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A few questions I can't find answers to!

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Hi Guys,

 

I hope you can shade some lights on the below as I cannot find the answers:

 

  • If the FSX Database is updated with the following https://www.aero.sors.fr/navaids3.html would VoxATC work properly for example in VFR with reporting points or IFR? I know that for SID anb STARS it bases itself on Navigraph.
  • am I correct saying that if I use an aircraft that support and has up to date navigraph along with navigraph up to date in VoxATC I can use real world plates and routes without having to bother with FSX original database? (even though I wonder how you can do a proper ILS approach if the ILS data is stored inside FSX database and not navigraph).
  • There is avaialble an update airpsace for the UK, would that taken into account in VocATC? Not sure how it handles airspaces.

I have googled quite a lot and tried to contact the developer, which unfortunately never replied which is rather annoying seen the asking price, so I hope someone can shade some light on the above points as it would be better to have the most up to date database overall to use with VoxATC. I have only tried the 7 days demo however I was not planning to update the fsx database so I could no try.

 

Thank you guys!

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You also need to update all the missing intersections that correspond to use used by SIDs and STARs:

 

https://www.aero.sors.fr/navint.html

 

I have Navigraph AIRAC 1613 and it seems to work with the VOXATC 7.2 beta, although occasionally VOXATC doesn't assign a STAR even though I have the initial STAR waypoint included in my flight plan. I'm not sure if this is a problem with the beta.

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Just to chime in here regarding approaches. There is no way to update approaches easily, one must update each airport individually as the approach data is contained in each airport's bgl (or afcad, to use the old terminology). I have updated many, many approaches using the wonderful Airport Design Editor, from ScruffyDuck software. It's a pretty steep learning curve to learn how to design approaches, at least it was for me, but there is help available over at FSDelevoper site.

 

What you will find if you use any GPS, such as the RealityXP GNS or the Flight1 GTN (or any FMC that has an updatable AIRAC)  and don't update the approaches is that there will be approaches available via GPS/FMC that will not be available through VoxATC. Additionally, many times the waypoints within an approach change and they won't be the same as the original FSX ones. End result is that it can be confusing when you are cleared via xxxx, or told to report yyyy and they don't exist in FSX.

 

Jay


Current Build (02/2024): AMD 7800X3D | Asrock X670E Steel Legend MB | Noctua NH-U12S Chromax | 32gb GSkill Trident Z5 DDR5-6000 CAS 30 | Samsung 990 Pro 2tb NVMe Gen4 (OS) | WD Black 4tb NVMe Gen4 (MSFS) | Corsair RM1000x Shift Series PS | ASUS RTX 4090 Strix ROG | LG 55" C2 Display

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I agree that ADE is very detailed, but once one does a few approaches, the process is more tedious than anything else.  I just do what you probably have done. Once I do my flight plan for the destination airport, I check the BGL with ADE to make sure that the approaches are the same. If not, I run ADE and make a new version of the airport BGL. Thankfully, a lot of the approaches have stayed the same for the default airports. But you are correct, one modification and nothing makes any sense to either VOXATC or the pilot.

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Just to chime in here regarding approaches. There is no way to update approaches easily, one must update each airport individually as the approach data is contained in each airport's bgl (or afcad, to use the old terminology). I have updated many, many approaches using the wonderful Airport Design Editor, from ScruffyDuck software. It's a pretty steep learning curve to learn how to design approaches, at least it was for me, but there is help available over at FSDelevoper site.

 

What you will find if you use any GPS, such as the RealityXP GNS or the Flight1 GTN (or any FMC that has an updatable AIRAC) and don't update the approaches is that there will be approaches available via GPS/FMC that will not be available through VoxATC. Additionally, many times the waypoints within an approach change and they won't be the same as the original FSX ones. End result is that it can be confusing when you are cleared via xxxx, or told to report yyyy and they don't exist in FSX.

 

Jay

Solution could be fsAerodata, allowing all navdata inc approaches to be updated to current Airac cycle... www.fsaerodata.com

 

Creates 3 scenery folders and auomatically removes incorrect redundant data from the (almost) impenetrable default navdata. So Vox indexes it and uses it I assume - not found any incompatibilities yet...

Cheers K

There is avaialble an update airpsace for the UK, would that taken into account in VocATC? Not sure how it handles airspaces.

I did the UK airspace update. It defines the 3 dimensional spatial location of UK airways only and I dont think it should affect vox, unless it specifies com frequencies to use (which in the main it doesnt as I havent had time to add them and recompile it!). It was created mainly so that pilots could use a moving map showing updated chart details covering all lower airspace (<FL190) updates.

Cheers K


Kevin Firth - i9 10850K @5.2; Asus Maximus XII Hero; 32Gb Cas14 3200 DDR4; RTX3090

Beta tester for: UK2000; JustFlight; VoxATC; FSReborn; //42

xaP1VAU.png

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I agree that ADE is very detailed, but once one does a few approaches, the process is more tedious than anything else.  I just do what you probably have done. Once I do my flight plan for the destination airport, I check the BGL with ADE to make sure that the approaches are the same. If not, I run ADE and make a new version of the airport BGL. Thankfully, a lot of the approaches have stayed the same for the default airports. But you are correct, one modification and nothing makes any sense to either VOXATC or the pilot.

 

Jay, I do it just a bit differently. I update any approaches when I install any new airports. I don't think I could do it just prior to flying, some airports have numerous approaches and some of them are complicated. I do check from time to time to see if any changes need to be made to the ones I've already done but that seems to be fairly uncommon. If you can update all the approaches to the destination airport in your flightplan on the spot more power to you! I think if it were me, I would be to tired to fly afterwards, lol.

 

I wonder if you've noticed something new with the beta. I often change the airport name, to shorten it to what pilots actually call the airport in real life. EG, Monmouth Executive Airport (KBLM) is actually referred to simply as "Monmouth" in real life. So, I change the name in ADE to Monmouth but vox still calls it Monmouth Executive. The workaround I've found is to have ADE create a stub bgl that is placed in scenery/world/scenery. Only then will vox call the airport by the new name. I've reported this (and many other issues) to Tegwyn, but, no reply...

 

 

Solution could be fsAerodata, allowing all navdata inc approaches to be updated to current Airac cycle... www.fsaerodata.com

 

Creates 3 scenery folders and auomatically removes incorrect redundant data from the (almost) impenetrable default navdata. So Vox indexes it and uses it I assume - not found any incompatibilities yet...

 

 

Kevin, that is very interesting. I've not heard of that software before. I looked at their website and read everything and visited their forum but I still can't determine if it will actually update the approaches in each airport's bgl so that vox will display them. From what I gathered from my initial research, my guess is that it will not. There are references that the default GPS will show updated approaches only if VFR conditions prevail at the destination field. If not (if IFR conditions prevail) the GPS will only show ILS approaches. That is from their website. Only way to be sure is if you can locate a field that has an approach currently that was not in default FSX/P3D. If vox shows it after pressing '0' then we've really got the answer. You can try KBLM. Default FSX has LOC14 and GPS14 only. Currently, KBLM has RNAV14 and RNAV32, If you can try and see if those are shown then it works. If that is the case I will buy it tomorrow!

 

Jay


Current Build (02/2024): AMD 7800X3D | Asrock X670E Steel Legend MB | Noctua NH-U12S Chromax | 32gb GSkill Trident Z5 DDR5-6000 CAS 30 | Samsung 990 Pro 2tb NVMe Gen4 (OS) | WD Black 4tb NVMe Gen4 (MSFS) | Corsair RM1000x Shift Series PS | ASUS RTX 4090 Strix ROG | LG 55" C2 Display

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Well, sometimes, I do take days to do an update. For example, KIND has all new approaches (at least as far as FSX and P3d go) and it takes a while to transfer all the approach information with ADE. Basically, I use the Navigraph XML file for the airport to copy paste a lot of the info like Lat/Long for waypoints. Then I use the FAA website to update theta and rho. Next, I just compile the stock airport, which gives me an XML version also, edit the XML using the Navigraph file, then open the revised airport XML and import it back in ADE to fix all the details.


 

 


Solution could be fsAerodata, allowing all navdata inc approaches to be updated to current Airac cycle... www.fsaerodata.com

 

That's interesting. I'll have to look into that. 


I wonder if you've noticed something new with the beta. I often change the airport name, to shorten it to what pilots actually call the airport in real life. EG, Monmouth Executive Airport (KBLM) is actually referred to simply as "Monmouth" in real life. So, I change the name in ADE to Monmouth but vox still calls it Monmouth Executive.

 

 

No I haven't changed any airport names with ADE, but what if you edit VOXATC's Nameprocessor.xml?

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Jay, I really just use the Navigraph data to view every approach and to add/update waypoint locations. All the actual work is done using the ADE approach editor. I've never needed to go into the xml for any copy/paste or any type of editing.

 

I looked at nameprocessor.xml and I guess it would work for the purpose I need (although I haven't tried it yet) but it's not very hard to get ADE to create a stub file. You just need to change the altitude by a very small amount in the 'Change Airport Properties" window. Since I'm already there to change the name I just change the altitude by something like .01ft. Then when compiling ADE will create a stub file that is loaded first, before any stock data. I guess that's why it works to change the name.

 

Jay


Current Build (02/2024): AMD 7800X3D | Asrock X670E Steel Legend MB | Noctua NH-U12S Chromax | 32gb GSkill Trident Z5 DDR5-6000 CAS 30 | Samsung 990 Pro 2tb NVMe Gen4 (OS) | WD Black 4tb NVMe Gen4 (MSFS) | Corsair RM1000x Shift Series PS | ASUS RTX 4090 Strix ROG | LG 55" C2 Display

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I've never needed to go into the xml for any copy/paste or any type of editing.

 

 

Navigraph already provides the waypoint entries in XML and they only need minor tweaking to change them to the ADE waypoint format. But actually...

 

I bought fsaerodata and I have to say, it seems like it does work with VOXATC. That's obviously based on a few limited flights, but I'll keep checking on it as I fly different flight plans. I'm surprised that this new addon (it was only offered for sale beginning with AIRAC 1613) is not getting any attention at all here at AVSim. Thanks again to Kevin for the tip about this addon. He is one of the people here that really knows VOXATC inside and out. Maybe Tegwyn West should designate him as a moderator for this forum and make it an official support area.

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Navigraph already provides the waypoint entries in XML and they only need minor tweaking to change them to the ADE waypoint format. But actually...

 

I bought fsaerodata and I have to say, it seems like it does work with VOXATC. That's obviously based on a few limited flights, but I'll keep checking on it as I fly different flight plans. I'm surprised that this new addon (it was only offered for sale beginning with AIRAC 1613) is not getting any attention at all here at AVSim. Thanks again to Kevin for the tip about this addon. He is one of the people here that really knows VOXATC inside and out. Maybe Tegwyn West should designate him as a moderator for this forum and make it an official support area.

Thats very kind Jay, but I wouldnt lay claim to too much knowledge :P Possibly just a little, maybe a touch more than most but I'm afraid I'm not Tegwyn Mk II :)

 

FsAerodata is a very new addon and I hope it will gain some traction in the community as updating the core airspace data that is as old as FSX itself will enable people to properly navigate even with default atc etc. I now have all my aircraft, plus aivlasoft EFB, plus OpusFSI, plus VoxATC plus the base sim data all on an up to date nav cycle :)

 

Whats not to like? :D Cheers K


Kevin Firth - i9 10850K @5.2; Asus Maximus XII Hero; 32Gb Cas14 3200 DDR4; RTX3090

Beta tester for: UK2000; JustFlight; VoxATC; FSReborn; //42

xaP1VAU.png

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