Jeppesen Previews SID/STAR Charts Improvements

NBAA and Jeppesen recently held a webinar to give a preview of changes to the company’s SID (standard instrument departure) and STAR (standard terminal arrival route) charts. The improvements, which have been in the works for the past two years, are intended to help enhance pilots’ situational awareness, according to Jeppesen.

The chart redesign process included input from pilots and human factors experts, as well as incorporating best practices and real-world operational environment factors. Jeppesen validated proposed changes with pilots worldwide and then made further refinements as needed.

Improvements to the arrival and departure charts include introducing colors to identify what pilots consider to be the most pertinent information. For example, altitude restrictions will be in blue, while airspeed restrictions will be in magenta.

The new chart design also incorporates graphics for key topographic features, such as a blue tint for water and shaded areas for mountains. In addition, flight procedures on STARs and SIDs will be shown to scale to improve situational awareness. It also enables use of an “own ship” symbol when connected to a GPS.

Jeppesen plans to begin rolling out the new charts by year-end, starting in Europe.