Flight crew complaint of the chart presentation, high altitude, 7 and 8 or commercial publisher.

Attributes
ACN	85237
Time
Date	198804
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz
State Reference	NY
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	85237
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Chart Or Publication
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Commercial chart publications are widely used by airline crews in the USA. Apparently acting on directives from the FAA, it changed from a 1 map coverage for high altitude operations in the USA to 4 us (hi) 1,2,7,8, added by a hi altitude area chart for the new york area. I find that very inconvenient. Although us (hi) 1 and 2 are ok, 7 and 8 are dangerous in their nonalignment with the north/south-east/west grid system. Additionally, in the northeast corridor, they require frequent refolding, which adds substantially to cockpit workload. The ny high altitude area chart is useless for flts originating or departing the new york area. Suggestion: produce a northeast chart covering an area from chicago to boston and norfolk to buffalo, and return to the good old 1 chart that covered the entire USA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW COMPLAINT OF THE CHART PRESENTATION, HIGH ALT, 7 AND 8 OR COMMERCIAL PUBLISHER.

Narrative: COMMERCIAL CHART PUBLICATIONS ARE WIDELY USED BY AIRLINE CREWS IN THE USA. APPARENTLY ACTING ON DIRECTIVES FROM THE FAA, IT CHANGED FROM A 1 MAP COVERAGE FOR HIGH ALT OPS IN THE USA TO 4 U.S. (HI) 1,2,7,8, ADDED BY A HI ALT AREA CHART FOR THE NEW YORK AREA. I FIND THAT VERY INCONVENIENT. ALTHOUGH U.S. (HI) 1 AND 2 ARE OK, 7 AND 8 ARE DANGEROUS IN THEIR NONALIGNMENT WITH THE N/S-E/W GRID SYS. ADDITIONALLY, IN THE NE CORRIDOR, THEY REQUIRE FREQUENT REFOLDING, WHICH ADDS SUBSTANTIALLY TO COCKPIT WORKLOAD. THE NY HIGH ALT AREA CHART IS USELESS FOR FLTS ORIGINATING OR DEPARTING THE NEW YORK AREA. SUGGESTION: PRODUCE A NE CHART COVERING AN AREA FROM CHICAGO TO BOSTON AND NORFOLK TO BUFFALO, AND RETURN TO THE GOOD OLD 1 CHART THAT COVERED THE ENTIRE U.S.A.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.