Advice needed for FMS Data please

[JimboG]

Hi there,

I am using the CRJ-200 v1.5.2 with AIRAC 2012.12 from Navigraph and XP10.11 - and I'm loving it! Thanks very much guys for some brilliant work, but I have a question with regards to any advice you could give me, thank you.

I have been reading several threads that relate to this topic, I am sure one of them said that Navigraph might have native X-Plane support by the end of this year. I have asked Ian the moderator at Navigraph for any update but I've had no reply yet.

Now that Navigraph are starting to publish FMS data for JRollon's CRJ-200 surely it's just a matter of time before they support the XP10 internal FMS? I've got the latest AIRAC 2012.12 but of course now my XP10 ATC won't accept my route when filing my flight plan due to unknown "navaids" - a missing airway in earth_awy.dat - and I don't have the knowledge to fix it unfortunately.

Given that vroute (where I got the route from in the first place) and JRollon are up to date and align perfectly it seems, it's a shame that in essence I can't use the XP ATC until the native Navigraph support for XP10 is in place and I can get XP on the same (current) AIRAC. Can't I fix this myself?

So, I've sent an email to Robin Peel with regards to how to get the XP FMS data updated as the latest offering is 2012.08 - surely other people must be having the same problem as me? But I understand he's a busy man and may not reply to me for some time.

I don't yet have the confidence to go online, to be honest I am still finding my feet with XP/CRJ being a converter from MFS - so I'd REALLY like to be able to use the native XP ATC, but if I can't even file my flight plan what are my options please?

Is the "native" file used by the CRJ on Navigraph's website so different to the XP apt.dat/earth_awy.dat etc that there can't be a conversion/data feed that can be performed?

I am sure you can understand the frustration!

Thanks vey much.

Kind regards,

James

[cessna729]

I have been reading several threads that relate to this topic, I am sure one of them said that Navigraph might have native X-Plane support by the end of this year.

I wouldn't be holding your breath (it would be nice, but a compleate change indirection for LR IMHO).

... surely it's just a matter of time before they support the XP10 internal FMS?

The internal X-Plane FMS/GPS is compleately different, I suspect LR would have to re-write it to use "Procedures" like the CRJ-200 or B777.

I've got the latest AIRAC 2012.12 but of course now my XP10 ATC won't accept my route when filing my flight plan due to unknown "navaids" - a missing airway in earth_awy.dat - and I don't have the knowledge to fix it unfortunately.

If you attach a copy of the route you are trying to fly, we could have a look for you.

Given that vroute (where I got the route from in the first place) and JRollon are up to date and align perfectly it seems, it's a shame that in essence I can't use the XP ATC until the native Navigraph support for XP10 is in place and I can get XP on the same (current) AIRAC. Can't I fix this myself?

As long as you only want to "fix a few" routes, you could DIY it. just read the info on Robins site http://data.x-plane.com and http://data.x-plane....rs.html#Formats

I don't yet have the confidence to go online, to be honest I am still finding my feet with XP/CRJ being a converter from MFS - so I'd REALLY like to be able to use the native XP ATC, but if I can't even file my flight plan what are my options please?

If you want to fly with "realistic" ATC, IMHO at the moment you only have one option "on-line" with "real controlers".

Eventually LR might get their XP10 AI ATC system working, but it's early days, or you can DIY it to add your missing routes ect to Robins XP database, or install a XP 9.70 which IMHO had a more reliable Type/Text based ATC system).

cessna729.

Edited November 28, 2012 by cessna729

[docromano]

James,

welcome to the X-plane world

While I have been a satisfied XP-Simmer since XP9 and know about all its advantages I have to tell you one thing, especially as you are "from the other world":#

Forget the X-Plane ATC!

At least for now. Even with simple planes and simple routes it is a pain in the .... The CRJ has a complete custom FMS and autopilot that the ATC cannot deal with. Additionally, Xplane does not have any information about SIDs and STARs which already makes good ATC impossible. Even if you enter all fixes of a STAR you will still not be satisfied with the results.

I´d like to cite Philipp concerning the Boeing 777 (he created the FMS for both planes)and Xplane ATC:

"Q: I'm flying on track, but X-Plane 10 ATC keeps telling me I'm off course.

A: The X-Plane 10 ATC has no idea of the complex terminal procedures supported by the 777. If you want ATC support for that, try an online-flying network like VATSIM, IVAO or PilotEdge."

Reading xplane blog, current development is focussing on 64 bit and autogen, nothing there about ATC. If you want good ATC, do as Philipp recommends (fly online!) or go back to msfs for this. I dont see good ATC in Xplane within the next months.

[JimboG]

Hi there cessna729 and docromano,

Thank you both very much for your replies, I am grateful. It would seem that Navigraph are indeed persueing the support for XP10. Here is the reply I had from Ian at Navigraph just the other day:

"Hi James,

We are progressing well with the X-Plane support development. We have the details and the data needed. We are working on the format conversion. We hope to make an announcement in the next few cycles.

Cheers

Ian"

http://forum.navigraph.com/forum/default.aspx?g=posts&t=3456

So this encouraging indeed, at least from a waypoint/airways perspective! I have been doing some more reading on XP10 the past few days and watching some YouTube videos of IVAO/Vatsim in action, I think I will look into going online soon once I have a better understanding of the CRJ's systems and am able to improve my airmanship with the manual control of the throttles. It's very enjoyable now that I have got used to working out my ToD and descent rate etc, great fun! (I spent a morning watching Javiers videos and reading his "fat" manual to write out my study notes in a notepad to accompany my EGJJ - EDDH flight which I am practising at the moment!)

(Incidentally: I can confirm that I was having the same pitch oscillation issue reported by several other people with v1.5.2 and XP10.11 with out-of-the-box settings, and I can also confirm that the customised CRJ has worked a treat, so there does indeed appear to be something wierd with the default aircraft.)

As for my broken route, there were two issues I was having:

1.) ATC would not accept my route when filing my flight plan due to a missing navaid - there is (at least) one missing airway in my planned route that is in AIRAC 2012.12 - what I wasn't aware of however is that apparently you can add single waypoints to your ATC route, rather than the abbreviated "route version" - so I am going to try that method to see if that works. (I'll post the results here.)

2.) After printing out my charts for EGJJ SID I found that I couldn't even tune in my radio properly as the published frequencies didn't appear to match! And could I find the frequencies in XP? No. Was I really frustrated and have up in the end? Yes. Did I have a "face palm" moment when I saw how to get the frequencies on YouTube by zooming in and actually clicking on the airport in question? Most certainly! So now I know how to tune in my radios properly I will have another go (more for sanity's sake than anything) at least getting my flight plan in and clearance from ATC.

I take heed of good advice, so thanks again to both of you - no doubt I'll be part of the online community soon, but I have some practise to do first before I'm sat at a ramp listening in to the ATC chatter!

Thanks very much.

Kind regards,

James

EGJJ