Learn the FAA sectional chart expiration cycle, where to find effective and next-edition dates, and why download dates and NOTAMs matter.
FAA sectional charts normally expire when the next 56-day edition becomes effective. Check the chart’s margin or title panel for its effective date and next-edition date; it is current only for a flight before that changeover. A fresh download is not proof—the printed chart dates control.
How long is an FAA sectional chart valid?
Standard FAA Sectional Aeronautical Charts are published on a 56-day cycle. In Aviation & Real-World Flying, the previous edition becomes obsolete when its replacement takes effect, even if the old chart remains perfectly readable.
Our collection of current FAA sectional charts displays edition information alongside the available downloads. Do not assume that every FAA publication follows the same cycle; terminal procedures and other chart products have their own revision arrangements.
How do you check whether a sectional chart is current?
- Confirm the chart name. Make sure you are checking the correct sectional rather than a neighbouring chart, terminal area chart or inset.
- Find the date block. Look around the chart collar, margin or title panel for labels such as Edition, Effective and Next Edition.
- Compare it with the planned flight time. The chart is current from its effective date until the next edition takes effect. If an exact time is printed, use that UTC time rather than assuming the change occurs at local midnight.
- Check the source information. Ignore the PDF download date, file creation date and printer timestamp; none establishes aeronautical currency.
The displayed dates on the Albuquerque sectional page provide a useful example of how an edition and its supersession date are presented. Our guide to finding and verifying free current charts also explains how to avoid retaining an older cached file.
| Date or label | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Edition or effective date | When that chart edition enters service |
| Next-edition date | When the replacement normally supersedes it |
| Download or modified date | When the file was saved, not whether its data is valid |
| Copyright or base-map date | The age of underlying material, not the chart’s expiration date |
Does a digital sectional chart expire too?
Digital and paper sectionals have the same validity period. An application may download replacements automatically, but cached PDFs, offline tablets and manually imported charts can remain on the previous cycle.
Open the actual chart and inspect its dates rather than trusting a file name or an application’s update message. For flight simulation, an old chart may be used deliberately with historical scenery or navigation data, but it should not be described as current.
Is a current sectional enough for a real flight?
A current chart is only a dated snapshot and does not replace a full pre-flight briefing. Temporary flight restrictions, NOTAMs, chart corrections and operational changes can become effective during the chart’s 56-day life.
A mistake we see constantly is treating “current edition” as meaning every symbol and airport detail is guaranteed unchanged. Verify temporary or amended information separately, and use the appropriate current publications for the flight rather than relying on the sectional alone.