Brief workflow tutorial: PMDG 777 SP1 Company Datalink function with PFPX + Active Sky Next (ASN)

[vanzunator 3]

This is a quick tutorial on how to setup and use PMDG 777 SP1 Datalink function in conjunction with PFPX and ASN in an integrated and automated workflow.

 

This is simply a suggested workflow that I use, I don't claim that this is the only or the most proper workflow for integration between those applications. Hopefully you find it useful and can customize it based on your own personal preferences.

 

Initial Configuration

1. In ASN select Auto load simulator flight plan, we will use this feature later in the process.
   
   
2. In FSX, load PMDG 777 SP1 and make sure the following options are selected:
   
   MENU > PMDG SETUP > AIRCRAFT > EQUIPMENT on pages 12 & 13:

 

MENU > PMDG SETUP > OPTIONS > SIMULATION:

For FSX PLN FILE FOR WXR option: Choose CREATE AND LOAD TO FSX

 

The worflow steps

1. Assuming you have no active PFPX weather subscription or if you prefer to use ASN weather in PFPX, open ASN and choose WX Configuration > Save Weather File. That saves a global weather file that PFPX can use in the next step for proper route and fuel planning.
    
    
2. Open PFPX, make sure it uses ASN weather (not its own weather subscription). Create the flight plan in PFPX as usual, it only needs to be exported in one format: PMDG route format
   
   

The above action creates a flight plan in PMDG format (.rte) and places is it in [FSX]\PMDG\FLIGHTPLANS. In this case it will be [FSX]\PMDG\FLIGHTPLANS\CYVRPHNL01.rte

 

3.   In FSX, inside PMDG 777 SP1 use the RTE > REQUEST ROUTE feature to load, accept and activate the flight plan we created in step 2 (e.g. [FSX]\PMDG\FLIGHTPLANS\CYVRPHNL01.rte). Now everything that PMDG 777 SP1 requires for different weather uplink connectivity is done.
 

You only need to read on, if you'd like to know how all that magic between PFPX, PMDG 777 SP1 and ASN happened.
By loading the flight plan in PMDG 777 SP1 FMS, there are a few things that happened behind the scene, courtesy of the new features in SP1 and integration to ASN:

1. When PMDG 777 SP1 loads the .rte flight plan created by PFPX, it automatically creates and loads a flight plan in FSX format (.pln) to FSX. This is based on the options that we selected in step 3 above. The location for this file is [username]\Documents\Flight Simulator X Files\WX.PLN
2. Step 'a', in turn, triggers ASN to load the flight plan automatically. This happens because of the option we selected in step 1 in ASN.
3. Step 'b', in turn triggers creation of a weather file by ASN, that weather file is the file that PMDG 777 SP1 requires for the weather portion of datalink functionality, ASN will create that file in [FSX]\PMDG\WX\xxxxyyyy.wx

Everything we did above is to get the following weather file (auto) generated for PMDG 777 SP1: [FSX]\PMDG\WX\xxxxyyyy.wx  

For all weather related uplinks in PMDG 777 SP1 to work, it requires a WX file in [FSX]\PMDG\WX folder, the filename is xxxxyyyy.wx where xxxx is ICAO code for Origin and yyyy is the ICAO code for Destination.

 

Regards,

JohnJ

 

[JRBarrett 2,652]

Nicely done John, and well-explained.

[B777ER 1,938]

JohnJ, curious to know if the above for you allows ASN to inject the current live weather into FSX as the flight progresses? What I am seeing is it is not. Nothing can be done on this side as it looks to be an ASN issue. When you go to 122.02 and listen to the ATIS for your destination say a few hours after your flight begins, does the timestamp for the ATIS match up to the current Zulu time?

[hsung 3]

This new datalink function only works with PFPX and ASN only, right?

[makdrive 9]

JohnJ, curious to know if the above for you allows ASN to inject the current live weather into FSX as the flight progresses? What I am seeing is it is not. Nothing can be done on this side as it looks to be an ASN issue. When you go to 122.02 and listen to the ATIS for your destination say a few hours after your flight begins, does the timestamp for the ATIS match up to the current Zulu time?

 Eric,

 

ASN should be injecting LIVE WEATHER anyway regardless of data uplink or not. I thought this was the whole purpose of LIVE WEATHER MODE in ASN

Even before Sp1 , if you have ASN running it should be injecting live weather in FSX regardless of what plane you are flying. So I am pretty sure if you are having this problem this must be your ASN.

[vanzunator 3]

Date link works with any program that can generate a WX file for PMDG aircrafts and puts in [FSX]\PMDG\WX folder.

[makdrive 9]

This new datalink function only works with PFPX and ASN only, right?

 Not really. 

You can export PMDG route file (.rte) from any source you want. (Simbrief for example) and your data uplink should work.  Not sure about how accurate your weather will be if you are not using any weather engine.

 

On another forum I read OPUS FSX works just fine with SP1 and weather radar so does the default FSX weather

[Faisal altheyab 11]

Just the topic i was looking for john . thank you very much . one question if im flying a long haul (lets say 10 hours ) and later in the flight i would like to request DES forecast uplink (approx. after i first created the flight plan by 7 hours ) will it load from the weather file PFPX created 7 hours ago , or will it be a new one which has newer wind data from ASN ?

[hsung 3]

 

 

Not really.

You can export PMDG route file (.rte) from any source you want. (Simbrief for example) and your data uplink should work.

 

Great, can I load the .rte file created/saved by PMDG's FMC?  Why do you say export instead of import?

 

 

 

On another forum I read OPUS FSX works just fine with SP1 and weather radar so does the default FSX weather

 

Please point me to this thread or how to export/merge the default FSX weather with PMDG's .rte file.

 

Thanks, Harry

[devgrp 1,233]

The thing about using ASN is that you can keep requesting winds data and its continually being updated. Before SP1, the data from the wx file was static because the file was locked and couldnt be updated. I think ASN is a must because PMDG is calling apis from from it. Dont think Opus or any other weather program will work

 

Pierre W

[pcubine 143]

 

 

calling apis from from it

 

What is apis?

[devgrp 1,233]

What is apis?

API is the application programming interface. Its the libraries that are exposed so anyone can write code to get data from ASN. Its similar to the pmdg SDK

 

Pierre W

[pcubine 143]

API is the application programming interface. Its the libraries that are exposed so anyone can write code to get data from ASN. Its similar to the pmdg SDK

 

Pierre W

Thank you.

[vanzunator 3]

Based on my tests, it seems every time you request weather related data either for the route or DES forecast, you get updated data from ASN. so if ASN is running, your DES forecast won't be 7 hours old, based on the original weather data you got pre-departure.

[devgrp 1,233]

Based on my tests, it seems every time you request weather related data either for the route or DES forecast, you get updated data from ASN. so if ASN is running, your DES forecast won't be 7 hours old, based on the original weather data you got pre-departure.

That is exactly what is happening and why this feature is so cool

 

Pierre W