You can never be sure that your engine doesn't stop working. Or that the paper map blows out the window. 

So, can anyone be sure, her/his device will never quit working?

I found the Guidance Material (GM) to NCO.GEN.135. It says:

The documents, manuals and information may be available in a form other than on printed paper. An electronic storage medium is acceptable if accessibility, usability and reliability can be assured.

So electronic charts are definitely ok as long as you are sure that your device doesn't stop working.

Anecdotally, most authorities interpret the requirement like this: as the pilot in command, you must carry sufficient information to be confident that you can conduct the flight safely. That seems sensible to me.

Well, that's not certain. My point was really that the regs don't say anything about "official" charts. The question is how you interpret "suitable". Some countries have made clear that electronic charts are ok, other have said nothing.

You can't really make that comparison because you do need mechanical backup instruments if you have a glass cockpit.

I always carry some kind of paper chart as backup, but maybe not always ones that would be sufficient as primary charts.

Thanks lhe, I agree that's more appropriate than SERA.

No mentioning of paper!! So electronic ok than?? Like altometer and speed indicator in glass cockpits?

What SERA says is irrelevant in this matter. SERA are "traffic regulations" and not regulations on equipment. You will also not find in SERA a requirement to have an altimeter or airspeed indicator.

The relevant regulation for most SkyDemon users would be part-NCO, which states:


(Part-NCO is not yet in force in all EASA countries, but will be by the end of next year.)

...and also no mention of "official". 

In Germany

§ 8 Sonstige Ausrüstung (zu §§ 19 bis 22 LuftBO)
Flugzeuge und Hubschrauber sind im Übrigen immer wie folgt auszurüsten:

3.  aktuellen und entsprechend der Betriebsart geeigneten Karten für die geplante Flugstrecke und mögliche
Ausweichstrecken, ....

Planes and helicopters are always equipped as follows:

3. current and appropriate maps for the planned flight path, flight mode and possible
alternative routes, ....

no paper mentioned....

-mike