FlightSim Commander 7.2, Getting Desperate ! !

[Guest sb55mv]

Hi All, :-beerchugI have just purchased this great program, but I was not aware that it does not contain the SIDS and STARS like FS Navigator did, I was looking for an up-dated program for on-line flying as I have now heard that Helge has indeed retired to Canada, and I was not sure that anyone would pick up on the program :( I know I can buy other programs to do things similar to these two, but I wanted one that had a moving map, and a facility to make flight plans and include SIDS and STARS in it for my VATSIM flying. I thought that FS Commander did this, but I have found out after talking to the author that it uses the DAFIF format, and it won't have the SIDS and STARS in it. he said he was aware of this problem and didn't know when if at all he would be able to fix it ;( I was totally bummed by this information as had I been aware of this then I wouldn't have purchased it, but alas I cannot get a refund due to the rules and regs on downloaded materials :+ so I am left with trying to figure this one out on my own.:-eekso, do any of you have this program, and if so, have you been able to get round it.or, do the PMDG or PSS SIDS/STARS/AIRACS from the Navdata site work in this program ?, has anyone tried it !I did download the latest information from the FTP site address as supplied by the author,( https://164.214.2.62/products/digitalaero/index.cfm )and in the PDF read me file that came with the program, but when trying to make a flight plan from EGCC - EGLL it came up with the ''NO SIDS or STARS'' for both airports :-hmmmI do not understand the DAFIF cycles,or their make up, so I won't do anything with them for fear of screwing up everything.I appreciate any help anyone can offer.thanks for you're help.Steve.:-abduct

[Martin Georg EDDF 0]

Hello Steve,the DAFIF database contains lots of SIDs and STARs, and I

[hangar 660]

Even though I use that flight planner i dont have an answer to your question im afraid since ive never tried what you have suggested...when it comes to airliner type flights where i want to add sids/stars i typically use a different planner which is better suited (fsbuild) for those type flights. I would suggest, instead of driving yourself crazy over finding a planner which has all those procedures included, that you get ahold of the necessary airport facility directories for the areas you like to fly in/out of...there you will find all the preferred FAA routes in the USA. You can then just add those waypoints manually into your plan before saving. This is one of the ways its handled by dispatch in the real world as well.The nice feature of fsbuild is that instead of having to search through the database to find waypoints before adding them is that all youd have to do is to type the entire route text into a text box in the planner and then click a button and it compiles the plan and draws it right onto the map for you instantly, then you just ssave/export it to wherever you like. But you wont get a moving map with this planner. The only pilots who use moving map programs these days for real flights are mostly GA private pilots who dont have GPS installed in their planes yet anyway. It would be more realistic for you to use an FMC or GPS device actually, not that it matters of course, to each his own......but i dont understand why you purchased the planner before trying it?...when you downloaded it, it was a fully functioning demo time limited to 30 minutes per session, no?...at least thats what ive been using here.I still havent purchased due to certain bugs, however the support is pretty good and it has some nice useful features..the planner has come along way in the past 12 months and offers a solid value for the money though...they just need to fix some of the quirks it has (such as inaccurate vfr approach/departure vectors and certain airports being listed in wrong states).Dave

[Guest sb55mv]

Thanks Martin, but I allready did that, but looks like I'll have to wait for the program maker to sort this out,Dave. I realised that it was a try before you buy product, but there was just so much to see and find out in it that it was impossible to get to grips with it, let alone find out about the lack of the SID/STAR problem before that 35 min timer kept kicking in all the time.but thanks anyway both of you.Steve.