From metres to feet: conversion of height units
The most striking and at the same time most far-reaching difference is that the altitudes of almost all relevant aviation elements - with the exception of the special gliding sectors - are now given in feet instead of metres as before. This applies to terrain heights, obstacles, aerodrome heights (elevation) and the vertical structure of the airspace. This means that users are forced to constantly convert between the units in their heads or using a tool - which causes considerable frustration, especially in the safety-relevant aviation environment.
Background: Technical modernisation of card production
DFS justifies the changeover with the switch to a modern geographic information system (GIS), which will enable the automated and data-based production of ICAO charts in future. This new production method is compliant with European regulations and should also form the basis for modern digital chart solutions in the long term. According to DFS, it was also necessary to standardise the height units to the internationally accepted feet system.
Further changes in detail
In addition to the change in height units, the ICAO chart 2025 also brings a number of other changes:
- Topographical and cartographic representationThe print quality has changed noticeably. Many users find the paper thinner and the print paler than in previous years.
- Airspace data of neighbouring countriesOn map sheets such as the one for the Stuttgart region, the airspaces of neighbouring countries such as France, Switzerland and Austria are completely missing. According to DFS, this is due to the inconsistent data situation and the desire to avoid inconsistent visualisations. A transfer from the European AIS database has been announced for 2026.
- Display changesThe previous box around the highest terrain point on a map sheet has been removed; the information is now shown in the legend. In addition, grassy slopes are no longer highlighted in colour, which makes them more difficult to identify.
- Glider sectors still in metresThe only area in which the usual metric data remains are the altitudes of the gliding sectors. However, this means that pilots have to work with two parallel units when navigating between general airspaces and sectors.
Criticism of inadequate communication
Although many of the measures are technically and regulatory comprehensible, DFS has nevertheless been heavily criticised - not so much because of the "why", but rather because of the "how". The communication of the changes was apparently inadequate: only a dealer newsletter in February and a supplement to the AIP-VFR at the beginning of March provided information about the changes. By this time, however, many pilots had already ordered their tickets - without realising the drastic changes.
Sales outlets report numerous complaints and returns. The DFS subsidiary Eisenschmidt, which is responsible for ticket marketing, is also caught in the crossfire here - without any real options for action.
Solutions and outlook
DFS promises improvement for the future. According to current plans, the 2026 edition of the ICAO gliding chart will once again display altitudes in metres - at least for gliding. At the same time, the airspaces of neighbouring countries will also be integrated, provided that the European databases have been updated accordingly.
For the current year, a major German gliding equipment supplier has announced an alternative chart that will revert to the usual metric measurements. This chart will be available shortly and will meet the needs of the gliding community in particular.
Conclusion: Digital progress meets practical problems
The modernisation of chart production at DFS is an understandable and necessary long-term step towards greater automation and precision. However, the implementation of the innovations in the ICAO Chart 2025 is a good example of how technical advances can come to nothing without adequate user communication - and in the worst-case scenario, result in safety-related problems.
Especially in the safety-critical area of aviation, a transparent, timely and broad-based information policy should be a matter of course. The hope remains that the announced statement by DFS and the 2026 edition will restore confidence in the central navigation tool of many pilots.
Source references:
Aerocourier