Navigraph Charts or Simbrief?

[Agrajag 286]

First test flight with EFB2 test from KBUR to KSAN was a bust. It crashed to desktop mid-flight which is odd as I've taken this flight a few times prior without EFB so I hope it wasn't involved in the cause.

I liked what I saw up to that point.

[JRBarrett 3,080]

The Aivlasoft EFB “constructs” charts by using the information contained in the nav database. The resulting charts will only be as accurate as the nav data, and may be missing a lot of information that would be found on an actual chart because the nav data will not contain “everything” needed to re-create the corresponding “real” chart - especially with procedures that may have multiple entry transitions, or multiple minimum descent altitudes for different categories of aircraft.

However, in general, the EFB charts are probably adequate for the great majority of procedures in a flight sim environment.

Edited October 27, 2021 by JRBarrett

[Nyxx 6,993]

35 minutes ago, Agrajag said:

First test flight with EFB2 test from KBUR to KSAN was a bust. It crashed to desktop mid-flight which is odd as I've taken this flight a few times prior without EFB so I hope it wasn't involved in the cause.

I liked what I saw up to that point.

Just use navigraph and its right there in the sim

 

[Bernard Ducret 790]

Aivlasoft EFB v2 is a purchase I never regretted after more than ten years using it with FSX, P3D and now MSFS. IF you absolutely wish to run it with the latest AIRAC, you can subscribe to Navigraph for the cheapest FMS updates, but it is not mandatory (I had a subscription with P3D but never renewed it after buying MSFS). You can plan your flight with Simbrief and download it automatically within EFB, or if you prefer, you can build your FP on EFB as you probably know by now. It is highly unlikely that EFB can cause a CTD with MSFS, that never happened to me.

[Bernard Ducret 790]

3 minutes ago, JRBarrett said:

The resulting charts will only be as accurate as the nav data, and may be missing a lot of information that would be found on an actual chart because the nav data will not contain “everything” needed to re-create the corresponding “real” chart - especially with procedures that may have multiple entry transitions, or multiple minimum descent altitudes for different categories of aircraft.

For each approach with EFB, you have all the approaches listed with transitions and STAR which can be selected as needed, contrary to what you indicate. What makes the selection of STAR (and SID) a breeze is the fact you can show and visualise it on the map and decide which one is relevant for your flight immediately without guessing. I dont know what you refer to when you say "everything" what else do you need exactly that is not available there?

[vin747 316]

Ok, I'm going thru this exact dilemma in my MSFS simming.. which is the best way to plan the flight?

In P3D/XP, I had a static AIRAC 2012 and made sure that all my addons including the sims, aircraft, flight planner, simbrief etc were all locked to the same AIRAC.. so I never had any issue of picking a SID/STAR in simbrief but not finding it inside the PMDG a/c. 

Enter MSFS.. it uses its own navblue db and updates the AIRAC almost on a monthly basis.. so my 2012 AIRAC cycle is no good now.. so I can't plan in simbrief and import it into FBW A320 even though they have a beautiful flypad interface.. I need to use MSFS flight planner and then somehow manually load it into FBW 320 (yes, manually, because when you starty in Cold&Dark, the flight plan doesnt load up in the MCDU). 

I use LittleNavMap for all visual representation of the flight plan, charts, taxiways, etc.. surprised that no one mentioned it in this thread.. it does > 90% of all payware flight planners and it is absolutely FREE.. 

I don't want to get a 1 year navigraph subscription because I have gotten away with a fixed AIRAC for so many years now.. I don't need the latest AIRAC every month.. just need an AIRAC that is common to all the products so that there's no loss of data.. 

curious to see how PMDG will handle this with their upcoming 737..  

[vin747 316]

oh btw, @HiFlyer, how did you pop up the ND in your picture, that too on default A320? I can't do even in exp FBW 320. am i missing something?

[Agrajag 286]

37 minutes ago, JRBarrett said:

The Aivlasoft EFB “constructs” charts by using the information contained in the nav database.

I'm using updated Navigraph data so I should be okay. 

[Agrajag 286]

37 minutes ago, Nyxx said:

Just use navigraph and its right there in the sim

 

It's nice that it's in-sim but I don't find it to be feature-rich enough on its own. 

[MadDog 353]

To answer your original questions...

4 hours ago, Agrajag said:

Am I over-complicating things here?

No.  You're already using what I consider the two best tools for the task: SimBrief and Navigraph Charts. With all due respect to Aivlasoft's EFB, it's not going to make your experience any less complicated (probably the opposite).

 

4 hours ago, Agrajag said:

Can I get all of what I need in just one of them?

No; but as regis9 pointed out, all the elevation information you would ever need is available on the charts from Navigraph.

[Agrajag 286]

38 minutes ago, Bernard Ducret said:

Aivlasoft EFB v2 is a purchase I never regretted after more than ten years using it with FSX, P3D and now MSFS. IF you absolutely wish to run it with the latest AIRAC, you can subscribe to Navigraph for the cheapest FMS updates, but it is not mandatory (I had a subscription with P3D but never renewed it after buying MSFS). You can plan your flight with Simbrief and download it automatically within EFB, or if you prefer, you can build your FP on EFB as you probably know by now. It is highly unlikely that EFB can cause a CTD with MSFS, that never happened to me.

SU6 is causing ctd issues for some people in specific airspace. You can't currently fly into kdca without crashing so this might be similar. 

[Agrajag 286]

11 minutes ago, vin747 said:

I use LittleNavMap for all visual representation of the flight plan, charts, taxiways, etc.. surprised that no one mentioned it in this thread.. it does > 90% of all payware flight planners and it is absolutely FREE.. 

I don't need the latest AIRAC every month.. just need an AIRAC that is common to all the products so that there's no loss of data.. 

I use updated nav data because of flying on VATSIM where it helps. 

Will add Little Nav Map to the list. 

[Agrajag 286]

6 minutes ago, MadDog said:

all the elevation information you would ever need is available on the charts from Navigraph.

Still looking for where that is. I did like how EFB showed the sid/stars as I find the presentation in nav charts to be an overload of intersecting lines and colors. Likely need for time in it. 

[vgbaron 3,647]

35 minutes ago, vin747 said:

oh btw, @HiFlyer, how did you pop up the ND in your picture, that too on default A320? I can't do even in exp FBW 320. am i missing something?

Typically hover the mouse cursor over the gauge, press the right alt key ( you should see a PLUS sign) and click.

[HiFlyer 9,362]

41 minutes ago, vin747 said:

oh btw, @HiFlyer, how did you pop up the ND in your picture, that too on default A320? I can't do even in exp FBW 320. am i missing something?

Srry, I was away for a while. But I see the question has been answered. 🙃