Find official Australian airport charts for flight sims, including DAP diagrams, procedures, ERSA data and tips for matching chart cycles.
For flight simulation, get official Australian airport charts from Airservices Australia’s AIP Australia publications. Use Departure and Approach Procedures (DAP) for aerodrome diagrams, SIDs, STARs and approach plates, and ERSA for runway, facility and local-procedure details. Search using the airport’s four-letter ICAO code.
Which Australian publication contains airport charts?
AIP Australia is the authoritative civil aeronautical-information source, while DAP is the section most simmers need for airport and instrument-procedure charts. On the official Airservices Australia service, look for AIP Australia or Departure and Approach Procedures.
| Publication | What it provides | Use in a flight simulator |
|---|---|---|
| DAP | Aerodrome diagrams, SIDs, STARs and instrument approaches | Taxi planning and flying published IFR procedures |
| ERSA | Runway data, frequencies, facilities and local aerodrome procedures | Pre-flight planning and checking airport-specific restrictions |
| AIP Book and supplements | National rules plus permanent or temporary published changes | Explaining chart notes, airspace procedures and unusual operations |
An aerodrome may have several sheets: a general aerodrome chart, a detailed apron or ground-movement chart, and separate procedure plates. ERSA complements those charts; it is not a substitute for the diagram when you need taxiways, holding points or apron detail.
How do I download the correct Australian airport chart?
- Start with Airservices Australia. Use its official aeronautical-information publications rather than an image copied from a forum, video or old flight-planning package.
- Search by ICAO code. Enter the four-letter identifier, such as
YSSYfor Sydney orYMMLfor Melbourne. Searching only by city can return the wrong airport. - Select the chart type. Choose the aerodrome or ground-movement chart for taxiing; choose the named SID, STAR or approach plate for an IFR procedure.
- Check the effective date. Read the date or amendment information printed on the chart itself. The PDF’s download date does not establish which AIRAC cycle it represents.
- Keep all required sheets together. A detailed apron sheet may show gates and taxilanes omitted from the main aerodrome chart, while procedure notes may continue on another page.
Official public AIS material is the safest starting point for simulator use. Our explanation of legal chart sources and their limitations covers the distinction between official publications, subscriptions and unofficial copies.
Why does the official chart not match my simulator?
An official chart represents the published real airport, not necessarily the airport scenery or navigation database installed in your simulator. A mismatch usually comes from scenery age, a different AIRAC cycle or a developer simplifying the airport layout.
- Different taxiway names: the real airport may have renamed taxiways after the simulator’s scenery was built. Follow the simulator’s signs when using its ATC, but recognise that they may not agree with the latest chart.
- Missing SID, STAR or approach: the chart and the aircraft’s FMS database probably use different cycles. Select a procedure present in the FMS and obtain the corresponding chart cycle rather than forcing an obsolete procedure into the route.
- Runway number differs: runway designators change as magnetic variation shifts. The chart, scenery markings, ATC and FMS can therefore show different numbers.
- Apron or terminal layout differs: default scenery may pre-date construction work shown on the official chart. The newest chart is still correct for the real airport, but an older diagram may fit the simulated scenery better.
For IFR flying, chart and navigation-data compatibility matters more than simply choosing the newest PDF. We explain the practical checks in our guide to matching charts with airports, procedures and navigation-data cycles.
How should I use an Australian aerodrome chart in the sim?
Use the chart to identify runway thresholds, taxiway designators, holding points, aprons and published hotspots before moving the aircraft. Trace the expected route from the stand to the departure runway, then keep the diagram visible on another monitor, tablet or supported in-simulator EFB.
A mistake we see constantly is treating every line near a runway as an ordinary taxiway. Holding-position markings, runway entry points and restricted pavement have specific meanings; our runway, taxiway and holding-point diagram guide explains how to read them.
What if the Australian airport is not listed?
Not every small, private or unlicensed airfield has a full DAP chart. Check ERSA first, search again using the exact ICAO or location identifier, and confirm that the simulator has not used a historical or fictional code. If no AIP chart exists, the simulator’s scenery documentation or map may be the only practical ground reference, but it should not be described as an official Australian airport chart.