I entered FALE on both... neither found it but bizarrely Charts.Aero suggested Bob Faler, Elk City! Hmmm

You will note that the letters "FALE" are in the name "Faler"... what's so bizarre about that?

 

Anyway, at least you've actually tried the websites I suggested now (to be frank I am annoyed that you asked for advice and took the time to debunk my suggestions without actually bothering to spend two minutes trying them first), obviously the coverage isn't sufficient for your needs as you fly in South Africa and neither site seems to cover it fully yet.

 

Many people seem happy to spend lots of aircraft, scenery etc. but baulk at a service like this because there is a free alternative albeit quite an inconvenient one.

You may be fortunate enough have a bottomless pit of money to spend on Flight Simulator but most of us don't. If we pay for one thing, we must forego another.

 

I have no objections to paying, even when a free alternative is available, providing the price can be justified. Navigraph is actually more inconvenient because I have to register, pay them, login, download a client etc and I don't need the additional coverage so why would I spend €60 for features I won't use? I would have to give up the Majestic Q400 to afford those useless features!

Ray,

I also used Navigraph to download FALE among others.

 

I will not be taking up the offer due to the collapse of currency rates which have added one third to the price in a month.

 

I don't really use charts anyway, Radar Contact is good enough for me.

 

 

You will note that the letters "FALE" are in the name "Faler"... what's so bizarre about that?

I was expecting an ICAO search.

 

 

Anyway, at least you've actually tried the websites I suggested now (to be frank I am annoyed that you asked for advice and took the time to debunk my suggestions without actually bothering to spend two minutes trying them first), obviously the coverage isn't sufficient for your needs as you fly in South Africa and neither site seems to cover it fully yet.

The purpose of my post was to discuss the merits of the Navigraph service, not to ask advice but gauge opinion.

 

 

You may be fortunate enough have a bottomless pit of money to spend on Flight Simulator but most of us don't. If we pay for one thing, we must forego another.

Check my PC. It's a lot older than yours. I don't have a bottomless pit of money.

 

 

Navigraph is actually more inconvenient because I have to register, pay them, login, download a client etc and I don't need the additional coverage so why would I spend €60 for features I won't use?

Many of the things you list are one-offs. It's very easy to download all the charts for an airport with a single click of the mouse. Far easier than the free alternative but you pay for the convenience. Each to his own.

Ray,

I also used Navigraph to download FALE among others.

 

I will not be taking up the offer due to the collapse of currency rates which have added one third to the price in a month.

 

I don't really use charts anyway, Radar Contact is good enough for me.

 

Thanks Ian. The appalling exchange rate doesn't help with any software purchases at the moment.

 

Yes, RC4 is excellent if you choose vectors but recently I prefer to fly the IAP so require the relevant charts.

 

I might mention the Euro/Pound exchange rate on the Navigraph forum. Don't know if US customers are as badly affected.

Ray ... I agree with you re the quality, convenience and coverage of the Navigraph Charts 4 system. Just so you know you are not alone in this thread/discussion/debate.

 

I have also asked for clarifications pertaining to their subscription system in their forum.

 

Although I am a pensioner I have charts for well over 300 payware airports presently many deliberately left out of date since developers have not updated their 'legacy' airports. I have kept AIRAC up-to-date although I choose not to fly VATSIM/multiplayer etc and have also kept magnetic deviations database up-to-date.

 

 In future I might cease to subscribe  to AIRAC and just fly as if in suspended animation.

 

Cheers

Hi Brian,

 

I see your second question hasn't been answered yet on Navigraph's forum. I think you'll be fine using v4.1. I installed it and can see all my purchased airports. Providing you backup your own system you can continue to use all airports beyond the 12 month subscription period. It's only if you rely on their backup service you won't be able to restore after 12 months.

 

You have far more airports than me. If you were to update those it would probably cost about the same as their offer price. But, when an airport is updated what exactly changes? It may be a few parking gates only. Unless the SIDs and STARs change I'm not really bothered. I don't see ILS frequencies changing much if at all.

 

But as I subscribe to the FMC data I need the SIDs and STARs in that to match those for the airports. If they don't then my FMC data starts to become useless.

 

Your point about 'freezing' data is certainly one option. If you don't live near an airport you fly in FS then you would never know if the routing changes. Certainly the SIDs and STARs at EGCC have not changed in a few years but if they did I would want the changes reflected in the data.

 

The biggest danger of this subscription service is that you get sucked in and feel the need to update every year. Given the cost of FS in terms of hardware and software some may not think 60 Euros is that much. It all depends on income and attitude.

 

For now, I'm holding off. If they don't get enough subscribers they may review the price.

Personally I get the free charts from aircharts.org when I am flying within their coverage and get charts from navigraph when I'm not. At 30 cents or so an airport I'd have to download way more airports than I currently fly to before the subscription is worth it.

 

 

For now, I'm holding off. If they don't get enough subscribers they may review the price.

 

Thats good advice Ray.

 

Thanks for answering my questions ...  I'm now reassured. Pity Navigraph couldn't, particularly as Ian is also an Aussie and in similar timezone.  :unsure:

 

Cheers.

Did any of you buy this ? If yes, is it worth it ?

 

 

thx

I'm still mulling it over. I like the convenience of easily accessible charts for an airport but I'm put off by the high price. The UK Pound - Euro exchange rate is pretty poor at the moment and the 10 Euro discount only runs until 23 June.

 

29 of my existing airports are now "out of date" and it would cost 12 Euros to update them. For a further 38 Euros I could have access to 1916 airport charts albeit through a single airport selection process. That makes it sound attractive.

 

The main issue is when an airport is updated what actually changes? That isn't published. I suppose in fairness it would be a massive undertaking but it would allow users to decide if the change was important to them.

 

I might go for this offer and spend a few hours downloading all the airports rather than wait until I'm flying to X airport and do it then. All updates for the next 12 months are then free. The problem comes in a year's time when thousands of airports slowly start to become out of date.

 

So what about you mindyerbeak? Have you used Navigraph charts?

So what about you mindyerbeak? Have you used Navigraph charts?

 

 

I gave in and bought  the sub.I'm glad I did.I actually like the convenience of it all.No matter what you want/need  it's one click and you have all your charts downloaded and sorted in a matter of secs.One click and you'r good to go. All charts are updated every 3 months or so.I'm lazy so it's great for me.I'm only interested in airport charts tho.I had a look at the enroute charts and to be honest  I like skyvector.com  better.

 

To make a long story short , if you're lazy,you want everything  organized in a few clicks,  eur 50 don't break the bank and you do not fly mostly in the US ..I mean why not ? 

How many airports have you downloaded? It's going to take some time to get them all and then you need to set a reminder each 3 months to download the updates.

 

I suspect I will relent. It's the price of a couple of Mega Airports and provides thousands of charts. As you say it's the convenience that makes it so attractive. The free-ware alternatives requires a lot of organisation unless you just download on the fly.

 

 

How many airports have you downloaded?

 

Just a few charts to take a look  and compare them with the jepp and eurocontrol ones. (eidw,egbb and egpf).-

Just a few charts to take a look  and compare them with the jepp and eurocontrol ones. (eidw,egbb and egpf).-

 

Using the charts on EAD for Europe the UK ones are the same layout as the earlier NATS site. But other countries seem to have different styles. The key info is there of course but the style makes it a bit more difficult to analyse quickly.

 

That's the beauty of the Navigraph charts. Consistent look and feel. :good:

Each respective airspace authority (basically each country) has its own format/style, in the case of UK charts it is specified by the CAA/NATS. Companies such as Jeppesen receive these charts and then compile them in to their own "house style" so you get a consistent look and feel, although sometimes you do lose some non-critical information, for example UK CAA/NATS aerodrome charts are to scale and include some geography and sector terrain safe altitudes, which are absent from Jeppesen's charts for those aerodromes.

 

 

Each respective airspace authority (basically each country) has its own format/style, in the case of UK charts it is specified by the CAA/NATS.

 

For now. :rolleyes: I imagine all those countries in the EU will soon be directed to have the same look and feel. Yes sir, three bags full sir! :(