AIRAC Update?

[callen70 0]

I have had the 747-400x for a few weeks now and have watched every tutorial on You Tube about how to use the FMC. I have also searched for posts regarding this very question, and really couldn't find much. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE only respond if you have an answer to my question.Do I need to update my AIRAC? My boxed ver. of 747-400x came with AIRAC cycle 0805. I use UT, GEXOD etc etc.... Is there a free place to do the update, or is it best to use a pay site? Most importantly though, is, DO I NEED TO?!?!?! I mean since I am still learning, will it really help me learn any faster if I do the cycle update?? Brian

[Xtrema 1]

The current AIRAC is 1013 but it will be updated in a few days.I always update on the latest release and yes, you have to pay.

[callen70 0]

The current AIRAC is 1013 but it will be updated in a few days.I always update on the latest release and yes, you have to pay.

I basically understand what it is for, but I still want to know if it is worth paying for, or is the cycle I have now good enough? I'm still trying to learn.Again I ask, do I need to???

[harvester21 34]

Updates are to (among other things) SIDs and STARs. If you are running an old cycle like the 2008 version you are using, it could mean that when you are looking at current charts, the SIDs and STARs you are looking at will not be included in your FMC AIRAC cycle. Other way around, you might find SIDs and STARs in your FMC that no longer have any validity today, and you might have trouble finding the charts for those. This for me is a good reason to update. To be quite honest, paying for these cycles isn't really that expensive. You can get a package deal at Navigraph.com where they give you some discount.In my opinion its worth it.ps. Brian, you should sign your full name when posting in this forum as per forum rules. See following link for details: http://forum.avsim.net/topic/245586-you-must-sign-your-full-real-name-to-posts-to-use-this-forum-posts-without-names-will-be-deleted/

[Ioan92 63]

In my opinion it isn't worth it because the FS world never changes and you might get some nasty surprises if you fly in default airports such as EDDF because the ILS'es are changed and the 747 will literally slap you in the face with NAV INVALID as you go in APP mode on finals. You sure can update AFCADS and the new database with old frequencies, but imo I'd rather just stay with the old one.

[claviermichel 0]

Brian,It is really a personal choice. Having worked for years with several well known people on the update of airac cycles for Aerowinx and MSFS add-on aircrafts I can tell you that changes between cycles do not exceed 0.08% of the total amount of data included in one cycle. History shows that most changes relate to parking charts, gate numbering and alike. Terminal procedures are rarely amended. Updating cycles every 4 - 6 months is fully sufficient. One way to check if an update is worth the cost is to read the NOTAMS published by Jeppesen. Should critical changes appear for your favorite aiports then you should update.Some people like to have fully updated airac on a 28 days cycle like it is done (mandatory) in the real world but in the MSFS world it is a bit excessive at best. Cheers,

[callen70 0]

Ok, thanks for the replies. I guess i'll go ahead and pay for the update. I am getting tired of "not in database". Again, thanks to all.Brian Allen

[lfishe 2]

You can add the waypoints that you need to update FSX or FS 9. They will show on the map, etc. Search for how to do it.Lynn

[alex1992 0]

I think it depends on whether you are planning to fly online at IVAO or Vatsim or if you only fly offline. For online i highly recommedn new AIRACs otherwise you will sooner or later get in trouble with changed Sids/Stars and if that happens with much traffic and busy ATC who has no time to vector you i wish you good luck :(. If you only fly offline you can use older AIRACs without bigger problems. It can only happen that an ILS was changed and the payware has the new frequency but not the queen, in this situations FSX really sucks^^. But all in all it really depends on what you want to do. We can only tell you when new AIRACs should be used and what problems can arrise, either by or by not updating. Greets Alex

[yos233 1]

Something missed here:Planepath is a free provider of US SIDs and STARs. They do not provide the en-route fixes and such, but if you only want updated terminal procedures, use this.BTW: "Not In Database" is an en-route warning so you'll have to use Navigraph for this anyway.

[Guest norm99]

Ok, thanks for the replies. I guess i'll go ahead and pay for the update. I am getting tired of "not in database". Again, thanks to all.Brian Allen

Brian,Just for information, about a year ago I took the included AIRAC from Wilco Pub for my 737 and did a manual update of the date and title field in the actual database itself and it worked just fine. No more annoying "database out of date" messages. Now here is the disclaimer, from what I can tell, each payware aircraft stores the database in different default locations (some are the same) and you need to find the location, MAKE A BACKUP OF THE CURRENT DB and then experiment with the changes. You will have to find out the current AIRAC number and inclusive dates, which I got from Navigraph and where each aircraft stores it's db. Once you figure out how to do it, it's really not that difficult, but I have 4 different payware aircraft and I just got tired of updating that way, so now I just pay for the update from Navigraph.Norman Henderson