The PlanePath site may have to close

[Guest staang]

Hi all. I have some bad news for those that don't know about it. The USFIF will be taken off of public access as of 1 Oct 2007. Since there is no other source of free data for the US I will be forced to stop providing monthly terminal procedure updates once that happens. The NATS data, however, will still be available so I am deciding whether or not to continue with those terminal procedures as there are others who are providing the major airport over there, at least for the PMDG aircraft anyway.Some good news though. I can buy the US data but it costs $168 a year. I gave thought to that but I have been already absorbing the cost of the web site at over $150 a year and being on a fixed retirement income I think precludes that. So, in an attempt to continue I am setting up two paypal accounts to accept donations. One for donations under $10 and another for over $10. Why two accounts? Their cost. If I use the normal paypal account they take about 1/3 of a dollars contribution. By having a second micro account they take about 1/10 of a dollars donation. I'd rather get that 20 cents difference per dollar and put it towards the nav data but please use the more than $10 button if you decide to contribute above $10. Above $10 they take out less using the normal account. If the donations go above the $168 I will use that amount to pay for this next years web site bill coming up later this year. And if I can get that payed off then I would like to use whatever additional money to buy other country's terminal procedures. However, if I do not reach the goal of at least $168 for the data then please accept my gratitude for your donation and I am truly sorry that I can not continue my free service.I might add that a side benefit is that the US data I'd buy should contain navaid data also. I could then start providing, for free, the US nav data that navdata.at used to provide for free but is now payware.Guess that is about it. It is now in your court, so to speak.Regards to all and regardless of the outcome I am grateful for all your support in the past years.Terry

[Hollister 0]

I don't use PayPal.Any chance of sending you a check in the mail?Thanks for all the work you do for us Flight Simmers.If not I will look into setting up a PayPal account.Ed

[Guest staang]

Hi Ed,Thanks Ed. I don't give out much personal info over an open wire to the world, so to speak. Send me an email to PlanePath and I can supply that info if you really don't want to use paypal. RegardsTerry

[Guest szp]

what kind of donation response have you been getting?sal

[Guest staang]

Hello SalI've had 22 donations so far. I have bought the US nav data and am now adding to the pot to get other countries nav data. The US data is in a completely different format from the USFIF so I am writing a conversion program now. I hope to have it going before the next cycle.RegardsTerry

[Guest szp]

that's great news- thanks for all you've done over the years!sal

[Guest BigJacko]

W00t, as they say! :) So glad to hear that you made the target, Terry, and got the data!My faith in humanity is restored by those other twenty-one fellows! Smaller quantity than I'd hoped, but more than I expected, tbh.Keep up the great work, Terry, and thanks for everything.Regards