gandy wrote on Oct 11^th, 2011 at 3:22pm:
I have often thought of buying Simplates too. So I'm interested in hearing what others say too.

Mark

I know what you mean CoolP but some times finding the charts i want can take longer than the flight i plan to do.

My skill for flight planning is low which is why im thinking this might be a benefit as it sorts the charts for me in to one easy package. Im not really worried about having the most up to date charts as i use the free flight planner over at route finder but making sense of the sids and stars is on a different level for me at the moment and one im still trying to learn

Lou is right when it comes to the FSX internal database, but this is not the one some of us are using.
For example, the CS FMC birds get their navdata from Navigraph and are completely independent of any FSX navdata as they relate to waypoints on a coordinate basis first, not on a named one.

So you could define a waypoint 'COOLP' by attaching some coordinates to that name, let a procedure begin there and place some constrains there too (e. g. 'supersonic only, no fat planes allowed'  ) and make use of it.

That's actually how it works on most addons as they sort of share the same database through Navigraph, which is NOT the FSX one and also not connected to it.
The only things which remain rather static are the available navaids+freqs (although you can update them and addon scenery sometimes does) and all sort of procedure data which the default FSX ATC uses and e. g. the default GPS shows.
This data does not have a central database as the information is stored in every scenery file only and may well be outdated since 2006 or so.

So if you go online or with some addon ATC, it will usually offer an option to use updated navdata too, same as on the birds you are flying if they use any kind of FMC.


With this 'world' FSX offers, any coordinate can be assigned to any name you like, so you can define airways, places, even virtual navaids. As long as the plane uses the same data as the ATC, they will also be able to talk and understand each other.
Looking at the above example, if the plane knows where waypoint 'COOLP' is (coordinates) but the default FSX ATC does not, this will end up in confusion.
But if the addon ATC or the online guy uses the same map as you do, he will know where you are flying to.


On the online networks there's no rule to run current data though. Those networks are designed to offer a completely free opportunity to fly.
So if you would come in with outdated navdata while the ATC may be on current one, you would declare to be unable to fly this or that procedure and ask for older ones or you would even revert back to pure vectoring.
That's no problem unless you get into very dense areas (e. g. events), where the raised workload would put too much stress on people, but the 24/7 operation can be achieved with any navdata and charts running.
Some locations are special, they use vectoring only.

It's of course way more fun to fly current stuff and trying to keep the separation and even noise abatement thingies in place. That's the freedom of the sim, one can do this, but does not necessarily have to.  
As an example, you may fly a procedure and the ATC gives you another one or says that you should fly the published holding at VOR Charly because another pilot caused an emergency situation as he tried to land with 20 kts tailwind, because he knew better than ATC.  
A current chart (or chart program) will show that holding, while not current stuff then leads to a slight moment of confusion and some extra talk necessary.

With the latest 757 4.5 update, you've all received AIRAC 1104 by the way.

Mark, that's a very good idea, but it gets spoiled by FSX itself, because it doesn't offer any central interface to get a navdata set injected.
The navdata in FSX is stored locally in the bgl files, so if you open the one for Melbourne, you will see some Melbourne stuff (and no other) there whereas the Navigraph style of implementing data doesn't care for any special file.

So you could only update FSX procedure data if you edit every airport's file.
Looking on how the Navigraph database works, one can catch a glimpse at \Captain_Sim\navigation.
That's the Captain Sim format of the Navigraph data. Other devs mainly use the same data, but change the format a bit.
So the 1104 AIRAC for CS only differs in the format, not on the data itself from other dev's 1104 ones.

If the default ATC would have a central folder for its data, we could actually make use of current data. But there is no such thing.  

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That's part of it. I also mean the Jet Airways, Victor Airways, Fixes and Intersections. Everything! It is a whole lot of of work though.

Imagine it though. All the Flight Plans made in the FS Flight Planner would match all the data in the AIRAC. It would only be for those who want it, those who update them every month, like me, probably wouldn't want it.

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You earned your retirement Lou. I'm still trying to avoid mine.

Mark