VFR approach charts

[ianbennett]

Hi,

I am a little confused about VFR aproach plates in the US.

I am a French VFR pilot and we have for each airport a set of VFR aproach plates specific to VFR and to the feild.

For my home airport LFMD (Cannes - Mandelieu) VFR plates are : 1 for the area, 1 for the pathern, 1 airport layout, 1 Taxi + some text.

As said this set is totally different from the IFR set for this airport.

Now about the US and our ZLA aera, I am usgin Foreflight for my charts (very nice program on my Ipad), it has VFR navigation charts, TAC charts, I also have all IFR aproach plates, but I cannot see anything about VFR aproach plates. I also looked up on the internet and in other programs and cannot find any VFR aproach plates for US airport.

Could someone explain what you use in the US when you are a VFR pilot, for example could you show me KSNA VFR aproach plates or existing.

Thanks

[Steven Winslow]

I think the approach plates are the approach plates regardless whether you are flying IFR or VFR. I could easily be wrong, too.

[Alex Stjepanovic]

Ian,

Outside of US, it is relatively common for each/some airport/s to have 'local' VFR charts, which indeed somewhat resemble IFR plates. This is somewhat equivalent to a TAC, which itself is a specific area of a sectional, only at a smaller scale.

[ianbennett]

Hi,

So if I understand in the US you do not have stecific VFR aproach plates like in France.

Thanks

[Alex Stjepanovic]

Correct - For the congested areas, there is the TAC.

[ianbennett]

Hi,

No Tac is a chart, I am talking about aproach plates , like your ILS07 plates, in france we have the same type of A5 plates for vfr patterns and landing in all airport.

Cheers

[Alex Stjepanovic]

Hi,

No Tac is a chart, I am talking about aproach plates , like your ILS07 plates, in france we have the same type of A5 plates for vfr patterns and landing in all airport.

Cheers

A plate or a chart really are pretty much the same thing at the end of the day, just a different name and use. The point is, there aren't any official airport-specific charts in the US. All localized procedures are noted in the A/FD, or for things like airspace transitions, VRPs, etc, on the chart itself.

Here are the two charts in question for LFMD:



The only difference is the pattern one, depicting published localized procedures. I also noticed over time, that the ICAO world just loves putting in a tonne of published/restrictive VFR routes and seriously localized procedures out there. This is most likely due to the slightly more restrictive airspace, than in US.

Perhaps someone who actually flies in US in reality, can shed more light on how they get a hold of the localized procedures, but to the best of my understanding, it's generally only available in A/FD or through the word of mouth/info from the airport authority itself. One other thing to note, is that each country does their own thing at times, so just because France(And quite a bit of Europe actually) has the patterns depicted, doesn't mean it has to be all across

Does that answer it?

[Steven Winslow]

If you're trying to find the traffic direction for specific runways at specific airports, you can get that information as has been stated from the airport information available at sites like skyvector or airnav.com.

[Keith Smith]

Arriving vfr aircraft in the US might be told to enter a pattern referencing a charted vfr reporting point, but that's about it.

Am example would be at KSQL in northern California, "enter right base runway 30, report cement plant."

Check the San Francisco TAC chart and you will see the visual reporting point in question


These are chart references, though, not procedures.

[ianbennett]

Thanks to all,

I think i have understood how things go in the us:
Information is on the TAC and in the Airport Facility Directory

Cheers

Ian