Because of the move, I evidently missed out on one of my chart subscription deliveries, so I have expired US charts. Also, I’m planning a trip to Springfield MA in a couple of weeks, so I need MA approach charts. Rather than order them on-line, I thought I’d do the right thing and go to the local FBO to buy them.
On Saturday afternoon, I went to Rochester Air Center, and the door was locked. That’s a bit weird during a weekend day, but the weather was low overcast and a bit drizzly, so maybe they figured nobody was going to be flying. I went across the way to Airventure Aviation, and the sign said they were open, but again there was nobody there. Hmmm. Not great customer service, I thought, not to mention being damned inconvenient.
Tonight, at about 5:15, I tried again. This time, Airventure was closed and locked, but Rochester Air Center’s door was open. I went in, and there was nobody around. The chart display case was open, I could have helped myself, but I didn’t think I had the sort of relationship with them that would allow me to do that, especially if somebody walked in while I was taking the charts out but before I wrote the IOU. (Yeah, I could have written the IOU first, but you know what I mean.)
So now I’m left with a dilema: Either I try again, and risk not finding anybody there, and the possibility that I’ve left it too late to order, or do I order on-line, or do I just download and print the charts I think I’ll need. I don’t like the latter choice much, because it means my options are limited if I have to divert.