Do WAC charts exist in your country? WAC stands for Wide Area Chart World Aeronautical Chart, but clearly I can't remember that, therefore I just call them "WAC charts." WAC Chart is one of those redundancies that can be used to annoy the same people who cringe when you enter your PIN number into the ATM machine. A WAC is a 1:1,000,000 scale visual navigation chart, and that is a really good scale for long trips in a medium-sized airplane. WACs have not been revised in ages, and have become increasingly difficult to buy in Canada. They are still occasionally available, but haven't been printed for years, so as they go out of print, they're gone. Then, in a recent AIM update, it was announced that "the term “WAC” was removed" from GEN 5.2, the section of the Airman's Information Manual where it appeared. I always think this kind of revision is kind of 1984. The WAC has been erased from existence. Some people would argue that with modern GPS technology the need for WACs was literally a relic of 1984, but my GPS screen can't be unfolded to cover a hotel bed, damnit. They're a really good planning size.
Also, for my current job, they are the only aviation chart that identifies photo blocks right on the chart.
I don't know where I got it but I have one WAC in my collection. They're not particularly useful for flying in California.
ReplyDeleteShould you need them, Sporty's has them at this link
I thought WAC stood for World Aeronautical Chart. Happily, either way, it can still be used to drive linguistic perfectionists WACky.
ReplyDeleteI carry two American WACs in my flight bag -they cover most of southeastern Canada and the northeastern US, where I normally fly, and give me aCRE paper fallback if all else fails.
ReplyDeleteUS WACs available in digital form for free at:
ReplyDeletehttp://aeronav.faa.gov/index.asp?xml=aeronav/applications/VFR/chartlist_wac
I have no problem saying "WAC Charts". Redundancy in aviation is good, good thing.
ReplyDelete@D.B.: Thank you, you make me laugh.
ReplyDeletePost revised to reflect the fact that I don't know what WAC stands for. Do any of the US chart sources cited advertise the availability of Canadian charts?
ReplyDeleteThe very first one from JScarry does... The sportys link. Out of stock though. I've never seen a Canadian WAC. US WACs are available to look at online here.
ReplyDeleteAhh the WAC Chart!
ReplyDeleteI've done most of my flying with pencil lines on a WAC, which is then folded & tied to my left thigh.
Sort of like navigating with the shell road map aren't they?
I agree completely. I miss the WACs. The ones I have are slowly getting pretty ratty. Its annoying when a positioning flight from one survey job to another crosses 3 or 4 VNCs.
ReplyDeleteWe have WACs here in Oz They're very handy for VFR flight beyond the capital cities. I suspect Canada, like Australia, has vast expanses of Class G airspace.
ReplyDeleteMy ATPL instructor told me that when he was in RAAF in the 80s he was planning a flight between Alice Springs and Broome. He opened the WAC to find a huge blank space in the middle with the words "This area unsurveyed." He reckoned the blank map was a pretty good match with the blank terrain anyway.
Twitch! LCD! Twitch! Display! Twitch!
ReplyDelete