Google Earth vs. Jeppesen Airport Charts

[idahosurge]

I now have ADE and have read the manual, the Airport Design Basics Tuturial 2 and am now in Airport Design Basics Tuturial 3 (Backround Images).

I have loaded KSGH Springfield-Beckley Muni along with the KSGH Jeppesen Airport Chart and the Goolge Earth image of this airport.

I would like to know why the Google Earth image and the Jeppesen Airport Chart do not match?  The aprons taxiways are off and I would think that they would be close to an exact match.  It is not a question of position, both Google Earth and the Jeppesen Chart are lined up to the two runways and the runways match.

Could someone explain why there is a difference between the two?

Would I be correct in assuming that the Google Earth image would be closer than the Jeppensen Chart?

Is there any way to tell how old the Google Earth image is?  In this case I do not think it matters becasue I doubt if they would have moved the taxi ways.

Regards,

Rod

[meshman]

In general, I think you will find few, if any of the default FSX (FS9) airports line up to a good satellite/aerial image. Pick any BIG airport, like KATL, KORD, KLAX, etc and import a background image and see how it works in FSX, but not really in the living world.

[idahosurge]

I want to make sure that I made myself clear, I want to know why Google Earth and the Jeppesen Chart for Springfield-Beckley do not match each other.

I look at March ARB (KRIV) last night and Google Earth and the Jeppensen chart for KRIV also do not match.  The taxiways on the Jeppesen Chart do not match the satellite view, why is that?

Rod

[meshman]

March I can speak of, as I use to pass by almost daily. It also applies to many other fields, construction work. Runways are clipped or made longer, taxiways rerouted, any number of scenarios.

After seeing what Jeppesen did for one airport, missing the location by over 1,00', I take their accuracy as being kinda close, nothing more.

If you want a definitive answer, pick the phone up and call Jeppesen. I'm sure they'd love to hear from you.  ;)

[Capt.Propwash]

for 1, Google Earth is NOT satellite views.

[meshman]

Jeppesen Charts are FAA regulated which means they **MUST** be correct.

Checking AirNav for the latest chart for John Rogers Field - PHJR, on the island of O'ahu. Darn, despite it being "FAA regulated", which means it "**MUST**" be correct, there the chart shows it off by about 1100 feet. I'm using the center point of runways 4R and 29 for reference. Matched against the desktop globe aka Google Earth and also the USGS 30cm aerial photography, which wasn't taken by some guy leaning out the window with a digital SLR.

Point being, Jepp charts are very accurate for runway placement, 99% of the time. For taxiway alignment, fuhgetaboutit...

[idahosurge]

Thanks for the confirmation Meshman, that is what I was getting at, the runways match, but the taxiways do not match.

Now for my other questions that no one seems to have an answer, is there anyway to tell how old the Google Earth images are?

Rod

[meshman]

When viewing in GE the date of the imagery will show down at the bottom, as in May 2009. Doesn't indicate for all the coverage areas, but a lot of them.

[idahosurge]

Thanks, next time I am in GE I will take a look.

Rod