PC NOTAM programme

[Cahlibahn]

There was a recent thread on software to sort the wheat from the chaff as far as NOTAMS were concerned (I think FlyingForFun was trying to develop something) Came across this today, haven't had a chance to use it in anger, but it seems to me to do the job admirably....

NotamPro website (http://www.notampro.com)

[ 19 September 2001: Message edited by: Cahlibahn ]

[FlyingForFun]

Thanks Cahl,

Oh well, not much point in me finishing my NOTAM software then, is there? FWIW, I'd finished the decoding and selection of relevant NOTAMs, and just started working on the user interface, but then I got a bit busy and haven't had any time to work on it for a while.

Never mind - this seems like it'll have much more functionality in it than mine would have had! Have to download the demo and have a play.....

FFF
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[Courtman]

FFF,

Why not keep writing your software? This looks like it may be quite good, but you never know what twist you may come up with on it. I'm sure there's loads of people out there who'd help you test it (count me in).

I've been looking for a PC logbook, can't find one that will look at the JAR rules for 90-days etc. so am working on my own, my computer skills are rusty and will take time, will advise on here when I've got it going.

Keep us informed, and info on any other NOTAM sites, this is one thing that is missing from the internet for flight briefing at the moment.

[IFollowRoads]

FFF - please keep going

I had a quick look at this, and wasn't overly impressed. Main showstopper, it doesn't cater for outside of the UK. Also though rather than just put a red zit for every coordinate, it could at least link them up & fill the zone. Would be nice to be able to lay on you route too (even better if could import a route from Navtor/Navbox/Flitestar...)

Realise that some of this may be a tall order, but as it stands I think I'll stay with the text.

Courtman - few notam links on http://www.gawfc.flyer.co.uk - and yes, I know the French one doesn't come up with anything useful yet, but if the information isn't available yet, not a great deal to offer! For the logbook, in Excel could you not use something along the lines of IF(((MAX(date range) +90) < today),"OK to Fly","Out of currency")?

[Cahlibahn]

Hmm, having played some more I tend to agree with IFR, still I haven't come across anything better yet....

Edited due to inability to spell "across" - time for bed methinks......

[ 20 September 2001: Message edited by: Cahlibahn ]

[FlyingForFun]

IFR, Courtman,

Thanks for the support - if you guys want it, then I'll continue with my own NOTAM searcher. After all, competition is essential to ensure we push technology to the limits!

Just for the record, though, I don't plan on having any graphical facilities in the first few versions of my software (but may add this in later, since it's not that difficult). I also won't be showing NOTAMs which are not included on the AIS website, which basically means UK only. (Again, this could be changed if there's demand, but only if NOTAMs for the area are available on the web, and it would probably need extra work for each aviation authority's NOTAMs that would require support - so I won't be doing this for the first few versions either.)

Anyway, I'll get back onto this when I get some spare time at the weekend.

Cheers,

FFF
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[Courtman]

I've played with NOTAMPro, and while it looks OK, I think that Cahlibahn is right, it could be a lot easier to use. The NOTAMs outside of UK are not such an issue, they should be sourced as and when, but the AIS website provides good NOTAMs for all the UK. I also am unsure as to whether it provides airfield or just en-route NOTAMs.

Where I work the flight planning software for the big jets puts what we affectionately refer to as a "banana" around the route, and pulls relevant NOTAMs from a pre-determined distance from route. This would be handy, although may lead to a lot of local crap which would need filtering out, possibly manually.

Good start, will be interested to see if there is anything else out there. NavBox is the flight planning software I use, something that could link with that would be ideal, or even Navbox upgraded to included weather and NOTAM information!

Edited to make sense - sorry!

[ 21 September 2001: Message edited by: Courtman ]

[suction]

Found this the other day, but haven't tried it out yet ..........

http://www.notamplot.flyer.co.uk/

[CirrusMe]

Suction

I've installed NOTAMPLOT and IMHO it does what's required. Click on the NOTAMs near to your route, which you can also plot, and you see what's up. Doesn't have any pretensions to being all-singing & dancing, but the author just put it together for his own use and is making it available FOC.

Check it out :)

FFF: Is your name Ian Fallon ?? :D

[FlyingForFun]

Sorry - I'm not Ian Fallon! But I'll have to have a play with NotamPilot since it's got a couple of recommendations here...

Apologies to anyone who was waiting for me to develop my software. It had progressed to a stage where it was almost ready for beta-testing - I had done all of the sorting out of the NOTAMs, and was just working on a user interface. Unfortunately, I was then given around 1 hour's notice that I no longer had a job, and taking the NOTAM source code off my PC seemed less important than getting all of the phone numbers off of my mobile phone. So all of the work has been lost - unless anyone happened to pick up my old PC at the Enron auction recently! :D

FFF
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[Aussie Andy]

One word:

excellent!

[Warped Factor]

CirrusMe,

I've installed NOTAMPLOT and IMHO it does what's required. Click on the NOTAMs near to your route, which you can also plot, and you see what's up. Doesn't have any pretensions to being all-singing & dancing, but the author just put it together for his own use and is making it available FOC.

Not strictly true re FOC.

A small donation to charity is requested if you find the programme useful.

WF.

[Courtman]

I've just tried NOTAM Plot, and it is very very good! Quite straight-forward to use, I've plotted a couple of routes and it has drawn the "swathe" around the route pretty accurately and I can see any NOTAMs that would affect my route.

Couple of points I'd like to see included in it.

1) Include Aerodrome NOTAMs. (Not sure how AIS puts these out, might be too difficult, but a nice idea to investigate).

2) A printout of all the NOTAMs which affect your route along with the graphic which has the NOTAM numbers highlighted if it is within your "swathe".

Overall though, a valuable de-code tool. There are a few "non-plotted" NOTAMs, this is probably because the AIS people haven't formatted them correctly. As the use of software like this becomes more widespread (and that's a good thing - it will increase safety), maybe we should start pressuring (gently :) ) the AIS people to make the NOTAMs more accurate.

I've donated my £10 to charity already, and would heartily recommend anyone else to!

[Aussie Andy]

Hey Courtman , Notamplot does include aerodrome NOTAMs. There is a setup screen where you select which aerodromes you want to d/load, then you press one of the buttons on the menu bar to see them.

Oh, and I think the non-plotted NOTAMs are the sort that don't relate to a specific LAT-LONG, so you should read them I guess.

[Warped Factor]

Airfield NOTAMS can be accessed from Options then Airfield Bulletins To Download.

As Aussie Andy says, the NOTAMS that aren't plotted are the ones that didn't have a LAT-LONG in them.

Quite a few of these relate to Danger Areas. These Danger Area ones should hopefully appear plotted on a later version.

WF.

[bertiethebadger]

I've been using Notam Plot for a couple of weeks ( still checking against the old method ) & like others, find it very good.

I will be making my donation on Monday!

BtB

[Courtman]

Aussie Andy,

True - I found that feature a bit later on in the evening. However, it would be an idea to be able to click on the airfield and display the NOTAMs in the bottom corner. I'm not dissing it, its just an idea for an improvement in the future.

Also, I'd still like to see a printout, in the order NAV-ENR-AIRFIELD so it can be taken with you, just printing out everything in the swathe. I've e-mailed all this to IF, waiting for a favourable response back.

It's on my list of pre-flight planning jobs. I've even checked Mrs. Courtman out on it, so she can do the planning for me!

:D :D