Guys it's really important to understand what the products you use are meant to do.  Sorry, but this kind of stuff gets me worked up probably because of my last job.  I used to hear people whine and vent about how Excel was a terrible program because it was hard to get it to print off reports and so on.  Of course, me being me, I'd mentally lash the person, but simply say "you do know that Excel is not made for databases and reporting, right?"

"...but we have several Excel databases [sic] that we have macros to report from!"

"Yes, and I could store data in a table in PowerPoint, but that doesn't make it right."

"...oh, well what would you suggest?"

"Access, because it's built to do what you need it to do."

[insert comparison between the two programs on whiteboard to help guide people to the right program, noting that they often work hand-in-hand]

 

 

 

So, here's similar with TOPCAT and PFPX:

You only need to look at the TOPCAT acronym to be reminded of what it does (and this is something I harp on people for all the time).  TOPCAT stands for Take-Off (and Landing) Performance Calculation Tool.  As such, its purpose is to calculate takeoff (and landing) performance given the known (or set) weights.  It is NOT meant to give you your fuel loads.  The feature is there so that you can get an idea of what your takeoff weight is likely to be until you have more accurate fuel numbers available.  That is all you should be getting out of that, unless you fly with no weather, and don't plan for alternates.  It also does not help you build routes, or get en route weather, NOTAMs or other data.

 

PFPX, on the other hand is planning for your route of flight, information on that route of flight, associated fuel loads, and so on.  It conquers the flight planning aspect, while TOPCAT handles your takeoff and landing numbers.

 

They're complementary programs, not redundant programs where you're getting shafted for the same product in order to still have the same functionality.

 

You wouldn't get upset if all you had was a hammer but you needed a screwdriver to do the work you need to do.  You may be thinking "well, duh, if I need a screwdriver and I don't have one, I'll just have to deal with it and buy one," but think about it: you're not upset because know you need a different tool.  Why?  Because you took the time to know the actual purpose of the tool you have, and the tool you need.

 

Same goes for the programs on your computer.  Sure, it's a little harder because they're intangible (and probably have manuals that you really don't want to read), but that still doesn't excuse you from the idea that you should know what the tool you just paid for does, and does not do.  Ignorance may be bliss, but it's no excuse.

Does PFPX have the ability to use airac data from NavData Pro? Simbrief only does from navigraph and I am not buying both this Simbrief is useless.

 

Sent from Samsung Galaxy Note 2

 

 

Navdata Pro already has it in their database so i know that Navdata Pro has it ,im not sure about Navigraph havent looked at it.

 

Kind regards

PFPX will be open to navdata from both Navigraph and Aerosoft.

At one time PFPX was an instant buy for me. Now with simbrief.com I'm not so sure...

 

Regardless, thanks for letting us know.

 

Just registered there and it's extremely simplistic compared to what PFPX has, sorry. Biggest thing I see right off the bat is that PFPX can actually generate a route for you from scratch between any two airports without having to paste one in from somewhere else or search a database of what others have used. PFPX takes current winds into account and optimizes the route it generates for it, it has fully customizable EROPS/ETOPS stuff, you can customize the fuel predictions, do redispatch in flight to lower your reserve requirement etc.

 

Not a knock against the simbrief devs, but it's just a fact that what they're doing is nowhere close to the depth of customization PFPX has. Maybe they'll develop it - competition is always good.

I am hoping the fp developed by PFPX can be generated into a ms word or PDF format. Plan to put it into Google Drive and pull it up on a tablet.

 

Sent from Samsung Galaxy Note 2

 

 

I am hoping the fp developed by PFPX can be generated into a ms word or PDF format. Plan to put it into Google Drive and pull it up on a tablet.

 

Sent from Samsung Galaxy Note 2

 

At a minimum, I know from what I have seen that they can be printed. If they can be printed, they can be saved as a PDF. Either from PFPX itself, or from a program that "prints" to a pdf file and shows up as a printer which you can choose to "print" to.

Just registered there and it's extremely simplistic compared to what PFPX has, sorry. Biggest thing I see right off the bat is that PFPX can actually generate a route for you from scratch between any two airports without having to paste one in from somewhere else or search a database of what others have used. PFPX takes current winds into account and optimizes the route it generates for it, it has fully customizable EROPS/ETOPS stuff, you can customize the fuel predictions, do redispatch in flight to lower your reserve requirement etc.

 

Not a knock against the simbrief devs, but it's just a fact that what they're doing is nowhere close to the depth of customization PFPX has. Maybe they'll develop it - competition is always good.

 

Well, I need a NAT route so I entered in NAT C and it gave me the correct routing so maybe they will develop it

The website has been updated again!

 

You can now also view the Template Guide online. This is REAL close now!

 

http://www.flightsimsoft.com/downloads/Flight%20Plan%20Template%20Guide.pdf

My hope is that they add non-big-iron aircraft.

And a price has been put up aswell 41,63 EUR EX VAT is at their Pricing page.

 

Kind regards

And a price has been put up aswell 41,63 EUR EX VAT is at their Pricing page.

 

Kind regards

 

That still works out to be around £49.95 - what I'd expect to pay for a sub-50 euro product from Aerosoft. (including UK VAT rates). So I don't think the price has gone up.

Yeah they said around 50 Euros and that seems to be quite right included the vat.

 

Kind regards

I see no evidence of a discount for TOPCAT owners...?  Link please?

Only heard it vagely that it will be a discount no proof of that yet we will see next week.

 

Kind regards