Narrative:

I was cruising at 9500 ft MSL in my socata tb-20; scanning my garmin 496 with a current commercial database. The GPS showed the ags TRSA as 6000 ft/1700 ft MSL; the current atlanta sectional showed the TRSA as 10000 ft/1700 ft MSL. I did not notice the discrepancy until I had flown 4 miles into the outer ring of the ags TRSA. My plan was to overfly the entire area at 9500 ft; avoiding the TRSA by 3500 ft. On realizing that I was not communicating with ags I initiated a turn to the northwest and a climb to 10500 ft MSL to exit the TRSA and avoid restricted area R-3004A. I did not contact ags approach. At no time did I enter the class D airspace of ags. I was not on a VFR flight plan and had not requested flight following. Additionally; I was advised in my preflight briefing that there were no tfr's along my route of flight. I am not sure this was a violation of any far as my understanding is that 'pilots operating under VFR are encouraged to contact the radar approach control and avail themselves of the TRSA services.' however; participation is voluntary on the part of the pilot' 3-5-6 terminal radar service area (TRSA) paragraph C. However; I thought it prudent to file an ASRS report and at a minimum; notify NASA of a discrepancy in the atlanta VFR chart and commercial GPS database. For my part; a closer review of the chart to the database is prudent and that the sectional charts are primary; for flight planning information; not the GPS database.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A COMMERCIAL GPS DATABASE SHOWS THE AGS TRSA CEILING AT 6000 FT WHILE THE FAA ATLANTA SECTIONAL INDICATES A 10000 FT CEILING.

Narrative: I WAS CRUISING AT 9500 FT MSL IN MY SOCATA TB-20; SCANNING MY GARMIN 496 WITH A CURRENT COMMERCIAL DATABASE. THE GPS SHOWED THE AGS TRSA AS 6000 FT/1700 FT MSL; THE CURRENT ATLANTA SECTIONAL SHOWED THE TRSA AS 10000 FT/1700 FT MSL. I DID NOT NOTICE THE DISCREPANCY UNTIL I HAD FLOWN 4 MILES INTO THE OUTER RING OF THE AGS TRSA. MY PLAN WAS TO OVERFLY THE ENTIRE AREA AT 9500 FT; AVOIDING THE TRSA BY 3500 FT. ON REALIZING THAT I WAS NOT COMMUNICATING WITH AGS I INITIATED A TURN TO THE NORTHWEST AND A CLIMB TO 10500 FT MSL TO EXIT THE TRSA AND AVOID RESTRICTED AREA R-3004A. I DID NOT CONTACT AGS APPROACH. AT NO TIME DID I ENTER THE CLASS D AIRSPACE OF AGS. I WAS NOT ON A VFR FLIGHT PLAN AND HAD NOT REQUESTED FLIGHT FOLLOWING. ADDITIONALLY; I WAS ADVISED IN MY PREFLIGHT BRIEFING THAT THERE WERE NO TFR'S ALONG MY ROUTE OF FLIGHT. I AM NOT SURE THIS WAS A VIOLATION OF ANY FAR AS MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT 'PILOTS OPERATING UNDER VFR ARE ENCOURAGED TO CONTACT THE RADAR APPROACH CONTROL AND AVAIL THEMSELVES OF THE TRSA SERVICES.' HOWEVER; PARTICIPATION IS VOLUNTARY ON THE PART OF THE PILOT' 3-5-6 TERMINAL RADAR SERVICE AREA (TRSA) PARAGRAPH C. HOWEVER; I THOUGHT IT PRUDENT TO FILE AN ASRS REPORT AND AT A MINIMUM; NOTIFY NASA OF A DISCREPANCY IN THE ATLANTA VFR CHART AND COMMERCIAL GPS DATABASE. FOR MY PART; A CLOSER REVIEW OF THE CHART TO THE DATABASE IS PRUDENT AND THAT THE SECTIONAL CHARTS ARE PRIMARY; FOR FLIGHT PLANNING INFORMATION; NOT THE GPS DATABASE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.