Ray, does EFB give you STARs that include VIAs as well? I use the Aersoft Airbus and use PFPX for flight planning along with a single cycle from NavdataPro. PFPX is fine, and pretty easy to use - from that I'll get my SID and STAR and I'll use whichever one it advises. Problem is when I get to inputting the SID and STAR into the FMC in the Airbus I'll need to select and appropriate VIA and I'll have to pretty much guess.

 

Yes it does. Bear in mind it's what comes through from Navigraph that decides that, not EFB. By using a single source (Navigraph) I can be reassured I'll see the same STARs and VIAs for a given runway in EFB as I do using Project Magenta's CDU.

yea I can view them as well and I can print them out but iam unable to find a way to save the charts to my pc so I can load them to my efb etc

As one other member already mentioned, just install a "pdf

" printer, and save them as pdf...

 

Regards

Yes it does. Bear in mind it's what comes through from Navigraph that decides that, not EFB. By using a single source (Navigraph) I can be reassured I'll see the same STARs and VIAs for a given runway in EFB as I do using Project Magenta's CDU.

 

Does EFB offer any other facilities or is it just charts like Navigraph? I don't know because I haven't used either.

Does EFB offer any other facilities or is it just charts like Navigraph? I don't know because I haven't used either.

 

Rather than me list its benefits why don't you try it? 30 day trial to give you plenty of time to assess it.

 

http://www.aivlasoft.com/

don't know why, but the look of EFB puts me off a little when trying to fly professionally. I just get the feeling Navigraph has a more realistic feel to it, but I guess it's just personal preference.

 

Don't get confused here with Efb and  navigraph  completely different programs   one  only  supplies  charts   where as the other  does heaps more,  show   sids, stars   shows  where you are on the  moving  map etc and many more features   well worth trying  the  demo   as Ray has pointed  out

Yes it does. Bear in mind it's what comes through from Navigraph that decides that, not EFB. By using a single source (Navigraph) I can be reassured I'll see the same STARs and VIAs for a given runway in EFB as I do using Project Magenta's CDU.

 

Yeah I'm aware of that - hence with I personally have NavDataPro supplying the data for both PFPX and the Airbus A320.

 

I downloaded the trial last night and gave it a go - yes it does do that STAR transition that I want but it does a lot of other stuff not as well as PFPX, and a lot of other stuff I don't need/want (moving map etc). So I'm a bit loathe to spend out quite a lot of money just to get that tiny extra bit of functionality. Perhaps Navigraph is what I need? PFPX provides the route and STAR so all I need are the charts with the transitions on them to be able to choose the correct one. Maybe I need to start a new topic on the subject...

Thanks for clearing that up. So with a subscription you can access as many charts as you want but as soon as it ends you are prevented from viewing them. And I guess you can't save them for off-line use either.

 

The only way that would be economical is if you fly to lots of different airports and fly nearly every day. If you only fly to 20-30 it seems quite expensive.

 

You can print them to PDF.

I tested cute printer software today ,loaded up KLAX and highlighted all 30 odd charts and downloaded them all to PDF with 1 click

 

 

I downloaded the trial last night and gave it a go - yes it does do that STAR transition that I want but it does a lot of other stuff not as well as PFPX, and a lot of other stuff I don't need/want (moving map etc).

 

Perhaps that's because they're two completely different programs. PFPX is a flight planner, EFB isn't. It receives a plan and displays lots of useful info about your flight including available SIDs and STARs. If you have no need for a moving map then EFB probably isn't for you especially as it's best suited to running on a separate PC.

 

 

 

So I'm a bit loathe to spend out quite a lot of money just to get that tiny extra bit of functionality. Perhaps Navigraph is what I need? PFPX provides the route and STAR so all I need are the charts with the transitions on them to be able to choose the correct one. Maybe I need to start a new topic on the subject...

 

The beauty of EFB is that your aircraft position is displayed on a SID and STAR chart. That won't be possible with Navigraph charts. You said earlier that you're having problems identifying which STAR to select. Surely the STAR Overview option in EFB would help you?

The beauty of EFB is that your aircraft position is displayed on a SID and STAR chart. That won't be possible with Navigraph charts. You said earlier that you're having problems identifying which STAR to select. Surely the STAR Overview option in EFB would help you?

+1 Aivlasoft is top dog in SID,STAR selection and so many other features WAY more than just a moving map . As you say you cant compare it to PFPX or Navigraph charts as all 3 specialize in their own areas

As the  above post has suggested   all 3  addons  are completely  different  to one  another

Well yes I realise that, my point is that actually I'm only missing a tiny bit of what I want from PFPX - STAR transitions to approaches. The way I fly (and I realise that this isn't the most realistic but it's what works for me) is to import the flight plan created from PFPX into the Aerosoft Airbus FMC. Since PFPX doesn't export the SID or STAR I manually input them into the FMC (this is all being done during the pre-engine start checklists). As I say I realise that inputting the STAR and STAR transition at this point isn't very realistic as it would be done in flight depending on conditions but it suits me to put it in when I'm inputting the STAR. In the A320 (as you probably know) you'll need to put a VIA in to get from the last waypoint to the approach otherwise you'll end up with an overall approach flight path that doesn't work. When I look at the list of VIAs I have no idea which one is where, what STAR it's appropriate for etc. If you pick the wrong one it will totally mess up your approach flight path/speed etc etc. So it's at that point I either need a) something like EFB has which gives the appropriate VIA for the STAR or b) a chart so that I can actually eyeball the VIA to check which one is correct (as presumably Navigraph charts would do) or c) something else that I may not be aware of that does that job.

I think you can achieve what you want by choosing Edit when viewing the flight plan in PFPX. The map will be on the right. Zoom in so you can see the arrival area. Then on the left you have options to select the STAR and Transition. As you select each one you'll see it depicted on the map.

 

Having chosen the most suitable enter it in the CDU / FMS. :smile:

As it happens Ray, I tried that last night in PFPX after a bit of searching on Aerosoft's forum, side-by-side with EFB. I couldn't get it to offer up any STAR transitions as the drop down box was always greyed out. As an example I tried an LSGG runway 23 ILS approach. For the route I selected the usual 'Auto' which will get me the STAR DJL1R. When I then select 'Edit' (for the route) I'll get the map on the RHS, as you say but only the STAR drop down is available for selection, and the last waypoint I see on the route is SOVAD. Whatever I do in terms of changing the STAR (or even switching the runway back and forth), the transition drop down is always greyed out. Yet in EFB, after selecting the STAR it gives me the correct choice of (just the one) SPR. Which is the VIA I need to select in the Airbus FMC. So either PFPX isn't working correctly, or I need the chart.

Bear in mind not all STARs will have Transitions. They tend to be available with US airports more than European ones.

 

No STARs for LSGG are showing Transitions for me and as I'm flying at the moment I can't check EFB.

 

Suggest you post this scenario on PFPX Forum and see what they come back with. I agree that with the same Navigraph data both PFPX and EFB should show the same options.