAC, the current A/FD and the current low altitude enroute charts on board at any time. Out of date charts are at home for planning purposes, and not in the flight bag where they might be picked up by mistake while flying.