I’m currently about 1/3 into my instrument course and now learning about departure, arrival, and approach charts. While there are plenty of similarities between the FAA and Jeppessen charts, there are quite a few differences as well. I’d like to start focusing more on what airlines and airline pilots use more often. Is there a format airlines strictly use or is it up to each pilot for which he/she prefers to use? If it’s the latter, any preferences and why? Thanks
Sam
Sam,
Once you become employed as a pilot, your airline or corporate operator will provide plates for your use. To my knowledge, the vast majority of companies use Jeppessen, so I would focus my efforts there. That being said, if finances are a concern, then FAA plates are much less expensive and I would use them until I needed to make the switch.
Chris
Sam,
The vast majority of airlines use Jepp charts. As a matter of fact when I interviewed with Xjt back in the day that was one section of the process. Not just a chart review but specifically a JEPP Chart review. They knew most GA pilots used NOS and didn’t want to waste time in training having to teach the transition.
Fun fact many foreign carriers use Lido charts. They’re actually a division of Lufthansa and they’re actually pretty cool (tons of useful info and everything is color coded). My airline actually considered switching a few years back but the pushback from the pilots was too great.
Adam
Sam,
All ATP locations switched to using Jeppesen for Instrument back in Dec 2019 to prepare you better. I’d ask your instructors about it because they should be able to teach you both. I believe there is a discount for ATP students to get Jepp plates on ForeFlight too. If you don’t start learning it now, do it as an instructor because you will get to the regionals/Part 135 interviews and they will expect you to brief Jepp plates.
-Hannah
Thanks for the reply all. Yes I think I read someplace a while back during some research on being a pilot that most airlines use Jeppessen charts but wasn’t sure sure at the time exactly what they were referring to. I’m currently reading the Instrument/Commercial text book from Jeppessen and they are teaching both so I can/will be able to learn both but as I start to use charts in my own flights, just wasn’t sure what to go with, now it seems pretty unanimous that I should get familiar more with the Jeppessen charts.
Strangely, I’m supprised that Foreflight doesn’t use Jeppessen charts as the default (or have the option for free it seems) as both Foreflight and Jeppessen are owned by Boeing. Thanks again for the replies.
Sam…
Don’t make Boeing ruin Foreflight. Boeing owns Flight Deck Pro (Majority of Airlines use), Jepps and as of about 2 years ago Foreflight.
Foreflight was/is better in most ways than FDP (IMO), which is why Boeing bought them. Keeping Foreflight relatively affordable is important to GA.
You don’t need JEPP Charts to be an IFR or Commercial Pilot. You just need to study them before an airline or many corporate interviews. SKW does have a JEPP Chart reading portion of the interview (arrival & approach).
I studied JEPP charts the month before interviews and did fine. Now that ATP uses them in training I’d go with the herd unless money was really tight. But you can get free JEPP chart study guides for free on the internet. I probably still have it saved on my ipad.
Chris