Geographical awareness during flight

[Driver170 42]

What about active sky next map?

[77west 139]

Look up FSX Google Earth Tracker.

[G-CIVA 62]

Lots of good suggestions here.

 

If you already have PFPX & the NAVDATA & WX Download subscriptions then this is your 'one stop shop' for all your flight planning & situational awareness needs.

 

It can flight plan, prefile, create documentation, export the route to your aircraft in the correct format, sent the WIND UPLINK file to your 777X, & then it can provide the ATC awareness services as already provided by standalones like VATSpy, VATASTIC et al.

 

Why bother running several background programmes when you can use one & take advantage of all it's many resources?

 

My current flight online with VATSIM showing my prefiled route parsed into PFPX with my current & constantly updated position overlayed:

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/d89kjblyba8b9xz/PFPX%20World%20View.png?dl=0

 

Current PFPX Wind Data overlayed:

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/gdwb5nvg3x3x6z3/PFPX%20World%20View%20With%20Winds.png?dl=0

 

Live VATSIM ATC info:

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/3e7uaog4l21ppmn/ATC.png?dl=0

[markadeane 272]

I use skyvector cross referenced with my nav display to get an idea of my geographic position on unfamiliar routes. For example I'm currently about 1 hour from top of descent into vhhx after 14 hours aloft from kden. I'm tracking down the coastline of China and don't know the area well. Using skyvector the string of waypoints on the ND suddenly have some geographic context.

 

Additionally I use the airport display on the ND to identify airports I'm overflying and then use Wikipedia to learn a bit about those places below me. Great way to pass the time on a long haul!

[Michael Moe 494]

I use Google Earth and PFPX mostly as PFPX has an export option in GoogleEarth format.

 

Second choice i use Aivlasoft EFB

 

Michael Moe

[vololiberista 205]

Guys, I have a question which I hope someone may be able to answer:

 

During the course of flying the PMDG 737 NGX along flight planned routes I often don't really have much idea as to where I am in relation to towns and cities on or near my route. I noticed this particularly on a recent flight over the Philippines and into Taiwan where I crossed a number of islands on the way. It would have been nice to have had some idea what they were called, and perhaps the names of some of the towns.

 

Is there some software available which would provided an online map which I could refer to during the flight?

 

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

 

Regards,

 

Dennis Hickman

There are plenty of maps and charts available if you look. Knowing where you are is a basic piloting skill!!

[serviceceiling 135]

If you're good with ICAO codes, another way is to display nearby airports on the ND and look how far south/north/westerly etc. you are from a particular airport.

 

But yeah, as mentioned in tremedous detail above, proper flightplaning is key!

[AirCanada235 103]

If you're good with ICAO codes, another way is to display nearby airports on the ND and look how far south/north/westerly etc. you are from a particular airport.

 

But yeah, as mentioned in tremedous detail above, proper flightplaning is key!

I could not agree more.  When you are planning your route - however you do it, you should have some idea of alternate airports that meet the requirements for your aircraft (runway length width and surface and services provided).  Most airports are located within reasonable distances to cities - some large and some small.  Using the ND to display the airports is always helpful as it provides you with what we call situational awareness; knowing where you are at all times in relation to your route and your alternates.  

 

Print your flight plan, take a pen and make a note of the stations you are passing over on your route and the cities too.  Once you have flown over places a few times, you start to remember where things are.

 

Great suggestions above from the community if you wanted something graphical.

[Driver170 42]

Anyone use ASN weather map? Simples

[Baz2742 9]

Just to add my favorite to the list, have a look at SimLauncherX.... (google it ).... it does a whole lot more and it is also free/donation_ware.

 

Baz