Definition
Restrictions on how long an instrument approach chart, procedure, or related navigation publication may be retained and used after issuance, before it must be replaced with the current revision. Storage limitations define the latest date a chart remains authorized for use in operations, after which the chart is considered out of date and must not be used for navigation.
Plain English
Rules that say how long you are allowed to keep using a chart or procedure document before you must throw it out and use the new version. After that date, the old chart is no longer legal or safe to fly with.
Context Anchor
Seen when using installed avionics, GPS units, flight management systems, or electronic chart databases for instrument procedures.
Derivation
‘Storage’ comes from Old French ‘estorer,’ meaning to keep or preserve. ‘Limitation’ is from Latin ‘limitare,’ to set a boundary. Together, the term simply means the boundary on how long something kept on hand may still be used — in this case, navigation charts and procedure documents.
Why Pilots Care
Awareness prevents missing required procedures due to database overflow and ensures safe flight planning.
Intuition Check
Do not read “storage” as baggage or hangar storage here. In this context, it means the amount of information an electronic aviation system can hold.
Example Sentence 1
Before the flight, the pilot checked the storage limitations on each approach chart to make sure none had expired.
Example Sentence 2
Because of storage limitations, the database could not hold every alternate airport procedure for the long cross-country flight.