Navigational Data

[Mario Donick]

Today I've got a question.

 

I know that the last X-Plane release 10.20 did include an update on the navigational data. Robin Peel's website says that this data is AIRAC 2013.03.

 

However, when I use other tools for creating flight plans, with the same AIRAC cycle 1303, there are in parts big inconsistencies between X-Plane's data and the data taken from these tools -- missing fixes, or the fixes are there but at completely wrong places, etc.

 

Can please somebody explain to me the differences of, say, X-Plane AIRAC, the AIRAC of the RouteFinder website (http://rfinder.asalink.net/free/) and e.g. Navigraph data I can buy for X-FMC?

 

And is there a way to keep all that stuff in sync?

[w9nwrwi]

I do not think the latest apt.data made it into the 10.20 release. I stand to be corrected.

[Mario Donick]

I do not think the latest apt.data made it into the 10.20 release. I stand to be corrected.

 

Oh, yeah. You're right. Anyway, I have installed Robin's data manually, but it still differs from what I get from NaviGraph. I suppose the reason is that Robin's data are a community effort and rely on free sources.

 

I am just wondering if there is a way to use data from other sources instead. Like I buy something for my personal use in one of the NaviGraph formats and convert it somehow to X-Plane's format.

 

For example, today I updated the AIRACs for X-FMC, AirTrack (iPad) and FSCommander to 1303 (and I intend to use these data for the next few months now for my offline flying). But not in all planes I want to use AirTrack or X-FMC -- for example in a small Cessna, or in the Bonanza. There it would be cool to simply have the GPS using the latest data. Is there any way to do this?

 

Edit: I managed to get the freeware KLN 90B to work in XP 10.20 64 bit (by replacing the old "xap" plugin by the current version of SASL; xap was the predecessor of SASL). It SEEMS to work fine and maybe I found an acceptable solution for small aircraft.

Edited March 20, 2013 by mariodonick

[w9nwrwi]

Glad you got something going for it.  I am not knowlegeable at all about that data. Not sure if this link will help you or not:

 

http://forums.xplanefreeware.net/topic/10151-airac-update-the-easy-way/

 

Chuck

[Mario Donick]

Glad you got something going for it.  I am not knowlegeable at all about that data. Not sure if this link will help you or not:

 

http://forums.xplanefreeware.net/topic/10151-airac-update-the-easy-way/

 

Chuck

 

Thanks for your help. But that's related to another FMC addon.

 

For now I'm happy that the KLN 90B is working, though

[cessna729]

@mariodonick

The main problem Robin has is explained on his web site (see this post for links)

His data WAS based on DAFIF and not AIRAC.

http://forums.x-pilot.com/index.php/topic/4822-x-plane-nav-data-1303-update-available-from-robins-site/#entry49982

This is what he says:

Maintaining this data is a collaborative effort ...

Until late 2007, this data was primarily sourced from the US National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) Defense Aeronautical Flight Information File (DAFIF), but this valuable data source has been removed from the public domain, ostensibly for security reasons (yes, really). We now update this data from other publicly available sources (such as the FAA's National Flight Database) and from individual data updates from global X-Plane users.

My role is to collect all these data updates from multiple sources and to consolidate them into a highly-normalised database (maintained in Microsoft SQL Server 2008). From this database, an evolving Visual Basic application can generate data files for multiple versions of X-Plane. I try to generate new data every month. The FlightGear freeware flight simulator also shares this data.

How can you help?

If you see errors or omissions in the data, then please let me know, and include information about how the error can be corrected. Please remember that I collect, consolidate and distribute the data, but I cannot design detailed airports on demand - we rely upon other volunteers to share this tasks. If you are interested in becoming a data designer, then please see the designer page on this site. There are several tools available to help you in this task.

All data must be obtained from publicly available, freely redistributable sources. I cannot accept data extracted from commercially distributed database. If you are enhancing data previously submitted by another user then please obtain their permission first.

cessna729.

Edited March 21, 2013 by cessna729