Military navigation charts, including Caribbean supplement, will still be available

Military navigation charts, including Caribbean supplement, will still be available

Even though there was an October 1 deadline for the military to discontinue providing overseas aviation navigation charts and approach procedures to civilian pilots, AOPA has learned that the products will continue to be available.

"We have maintained our dialogue with both the Department of Defense National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and the FAA to ensure that this critical navigation data continues to be available to civilians," said Heidi Williams, AOPA director of air traffic services. "There is a transition plan developing, and we believe that these agencies have listened to the users and will take their needs into consideration." Both the NGA and the FAA are expected to release a final decision on the transition plan in early November.

When the Defense Department first announced its proposal to stop providing "FLIP" charts and digital aeronautical flight information to civilians by October 1, AOPA objected vehemently. Military officials subsequently acknowledged that AOPA had raised legitimate concerns and promised to work with the association to meet general aviation's needs. (See also AOPA's issue brief.)

October 1, 2005