I just loaded a flight plan into my FMS and noticed the runways for PANC (Stevens Anchorage) have changed from 06 L and R to 07 L and R and obviously 24 to 25?How does this happen? I verified it through airnav.com. How does FS and all the Add-Ons (besides my FMC in the F1 ATR data update) keep up with a change like this?Thanks!Barry

The magnetic poles are shifting all the time , in fact they expect a dramatic shift in the next few years. If you look at the present runway magnetic headings at PANC, you will see that 7L and 7R have mag headings of 069 degrees, which of course is much closer to 7 , than to 6.... You just have to find an AFCAD file where the runway numbers have been changed to the current ones.....

>I just loaded a flight plan into my FMS and noticed the>runways for PANC (Stevens Anchorage) have changed from 06 L>and R to 07 L and R and obviously 24 to 25?>>How does this happen? I verified it through airnav.com. How>does FS and all the Add-Ons (besides my FMC in the F1 ATR data>update) keep up with a change like this?It happens because the magnetic north pole is moving slowly towards Northern Siberia, causing the magnetic deviation to change. Locations close to the magnetic north pole (like Alaska) see the most rapid changes in deviation. And as the magnetic deviation changes, so does the magnetic heading of a runway centerline oriented in a fixed true direction.It's a bugger of a problem with no easy solution. Most of the nav data for the advanced add-ons still uses the runway headings from the FS2004 BGLs merged with current DAFIF data. Problem is, when the shift is enough to redesignate runways and significantly shift final approach courses, it causes problems trying to fly the published approaches, and of course which runway is recognized depends on the add-on scenery in use, and where each add-on looks for nav data (BGL or its own database).The real fix would be to recompile all the scenery BGLs with current mag dev data and update all the other airport databases. Guess we'll have to wait for FS10 for things to line up again.RegardsBob ScottATP IMEL Gulfstream II-III-IV-V L-300Santiago de Chile

Mine was the condensed version......;)

Obviously, yet another consequence of global warming. ;)

Jim Vile changed this with a bgl to drop in your generic scenery folder and will hopefully add an afcad to the package and release it. I hope he will release it soon.

Will be uploading my PANC new runway number bgl to AVSIM later this week.

Thank Goodness! Once again Jim to the rescue! Jim, How do you do it???? Your family must be so proud! You're so smart, I can't imagine being you! I know everyone who reads your posts thinks so highly of you, you're such a nice guy, may you live forever in the anals of AVSIM history :>}Your Biggest Fan!!!!!!!!!!!You have no idea how much I look forward to your posts, I can only hope that you will look forward to some of mine that will be coming later:>] TallyHO....................

Thank you for the kind wordsPANC was uploaded to AVSIM today. The BGL I wrote updates the default database and realigns all the approach data to runway 07/25LRAll data will display correctly in the default GPS and ATC will assign and say the correct runway numbers regardless of weather visiblity.Included in the readme is a "How To" change runway numbers using the AFCAD program. This at first may sound simple but all AFCAD's that you have downloaded with the runway numbers changed or you changed them yourself are now corrupt.This is easy to see by either the way the GP green triangle turns 90 degrees of the runway or by looking at the Navdata List with the AFCAD program.You should never use a AFCAD designed by someone that changes runway numbers (EHAM, KMCO, KDEN, KIAH, KPVD, EFHK, KMIA, LEBL, PANC, etc.). This also includes 3rd party freeware/payware scenery that changes the runway numbers on the runway and uses AFCAD to try and make the change.There must always be a companion bgl placed into the SceneryGenericscenery folder with the AFCAD that changed the numbers for FS9 to work properly. The companion bgl is needed to realign all the default approach data for ATC and the GPS receiver.Active ILS Airports soon to be released that have new runways or runways renamed are KMSN, CYYZ (including a simflyers fix), CYYF, SMVI, VHHX, EGYP, SFAL, MMMX, SVMI etc. including Users request.

To answer your question: FS does not keep up with this at all.The only thing that can change is what you allow it to change. If a scenery .bgl changes things like this, then you have to make sure all your navigation info and files are updated also.This is a bit of a 'pet peeve' of mine. As we can sit with FS (and sometimes the default GPS database info)/charts/procedures/and NAV programs all saying different things... my personal belief is that if a designer does not have to change the default FS info, then don't. It just makes it incredibly confusing for some of us who do not update all this data on a regular basis, and I believe we would be better off dealing with the default FS data as much as possible. Then we would only have to update (sometimes 'back-date') the 'paper' (PDF, whatever) charts/procedures we may be working with....but the base default FS database would remain intact until a new version is released.I typically use Reality 430's since I've installed them into most of my 'user' aircraft (just recently except the DF Bonanza)....I'm just waiting for the time when the RXP GPS data does not jive with the FS default .bgl info/airport/VOR/intersection/etc. I'm approaching. It has not happened to any major degree yet, but I'm sure it will. One thing I know....if I fly with a GPS using the default FS data into an airport using the default FS data, chances are I'm going to have all the info I need at my disposal when I need it. The downside of thet is that the RXP Garmin data is typically much more complete than some of the FS default info...especially when it come to procedures.

It'd be nice if it atleast used the annual rate of change predictions that the charts always show. Perhaps in a future version, or someone will make a timezone updater kinda utility that can batch edit these based on their lat/lon.----------------------------------------------------------------John MorganReal World: KGEG, UND Aerospace Spokane Satillite, Private ASEL 141.2 hrs, 314 landings, 46 inst. apprs.Virtual: MSFS 2004"There is a feeling about an airport that no other piece of ground can have. No matter what the name of the country on whose land it lies, an airport is a place you can see and touch that leads to a reality that can only be thought and felt." - The Bridge Across Forever: A Love Story by Richard Bach