Been away for a while and new to P3DV3, 1 question

[Mauleflyer 0]

I've been in and out of simming for almost 20 years (yikes).  I recently got back into after reading about P3DV3 and of course had to buy a new computer to go with it.  While I am very happy with what I see and how it runs, I am sort of sad to see that the aviation data base hasn't been updated since FSX or am I wrong.  What I mean to say is that airports that have changed identifiers are still the old identifiers from years ago.  Allentown/Queen City airport has long been changed to KXLL, frequencies are old and airports that have added towers still are not Class D airports in the data base.  For example, KUNV added a tower about 3 years ago but in P3D its still uncontrolled.  Am I missing something or is this something that Lockheed hasn't gotten around to yet?  Will it be updated? 

[Mallcott 23]

It will be left to the aftermarket, same as it's always been.

[ErichB 3,638]

Hi there

 

An  AIRAC cycle update might be a good place to start and then perhaps consider some aftermarket products like Navigraph etc. 

 

http://www.aero.sors.fr/navaids3.html

 

If I had to take a guess I think most forum dwellers here will fly in areas where third parties have provided at least some enhancement.   The default database has always been taken with a pinch of salt.

[Mallcott 23]

You still end up with a `mix and match` sim that way.

Updating individual airports and sceneries is one thing. Updating them all so they meld with updated Airac and Navigraph, Garmin etc. is impossible and only leads to confusion.

 

While it would be nice to have updatable data, the sim was not designed that way and inherits the FSX dataset. Which includes hundreds if not thousands of runways that have been altitude-adjusted to meet the sim flat runway requirements and avoid dips/plateau. At the end of the day it's not the real world, its a sim-world.

 

If you limit yourself to only updating the ones that are known to you or that you habitually fly from/to you might get a satisfactory compromise for flight training or familiarisation purposes.. 

[Mauleflyer 0]

Thanks all.  I am somewhat surprised that Lockheed would not globally update the data.  After all they are supposedly the developers going forward and they sell it as a training tool.  For me it is real world training at this point so it's a bit frustrating.  I don't think Prepard3D will be a viable sim training tool until that is done.  Microsoft was able to do it so I cant image it is that difficult.

[ryanbatc 12,832]

Get the GTN 750, buy a few GA planes and slap it in there - then you can have your navdata in the GPS updated hehe

[Kuragiman 227]

Bigger fish to fry.   Honestly, if you fly into an airport that is out of whack just whip out Airport Design Editor (it's free) and make the corrections to those airports you fly to frequently.   Doesn't take long to fix a busted airport unless you are going for the full package of real world alignment, taxiway alignment, etc.

 

Should they do a global update?  It would be nice but I think they are more fixated on other features and repairs.

 

 

Also, Navdata vs. the airport in game are two different beasts.  You can update Navdata all you want but at the end of the day, that runway 19 that is suppose to be runway 17 now with freq changes from 119.9 to 119.55 will not be fixed by any amount of GPS and Navigraph data you update.  This has to be fixed at the airport level.

[Bobsk8 12,668]

I use this all the time as well as Navigraph. Does a fairly good job of keeping Navaids up to date...http://www.aero.sors.fr/navaids3.html

[Mallcott 23]

Thats the true point right there, Brian:

ALL updates are just nibbling at the edges of the issue. 

 

Besides , what point to a global update ? How often does one fly in Uzbekistan or Uruguay? In truth the issues are only `issues` if you actually have knowledge of the real equivalent, and that means either an aftermarket addon or personal modification. FTX has produced English (and Welsh, and Scottish, and Irish) airfields and airports that are more than accurate enough for local area familiarisation. Or training. Should anyone care that MY airfields are accurate? No, that's my concern.

 

L-M's job is to provide the platform and permit or promote additions and modification that enhance the requirement - whatever that requirement might be. I'm sure that in the archives, hidden away from the likes of us there are extremely accurate addons for Syrian cities, airports and airfields and military bases and communications centres...

 

As a training tool it will NEVER represent the actual airport, only approximate. A virtual world is a simulacrum, not a manifest representation. If one needs that level of precision then the aftermarket will supply it, or the choice of simulator is incorrect.

[Clutch Cargo 384]

Sounds like if fixing each airport is relatively a simple exercise this would be a good community project for all simmers to participate building a new database.  If it is literally just renaming the airport runways and re-assigning frequencies could this not be easily solved with ADE?  Simmers could start with their favorite airport, fix it, and sort of "crowd source" everyone's result into a monthly download package. 

 

Certainly we have over 23,000 simmers so that be one airport be simmer and whooola... the whole world is updated!

 

For me, it's not a big issue but just throwing the idea out there.

[ErichB 3,638]

While my advice was slightly incomplete, I believe a combination of all of the above will keep you happy for a while Mauleflyer. :smile:

[Mallcott 23]

Sounds like if fixing each airport is relatively a simple exercise this would be a good community project for all simmers to participate building a new database.  If it is literally just renaming the airport runways and re-assigning frequencies could this not be easily solved with ADE?  Simmers could start with their favorite airport, fix it, and sort of "crowd source" everyone's result into a monthly download package. 

 

Certainly we have over 23,000 simmers so that be one airport be simmer and whooola... the whole world is updated!

 

For me, it's not a big issue but just throwing the idea out there.

 

 

I think you'll find that the bulk of simmers are from the developed world, and from limited parts of that. You won't get the whole database updated. And we're back to mix and match again...

[ErichB 3,638]

I think you'll find that the bulk of simmers are from the developed world, and from limited parts of that. You won't get the whole database updated. And we're back to mix and match again...

 

Although somewhat like herding cats it's a great community ideal though.  

[Mauleflyer 0]

Some good ideas here.  Since I'm just getting back into it, I am on a learning curve a bit.  I did purchase the GTN 650 as that is what I have in my Maule Mx-7 that I am IFR training in.  I have a subscription to Garmin's Nav data base but I could not figure out how to update the Sim version.  I know some or maybe a lot of the GPS approaches are out of date compared to what my Garmin Pilot shows for the approach plate.  If there is a good link to directions on how to do this I would appreciate it.  Garmin's website is not the most intuitive for sure.  I also noticed that not all the GPS/RNAV approaches are available in P3DV3.  Does Lockheed update that at least?

 

Thanks for all the help.

[Kuragiman 227]

I use this all the time as well as Navigraph. Does a fairly good job of keeping Navaids up to date...http://www.aero.sors.fr/navaids3.html

 

Thanks for the heads up on this one Bob.   I'll give it a shot myself and see how effective it is for my needs.