Find official aeronautical charts for Kenya in the KCAA AIP/eAIP, choose the right ENR or AD chart, and verify amendments, supplements and NOTAMs.
Official Kenyan aeronautical charts are published by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) through its Aeronautical Information Service and Kenya AIP/eAIP. For Aviation & Real-World Flying, use that source for aerodrome, en-route and procedure charts, then check AIP amendments, supplements and NOTAMs before relying on them.
How do I access Kenya AIP charts?
Start at KCAA’s official website and enter its AIS, AIM, AIP or eAIP area rather than opening an isolated chart PDF from a search result. Page names and deep links can change, but KCAA should remain clearly identified as the publisher.
- Confirm the authority: Make sure the publication comes from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, not a copied chart collection. Our explanation of how national AIS and eAIP libraries are organised covers the checks to make when locating official material.
- Open the active AIP edition: Check the publication’s effective date and amendment record before selecting a chart.
- Use the chart catalogue: Look in
GEN 3.2for the list of aeronautical charts, their coverage and how each series is supplied. - Select the appropriate section: Use
ENRfor routes and controlled airspace, or the relevantAD 2aerodrome entry for airport and procedure charts. Our chart-selection guide for airport, SID, STAR and approach plates explains which document fits each phase of flight. - Complete the update check: Review AIP amendments, AIP Supplements and applicable NOTAMs. Static PDFs do not automatically show temporary closures or procedure changes.
Which Kenyan aeronautical chart do I need?
The correct chart depends on the task, and the AIP chart index should settle any uncertainty about its official title and availability.
| What you need | Where to look first | Typical contents |
|---|---|---|
| Chart catalogue | GEN 3.2 | Published chart series, coverage, scale and distribution details |
| Airways and airspace | ENR, particularly the en-route chart section | ATS routes, reporting points, controlled airspace and navigation facilities |
| Airport layout | The airport’s AD 2 entry | Runways, taxiways, aprons, stands and aerodrome information |
| SID, STAR or approach | The airport’s associated AD 2 charts | Departure, arrival, instrument approach and visual procedure plates |
| Temporary operational changes | AIP Supplement and NOTAM material | Closures, work in progress, withdrawn facilities and temporary restrictions |
Search by ICAO location indicator rather than city name. Nairobi, for example, has separate aerodromes including Jomo Kenyatta International (HKJK) and Wilson (HKNW); their airport and procedure charts are not interchangeable.
Once the correct plate is open, our guide to interpreting chart symbols, procedures and minima explains the common elements without duplicating the Kenyan AIP.
How can I tell whether a Kenya aviation chart is valid?
A chart is valid only when its edition and effective date agree with the applicable AIP amendment cycle and no later publication has changed it.
- Check the chart identification, edition or effective date printed on the sheet.
- Compare it with the AIP amendment record and chart catalogue.
- Read applicable AIP Supplements for temporary or long-duration changes.
- Check NOTAMs for short-notice changes that will not appear on the chart.
- Do not judge validity from the PDF download date or the age of a search result.
An older publication date does not by itself make a chart obsolete; some charts remain valid until formally replaced. For real-world flying, a downloaded plate is not a complete pre-flight briefing, so use the approved operational briefing sources and publications required for the flight.
Are official Kenyan charts free to use in a simulator?
Online access does not mean every Kenyan chart is free to redistribute or that every chart series is supplied as an unrestricted download.
The eAIP may provide the operational charts needed by most simmers, while another chart series may have separate access or distribution arrangements listed in GEN 3.2. Use the KCAA publication for personal reference and check its terms before sharing, repackaging or including charts with an add-on; our chart-licensing guidance for simulator use explains that distinction.
Why does a KCAA chart not match the flight simulator?
A mismatch usually means the simulator’s navigation database or scenery represents a different effective period from the KCAA chart.
- Missing SID, STAR or transition: the simulator or aircraft navigation database may use an older AIRAC cycle.
- Different runway or taxiway: the base scenery or airport add-on may pre-date an aerodrome change.
- Missing waypoint: the procedure may have been introduced, renamed or recoded after the installed navigation data was produced.
- Slightly different course: magnetic-variation modelling, rounding or data age can produce small differences.
For present-day procedure simulation, pair the applicable KCAA chart with navigation data from the same AIRAC period wherever possible. If the simulator cannot be updated, use material matching its database only for simulation and never treat an historical plate as valid for a real flight.