Jeppesen
Aviation navigation data, flight-planning software, and operational information-services provider.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Jeppesen, also known as Jeppesen Sanderson, is an American aviation information and software company whose products support navigation, flight planning, aircraft performance analysis, crew management, training, and airline operations. Its best-known offering is the Jeppesen aeronautical chart, widely referred to by pilots as a “Jepp chart” or “Jepp.” The company began by converting a pilot’s personal navigation notes into a commercially useful system of route, terrain, airport, and instrument-approach information. Over time, its paper chart books became a widely used reference standard for professional and general-aviation pilots. The company was founded in 1934 by Elrey Borge Jeppesen, a pilot who worked for Varney Air Lines. Jeppesen initially gathered information for his own flights and drew charts to help pilots navigate routes and approaches. Other pilots adopted the material, contributed route information, and encouraged him to distribute copies. His wife, Nadine Jeppesen, a former flight attendant, also played an important role in the early business. As demand grew, Jeppesen left airline flying to concentrate on chart production. United Airlines became one of the early airline users of the charts. Jeppesen moved from Salt Lake City to Denver in 1941. In cooperation with the Civil Aeronautics Administration, it helped standardize instrument-approach procedures and contributed to the development of the National Flight Data Center in 1947. International growth followed, including a Frankfurt office in 1957. The business was acquired by Times-Mirror in 1961 and later became part of the Tribune Company after Tribune acquired Times-Mirror. From the 1970s onward, Jeppesen expanded beyond printed charts. Its NavData database was used commercially in flight-management computer guidance systems beginning in 1973. The company entered flight training in 1974 and subsequently added airport information, aircraft-performance analysis, weather, flight planning, crew scheduling, disruption management, maintenance training, and marine navigation products through acquisitions and internal development. Digital delivery became increasingly important: JeppView provided worldwide terminal charts on CD-ROM in 1996, and Internet-based NavData updates were introduced in 1998. Boeing acquired Jeppesen in 2000 as part of its expansion into aviation information and operational services. Under Boeing ownership, Jeppesen introduced an early commercial electronic flight bag, gained FAA recognition as a Qualified Internet Communications Provider, expanded crew-management capabilities through SBS International and Carmen Systems, and developed software and data products for airline dispatch and operations. It also obtained regulatory approvals for airport moving maps and for the design and validation of required-navigation-performance procedures. Jeppesen has served commercial airlines, business aviation operators, general-aviation pilots, flight schools, aviation maintenance organizations, and other aviation professionals. Its product portfolio has increasingly emphasized electronic charts, navigation databases, mobile flight decks, cloud or Internet delivery, flight planning, and integrated operational workflows rather than paper publications alone. The company previously had a significant marine business, including C-MAP and Nobeltec-related activities, but sold its Marine Division in 2016 and exited that area of investment. In 2017, it announced an alliance with ForeFlight to make Jeppesen electronic charts available through ForeFlight Mobile. The company has operated internationally through offices and teams in Europe, Australia, and other regions. Its Denver-area headquarters has used an Englewood mailing address, and the terminal at Denver International Airport was named the Jeppesen Terminal in recognition of the founder. In late 2022, Jeppesen services were disrupted for eight days during a cyberattack affecting two Boeing subsidiaries. Reference material states that Boeing sold Jeppesen to private-equity firm Thoma Bravo in April 2025. Jeppesen remains associated with professional-grade aviation data, charting, and operational decision-support tools.
History
Jeppesen’s history began with Elrey Borge Jeppesen, a commercial pilot who created practical navigation notes and charts for his own flying in the early 1930s. The material recorded information such as routes, landmarks, airports, terrain, and approaches. Fellow pilots recognized its value, and Jeppesen began selling copies of the chart book in 1934. Pilots also supplied information from their own routes, helping the product develop into a shared operational reference. Nadine Jeppesen, Elrey’s wife and a former flight attendant, was an important participant in the company’s early development. The growing chart business eventually displaced Jeppesen’s airline career. United Airlines was among the early commercial users. In 1941, the company moved from Salt Lake City to Denver. In 1947, Jeppesen worked with the Civil Aeronautics Administration on standard instrument-approach procedures and the National Flight Data Center. This connected the company’s commercial charting work with the broader formalization of instrument-flight information. A Frankfurt office opened in 1957, extending the business into Europe. Times-Mirror acquired the company in 1961. Jeppesen diversified during the 1970s and 1980s. NavData entered commercial use in flight-management computer guidance systems in 1973, while the 1974 merger with Sanderson Films brought the company into flight training. Acquisitions added European visual-flight-rules information, airport directories, aircraft-performance analysis, weather, flight planning, and aviation maintenance training. Lockheed DataPlan was acquired in 1989, strengthening flight-planning and weather services. During the 1990s, Jeppesen expanded its international presence, including offices in Australia and China, and acquired businesses such as TannGuide, Aircraft Performance Unlimited, International Aviation Publishers, and MentorPlus. JeppView, launched in 1996, provided a worldwide electronic chart library on CD-ROM. In 1998, the company began delivering NavData updates through the Internet, an important step away from purely physical distribution. Boeing acquired Jeppesen in 2000 from the Tribune Company. The acquisition supported Boeing’s interest in aviation information and operational technology. Jeppesen introduced commercial electronic-flight-bag and Internet chart-delivery capabilities in 2002 and became the first commercial organization certified by the FAA as a Qualified Internet Communications Provider in 2003. SBS International was acquired in 2004, followed by Carmen Systems in 2006; their capabilities were consolidated into crew scheduling and disruption-management offerings. Jeppesen also developed a marine business. It acquired C-MAP in 2007 and Ocean Systems in 2008, adding digital marine cartography and voyage-optimization capabilities. In aviation, it received FAA approval for an airport moving-map application in 2008 and approval in 2009 to design and validate required-navigation-performance procedures in the United States. Australian regulatory approval for RNP and conventional instrument procedures followed in 2010. The company received the 2010 INFORMS Prize for organization-wide use of operations research. The 2010s brought further digital and operational changes. Jeppesen-designed arrival procedures were introduced at Denver International Airport in 2012. Mobile FlightDeck VFR was introduced for general aviation in 2013, FliteDeck Pro for Windows 8 followed in 2014, and the company sold its journey-planning business to SilverRail Technologies in 2013. Jeppesen sold its Marine Division, including C-MAP, to Digital Marine Solutions in 2016. In 2017, it announced an alliance with ForeFlight to integrate Jeppesen electronic charts with ForeFlight Mobile. The company’s later history includes an eight-day service disruption during a 2022 cyberattack affecting two Boeing subsidiaries. Reference material reports a sale by Boeing to Thoma Bravo in April 2025. Jeppesen’s enduring identity is based on authoritative aviation data, charting, navigation procedures, and software that turns operational information into tools for pilots, dispatchers, airlines, and other aviation organizations.
- 2025
Reported sale to Thoma Bravo
[1]Reference material reports that Thoma Bravo acquired Jeppesen from Boeing in April 2025.
- 2017
ForeFlight alliance
[1]Jeppesen announced an alliance to integrate its electronic charts with ForeFlight Mobile.
- 2016
Marine Division sale
[1]Jeppesen sold its Marine Division, including C-MAP, to Digital Marine Solutions.
- 2007
C-MAP acquisition
[1]Jeppesen acquired digital marine-cartography provider C-MAP.
- 2003
FAA QICP certification
[1]Jeppesen became the first commercial organization certified by the FAA as a Qualified Internet Communications Provider.
- 2000
Boeing acquisition
[1]Boeing acquired Jeppesen from the Tribune Company.
- 1998
Internet NavData delivery
[1]Jeppesen began distributing NavData updates over the Internet.
- 1996
JeppView introduced
[1]JeppView delivered a worldwide terminal-chart library on CD-ROM.
- 1989
Lockheed DataPlan acquisition
[1]The acquisition expanded Jeppesen’s flight-planning and weather-service capabilities.
- 1973
NavData enters commercial use
[1]Jeppesen NavData was first used commercially in flight-management computer guidance systems.
Products and positioning
Professional, high-accuracy aviation information and operations technology provider.
Aviation charts · 1934
Jeppesen Aeronautical Charts
Jeppesen’s core product family consists of aeronautical charts and related terminal, en-route, approach, and airport information. Originally distributed as paper chart books, the charts became a familiar working reference for professional and general-aviation pilots. The same information is now also delivered electronically for electronic flight bags and other cockpit displays.
Navigation database · 1973
Jeppesen NavData
NavData is a structured aviation navigation database used in flight-management and related avionics systems. It supports the digital representation and updating of navigation information needed for route management and onboard guidance. Commercial use began in the 1970s, and Internet-based updates were introduced in the 1990s.
Electronic flight bag
Jeppesen FliteDeck
FliteDeck is Jeppesen’s electronic flight-deck and charting product family. It provides pilots with digital chart access and associated navigation information on electronic flight-bag devices, reducing dependence on paper publications and supporting cockpit information workflows.
Flight operations software
Jeppesen Flight Planning
Jeppesen flight-planning tools combine navigation data, route information, weather-related inputs, aircraft constraints, and operational requirements to support dispatchers and flight crews. The offering is aimed at planning and optimizing airline and other professional flight operations.
Aircraft performance data
OpsData
OpsData grew from Jeppesen’s acquisition of Icarus and Aircraft Performance Unlimited. It provides runway and aircraft-performance analysis used to evaluate takeoff and landing capabilities and to support operational planning.
Airline operations software · 2004
Crew scheduling and disruption management
Jeppesen expanded into crew scheduling and disruption management through SBS International and Carmen Systems. These systems help airlines assign crews, manage operational constraints, and respond to schedule interruptions.
Controversies
2006
Alleged support for CIA extraordinary-rendition flights
A 2006 report alleged that Jeppesen provided logistical planning for CIA extraordinary-rendition flights. The American Civil Liberties Union later sued on behalf of people who alleged they had been subjected to rendition. The case was dismissed after the United States government invoked the state-secrets privilege, and the Supreme Court declined to review the dismissal in 2011.
Brand decisions
2025
Reported sale to Thoma BravoM&ABackground
Reference material reports that Boeing sold Jeppesen as part of a change in ownership.
Action taken
Private-equity firm Thoma Bravo reportedly acquired Jeppesen in April 2025.
Aftermath
Jeppesen’s post-transaction operating structure and ownership integration are not detailed in the supplied reference material.
2017
ForeFlight electronic-chart allianceStrategyBackground
Electronic flight bags were becoming a primary channel for cockpit chart access.
Action taken
Jeppesen announced an alliance with ForeFlight to integrate Jeppesen electronic charts into ForeFlight Mobile.
Aftermath
The agreement broadened the availability of Jeppesen chart data within a widely used mobile flight-planning environment.
2016
Sale of the Marine DivisionM&ABackground
Jeppesen had developed marine navigation and voyage-optimization activities through acquisitions including C-MAP and Ocean Systems.
Action taken
The Marine Division, including the C-MAP brand and related products and services, was sold to Digital Marine Solutions.
Aftermath
The transaction ended Jeppesen’s investment in the marine industry and refocused the company on aviation.
2000
Boeing acquisitionM&ABackground
Boeing acquired Jeppesen from the Tribune Company as part of an expansion into aviation information and operational services.
Action taken
Jeppesen became a Boeing subsidiary while continuing to operate under its established brand.
Aftermath
The company expanded electronic flight-bag, airline-operations, and navigation-data activities under Boeing ownership.
Sources2 sources
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