Those using Navigraph...

[Virtual-Chris 682]

I’m trying out Navigraph... the charts app on my iPad is excellent. What I’m not sure about is the Nav data in the sim. Here’s why...

I planned a flight in SimBrief (using my Navigraph data). I updated MSFS with my Navigraph data. So everything should be using the same Nav data. I loaded up the sim, imported the flight plan (looked correct), changed my starting point to a parking spot (to start cold) and took out the arrival runway as I always do to get it assigned by ATC on approach. 

All good, except, I get close to my destination and ATC gives me an obscure approach. Like 14R via TU156 radial. This was new, having flown this route multiple times lately. I assume, because with the Navigraph data, ATC has more approaches to choose from and just randomly picks one. Normally that would be ok, except, TU156 is not a Star, Via or transition I can select from my MCDU. 

Why? Is this rare? Or going to be a regular issue?

I’m concerned that ATC assignments are not going to match options in the MCDU. Is this a valid concern?

[ctdlg 106]

When I change a starting point, my flight plan gets reset.
How can I check this ? adding some waypoints in my flight plan ! Ok as long as I do not change my starting or arrival point.

I change one of them -> no more waypoints.

If I want to change a starting point, I change it in the plan itself, as I can edit it with a simple editor... and I then load it in FS 2020 !

[jschaper 25]

Make sure you select your starting point from the dropdown list and not from the map. That way, the route will not be overwritten.

 

Jack

[edpatino 1,960]

As I understand, the Navigraph service for MSFS is still in beta. Does anyone knows when the official release can be expected?.

Cheers, Ed

[eslader 1,779]

ATC is not good in the sim at the moment so even if all the nav data syncs up, it's likely to tell you to do something dumb. When flying IFR plans in jets at high flight levels, it particularly likes to bring me in to an airport at about 20,000 feet and then clear me to land as I'm crossing the threshold 3 miles up.

Nav data is also not good in the sim at the moment. Navigraph gives you real-world aviation chart data a lot of which including correct sid/star/approaches and nav radio frequencies are missing or incorrect in the sim.

Back in FSX/P3d the stock nav data was also wrong because in the decade plus since the sim's nav data was set, airports, procedures, and frequencies changed. We solved it by updating the sim's nav data via various 3rd party products. That's not an option currently available to us with MSFS, but hopefully that will change, or Asobo will realize that just because their nav service is European does not mean it's superior, and will switch over to the much better Jeppesen data that Navigraph also uses. 

 

 

Edited November 18, 2020 by eslader

[Space Monkey 24]

Could it be variations in winds between Simbrief v MSFS2020. I believe there have been comments about MSFS real weather.

Could you try setting up winds manually in MSFS to match simbrief  allocated runways and see how that goes

 

Regards 

[regis9 4,004]

I’ve been using the Navigraph beta in MSFS for a bit now and haven’t encountered any issues so far.  If you do come across anything I’d encourage reporting it to Navigraph, I’ve always found them very responsive.

[Virtual-Chris 682]

1 hour ago, regis9 said:

I’ve been using the Navigraph beta in MSFS for a bit now and haven’t encountered any issues so far.  If you do come across anything I’d encourage reporting it to Navigraph, I’ve always found them very responsive.

Do you ever do as I do, and leave the approach as “Direct” so that it’s assigned by ATC in the air? Or are you leaving an approach in your flight plan?

[Virtual-Chris 682]

1 hour ago, SpaceMonkey said:

Could it be variations in winds between Simbrief v MSFS2020. I believe there have been comments about MSFS real weather.

Could you try setting up winds manually in MSFS to match simbrief  allocated runways and see how that goes

 

Regards 

The runway assignment is fine. It’s the obscure approach assignment that is not showing up in the MCDU. I’d love to fly the approach as instructed by ATC, but it’s no where to be found. 

[Virtual-Chris 682]

2 hours ago, eslader said:

ATC is not good in the sim at the moment so even if all the nav data syncs up, it's likely to tell you to do something dumb. When flying IFR plans in jets at high flight levels, it particularly likes to bring me in to an airport at about 20,000 feet and then clear me to land as I'm crossing the threshold 3 miles up.

Nav data is also not good in the sim at the moment. Navigraph gives you real-world aviation chart data a lot of which including correct sid/star/approaches and nav radio frequencies are missing or incorrect in the sim.

Back in FSX/P3d the stock nav data was also wrong because in the decade plus since the sim's nav data was set, airports, procedures, and frequencies changed. We solved it by updating the sim's nav data via various 3rd party products. That's not an option currently available to us with MSFS, but hopefully that will change, or Asobo will realize that just because their nav service is European does not mean it's superior, and will switch over to the much better Jeppesen data that Navigraph also uses. 

 

 

Yes. But my issue has more to do with Navigraph nav data not appearing in the MCDU. ATC is assigning some obscure Navigraph approach, but I can’t select it in the MCDU. I may have to revert to the default data as it’s not workable to have ATC assigning something I can’t enter in my flight plan. 

[duckbilled 310]

28 minutes ago, Virtual-Chris said:

The runway assignment is fine. It’s the obscure approach assignment that is not showing up in the MCDU. I’d love to fly the approach as instructed by ATC, but it’s no where to be found. 

Was the approach ATC provided available in the charts app?

[Midnight Music 252]

I have found that using Navigraph and Simbrief together is the best option. You can create your whole flight plan with SIDs and ARRs and ILS approaches, if needed, then import the whole thing into MSFS, ready to go. The MSFS flight planner is not the ideal and forget ATC in MSFS, it is is dubious at best. I use ATC for departures and in flight, but when it comes to approaches, I often cancel IFR and go to flight following and do what is in the correct approaches as per the charts.

Lee

Edited November 18, 2020 by Midnight Music

[Virtual-Chris 682]

1 hour ago, duckbilled said:

Was the approach ATC provided available in the charts app?

I don't think so...  Here's the common approaches to 14R... Adimo, Ablis, AGN, Lorto, Suras, and Narak are all available as choices in the MCDU.  But whatever ATC assigned me is not here.  

Screen Shot 2020-11-18 at 2.00.38 PM by Virtual-Chris (Junk Photos), on Flickr

I guess I need to fly it again and see what exactly is instructed and see where it's getting that from.

 

[JJ_ 41]

6 hours ago, eslader said:

ATC is not good in the sim at the moment so even if all the nav data syncs up, it's likely to tell you to do something dumb. When flying IFR plans in jets at high flight levels, it particularly likes to bring me in to an airport at about 20,000 feet and then clear me to land as I'm crossing the threshold 3 miles up.

Nav data is also not good in the sim at the moment. Navigraph gives you real-world aviation chart data a lot of which including correct sid/star/approaches and nav radio frequencies are missing or incorrect in the sim.

Back in FSX/P3d the stock nav data was also wrong because in the decade plus since the sim's nav data was set, airports, procedures, and frequencies changed. We solved it by updating the sim's nav data via various 3rd party products. That's not an option currently available to us with MSFS, but hopefully that will change, or Asobo will realize that just because their nav service is European does not mean it's superior, and will switch over to the much better Jeppesen data that Navigraph also uses. 

 

 

Thanks for the explanation eslander. I'm wanting to get Navigraph, but will hold off for better integration with the MSFS. The whole reason for paying for Navigraph is to have close to reality IFR flights, but if the sim is not using the same data, I can see how that defeats the main purpose of paying for Navigraph. It would end up just being frustrating.

[jabloomf1230 2,445]

Is this the stock LFBO or an add-on? The reason asking is there is a priority to the MSFS scenery library.

One way to check what's happening is to download and install Little NavMap. Then use it offline to compare the MSFS version of the navigation database to the version that uses Navigraph directly. It's a set of options under the Scenery Library item  in the top level menu.

My guess is that the problem is caused by the dimwtted stock MSFS ATC, but it also could be the aircraft itself.