Improvements to future CAA VFR charts have been announced by the CAA. The changes, which will increase the clarity of the information depicted on the charts, follows consultation with the aviation industry. They will be seen for the first time on the new editions of the 1:500k and 1:250k series charts published in March 2014. The main changes include:
 

• Addition of boundary tint to all airspace boundaries regardless of classification. i.e. all internal boundaries as well as external extremities of controlled airspace.
• Reversal of the colour formatting of airspace classifications boxes i.e. white classification lettering within appropriate classification (blue or magenta) coloured box.
• Re-alignment of all airspace annotations along the leading edges of airspace boundaries, i.e. where adjacent to airspace with higher base level.
• Application of a white halo effect to all aeronautical information annotations that are located over land, and all airspace annotations embedded in airspace boundary tints.
• Removal of duplicate airspace controlling authority names from all airspace annotations, except in the outer extremity of the relative controlling authority’s CAS.

 

An extract of the new chart format is shown above.

 

Further information regarding the changes can be found in a NATS newsletter hosted on the NATS AIS website, see VFR Chart Changes