FSX-MS skyLOGX: Pilot Navigation Log & Flight Plan Converter

[Bina 59]

Captains,

 

I would like to share my humble project called skyLOGX ['skai 'lɒdʒiks] with those fellow aviators who are serious about bush flying in the cockpit of their favourite GA aircraft to assist you with pre-flight routine.

 

This is basically an MS Excel VBA tool to create a navigation log with almost all information necessary for a successful sim-flight and to convert flight plans generated by FSX/P3D or Plan-G (in PLN format) to Google Earth KML and/or SkyVector format. The reversed conversion between flight plan formats is also possible. Before you ask, to make a navlog using SkyVector:

 

1. Goto SkyVector.com and make your flight plan.

2. When finished, click on the "Link" button at the top right corner of the screen and copy/paste the provided URL (in full) to skyLOGX's "SkyVector Import Module".

3. Hit "Load" to create a log.

 

I've tested skyLOGX in Excel 2007 / 2010 for 32-bit Windows platforms but I hope it will also work on higher versions of MS Excel. To avoid potential runtime errors, however, I highly recommend (!) getting all necessary updates from Microsoft's Office Update.

 

I've tried to keep the user-interface as simple as possible. You can modify the so called "user cells" (colored in green) and change formatting to your liking. Most of the cells come with comments to brief you about the meaning of heading abbreviations or to provide some useful tips. I will not go into the details of program features and instead will cover them in a separate manual before the stable release. But you can always ask me here while the manual is in the works...

 

skyLOGX comes with a separate database compiled from various resources and is freely expandable/updateable which means you can add your own airports, navaids or waypoint fixes to the database provided that the general layout and cell formatting of dBase files is kept intact. The database (DATA folder) and the main XLSM file must be in the same folder for program to operate correctly.

 

Currently, skyLOGX supports two types of aircraft only - Cessna 172R and 182T - as a tribute to my favourite sim developer A2A Simulations but it can be extended by adding other aircraft profiles upon your requests and availability of reference documentation such as performance charts.

 

The project is currently in version 2.0 beta which is a complete overhaul of the previously released v1.0 with many bugs fixed and new features added. And I hope to get as much feedback from you guys as possible to further polish the code before stable release. Please feel free to download skyLOGX and try for yourself...

 

I will highly appreciate your comments, thoughts and recommendations!!!

 

Prerequisites:

 

* Microsoft Excel 2007/2010 on 32-bit Windows machines patched with latest updates

* MSXML parser 4.0 SP3 or higher

* Enabled macros

* FSX/P3D (in XML format) or SkyVector flight plan. See sample flight plans dispatched with the archive

* Stable Internet connection

* Free Time Zone API key from World Weather Online. This is basically required to ensure correct time calculations. You'll be requested to enter you API key upon the first launch of application.

 

 

 

DOWNLOAD v2 Beta (build 27-03-2015)

 

Thank you!

 

Vüqar

[fakeflyer737 992]

Hi, looks cool, will this work with Open Office?

[Bina 59]

Currently no - Open Office Calc and MS Excel are different platforms as far as the VBA programming is concerned. So, to make skyLOGX work in OO would require considerable amount work in terms of code conversion. But it doesn't mean that skyLOGX will be unavailable in OO in the future...

[fakeflyer737 992]

Ok cool thanks, Im broke so I cannot purchase anything at the moment.

[Bina 59]

Update v2 beta b30032015

 

# added function to improve filename conversion during saving

# added table formulae for actual time of arrival (ATA), actual time enroute (ATE), and actual ground speed

# improved code for formatting the cells

 

DOWNLOAD v2 Beta (build 30-03-2015)

 

PS: SInce I include aircraft profiles based on popularity of selected models and developers in our community, the next beta release will most likely include profiles for DHC-2 Beaver and Beechcraft B60 Duke with all necessary speed and fuel calculations for various phases of flight (climb, cruise, descent).

 

Thanks!

[~Craig~ 10]

Great project - well done!

[Bina 59]

Update v2 beta b09042015

# added aircraft profile with a separate W&B page for http://www.sibwings.com/an2.php'>Antonov An-2 by SibWings;

# added options for copying, pasting, selecting and deleting text upon clicking on right mouse button on SkyVector import module's "Route" box;

# fixed a small bug which would include the departure or destination airport to the "Nearby Airports" list;

# improved calculations for WCA, magnetic variance, ground speed, NM/gal, start-up and taxi fuel;

# improved W&B calculations for all aircraft types;

# added W&B sheets protection;

# added a comment informing users about user-cells;

# small UI improvements.

 

A complete list of changes from v1.0 will be published upon stable release.

 

DOWNLOAD v2 Beta (build 09-04-2015)

 

Thanks!

[Bina 59]

Updated stable version 2.0 posted at AVSIM Library: http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?DLID=190440

[Samaritano 304]

Hello Victor, 

I downloaded your last version 2.0 from the library. I have Office 2013 64bit with macros enabled and downloaded MSXML 4.0 SP3 Parser.

When I try to run the App it gives me an error. "Compile error in hidden module: Functions..." 

You have any idea what could it be?

[Bina 59]

Samaritano,

 

Thanks for your interest in skyLOGX! I'm sorry for my late reply - been outside for a while.

 

Unfortunately, skyLOGX will not work on the latest version of Excel 2013 since it's been tested on Excel 2007 and 2010 only, as mentioned in the included readme. BUT I hope to update it for Office 2013 as soon as I can install the latest Excel on my rig and have some spare time and more aircraft profiles. Sorry but currently you can use it on Excel 2007 or 2010 only.

 

Thanks for understanding!!!

[Samaritano 304]

Hello Victor,

 

Not a problem. Thank you for answering my question. Keep up the good work.

 

Ed

[Bina 59]

Btw, today I was able to test skyLOGX on Office 2013. At first it didn't run properly trying to initialize the ActiveX controls. A quick Google search provided with a solution which you must use at your own risk:

 

You need to copy/paste the following code into a text file and rename the file with .BAT extension. Then run this file. Basically, this will search the indicated folders on your computer for Office form files with *.EXD extension and delete them. No worries, at the next launch of any Office program the forms will be re-ceated.

del %temp%\vbe\*.exd
del %temp%\excel8.0\*.exd
del %temp%\word8.0\*.exd
del %temp%\ppt11.0\*.exd
del %appdata%\microsoft\forms\*.exd
del %appdata%\microsoft\local\*.exd

After doing this, skyLOGX worked on Excel 2013 as expected and with all the included forms and buttons running properly.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Please report your feedback here.

[Bina 59]

Captains,

 

I'm currently updating skyLOGX and would like to hear your suggestions re: the new features in the updated version.

I'm trying hard to eliminate the reported bugs and add some new features. For now, I would like to show you the settings menu with all items planned for the future release. Anything else that you would like to see in skyLOGX? Please share your thoughts...

 

Extra features planned:

1. XPlane flightplan conversion
2. SID/STAR/Procedures
3. Add alternates
4. XRef navaids
5. Reverse flight plan
6. Save as JPG in addition to PDF
7. Waypoints (in color or as images)
8. New navdatabase
9. Custom flight plan creation
10. Extra aircraft pages
11. Compatibility with Office 64-bit
12. Top of Climb (TOC) / Top of Descent (TOD) calculations

PS: I'm running back to work now but will check back soon.

 

 

Thanks!!!