Sqn planning software
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: UK
Sqn planning software
A question for all you geeks...
Has anyone come across any software (apart from MS Excel) which allows you to plan sqn members/crews for flights, events, detachments etc. in a calendar type format?
Have had a go with MS Excel but is not ideal without a lot of macros etc.
Cheers
Has anyone come across any software (apart from MS Excel) which allows you to plan sqn members/crews for flights, events, detachments etc. in a calendar type format?
Have had a go with MS Excel but is not ideal without a lot of macros etc.
Cheers
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,650
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From: Falmouth
STARs is probably the best tool I have seen. It will tell you where your people are, how current they are and what training they need.
However, essentially STARs is a sooperdooper spreadsheet and not a calender
However, essentially STARs is a sooperdooper spreadsheet and not a calender
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 194
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From: UK
Many people overlook the very useful calendar function in MS Outlook, or alternatively, look at MS Project to which you can assign resources, costs, time, % completion et cetera. Difference is that with Project you must define the date range of the project itself rather than having an ongoing calendar. Well worth a look if it's anywhere on station.
GM
GM
Joined: Aug 1998
Posts: 1,932
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From: England
Have you ever tried big wall boards? They may take up space but they work much more easily than any computer programme that I have used! 
Stars is alright
but unless you have a (very) big screen you cannot see much in detail, particularly if you have a multi-crew ac!
Want to find a crew for a short notice task? First look at the Captain's page, then look up the co's page, then look up the nav's page, then look up............. On big wall boards one look and you can see who each section has available. Much easier!
Stars is alright
but unless you have a (very) big screen you cannot see much in detail, particularly if you have a multi-crew ac!Want to find a crew for a short notice task? First look at the Captain's page, then look up the co's page, then look up the nav's page, then look up............. On big wall boards one look and you can see who each section has available. Much easier!
Joined: May 1999
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 27,399
Likes: 857
From: Quite near 'An aerodrome somewhere in England'
God how I used to hate STARS! It took ages and ages to do what I used to be able to do in an hour or so in the 'old' manner with wallboards and a notepad. Each input seemed to take 10 seconds whilst the data was processed - it nearly drove me mad!
The best method I ever used was at the UAS. I used to start planning the next days programme (about 40 slots) at 1600 and it was all ready by 1700. Get the assets (aircraft and FI availability) sorted, then allocate studes to FIs, then check which were their next exercises. One of the girls would then mark up the magnetic plaques as I directed, then shift them around the board until we'd filled all the slots. Why one of the girls? Because their writing was neater and they were better at multi-tasking than most of the blokes. And they'd usually volunteer to help, rather than have to be dragged out of the crewroom.
And then the boss would mess the whole thing up by trying to get a quart out of a pint pot, neglecting the time we needed to brief, turn the a/c etc.......
maple 01 - when I was Sqn Warmonger back in the days of Tacevals, the entire VC10K sqn Aircraft State plot could be managed with a perspex A4 board and a single radio! If we had to move sqn ops at immediate notice, just pick up board and radio and move out. Only limitation, as ever - crap batteries!
The best method I ever used was at the UAS. I used to start planning the next days programme (about 40 slots) at 1600 and it was all ready by 1700. Get the assets (aircraft and FI availability) sorted, then allocate studes to FIs, then check which were their next exercises. One of the girls would then mark up the magnetic plaques as I directed, then shift them around the board until we'd filled all the slots. Why one of the girls? Because their writing was neater and they were better at multi-tasking than most of the blokes. And they'd usually volunteer to help, rather than have to be dragged out of the crewroom.
And then the boss would mess the whole thing up by trying to get a quart out of a pint pot, neglecting the time we needed to brief, turn the a/c etc.......
maple 01 - when I was Sqn Warmonger back in the days of Tacevals, the entire VC10K sqn Aircraft State plot could be managed with a perspex A4 board and a single radio! If we had to move sqn ops at immediate notice, just pick up board and radio and move out. Only limitation, as ever - crap batteries!
Joined: May 2000
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From: door or ramp, don't mind.
One of the girls would then mark up the magnetic plaques as I directed, then shift them around the board until we'd filled all the slots
TAC Int Bloke
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 974
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From: UK
Beags,
Us poor sods at the SOC/CRC could also see at a glance how the war was going (usually badly) off the totes, no 1,000 ICCS keyboard commands or high tec solution, just an ability to write backwards
Come to think of it they use totes in 'Battlestar Galacticia!' - How funky is that?
Us poor sods at the SOC/CRC could also see at a glance how the war was going (usually badly) off the totes, no 1,000 ICCS keyboard commands or high tec solution, just an ability to write backwards
Come to think of it they use totes in 'Battlestar Galacticia!' - How funky is that?
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 171
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From: UK
Maple
!skcor gnitirw sdrawkcaB
Sorry no mirror font on my PC!
Battlestar Gallactica with totes? Don't remember that bit, must have been too busy watching the birds with short skirts (isn't it great the way they dress in the future?) Not living up to my handle for once!
Cheers
rettopS
PS. On topic - RASDA is OK, but it's generally as slow as $**t
!skcor gnitirw sdrawkcaB
Sorry no mirror font on my PC!
Battlestar Gallactica with totes? Don't remember that bit, must have been too busy watching the birds with short skirts (isn't it great the way they dress in the future?) Not living up to my handle for once!
Cheers
rettopS
PS. On topic - RASDA is OK, but it's generally as slow as $**t
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 714
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From: ecosse
Once knew an OCA who was also Capt of crew 7
When he left the Sqn he was presented with 2 dart-boards and 8 darts
One board and 1 dart for detachments - all the numbers were "7"
The other, plus 7 darts - for Trg, SAR, OPS and duty crew
His "favourite" crew of the month could feature about 5 times on this board
Not sure what happened if he hit a treble
Hit and miss planning! Seems to work - Who needs computers?
When he left the Sqn he was presented with 2 dart-boards and 8 darts
One board and 1 dart for detachments - all the numbers were "7"
The other, plus 7 darts - for Trg, SAR, OPS and duty crew
His "favourite" crew of the month could feature about 5 times on this board
Not sure what happened if he hit a treble
Hit and miss planning! Seems to work - Who needs computers?
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 1,034
Likes: 8
From: The Road to Nowhere
rettopS:
A little harsh considering what the product is actually doing. Also, I suspect (having come from a secret bunker somewhere near Horning) you base the statement on having seen it at the end of a very narrow link.
We (at a secret bunker somewhere near ... errr ... well nowhere really) now have Broadband SLI! It's made CCIS more usable, but I agree RASDA could be faster. I believe the database adminers are planning to re-align the way in which the replication works this week - it will be interesting to see whether it improves things. I remember Oracle (the database designers) said ICL wouldn't be able to get the RASDA replication to work at all in its current structure, and they were more surprised than anyone when ICL/Fujitsu managed it!
Sorry, banged on a bit there - back to the thread...
TwoTunnels/Maple01:
I don't believe RASDA is quite what you are looking for. It's fine for short-term planning, especially if you manage the Crew Currency and Constituted Crew functions properly, but I am not convinced that the MMI is sufficiently friendly for most people.
STH
PS. On topic - RASDA is OK, but it's generally as slow as $**t
We (at a secret bunker somewhere near ... errr ... well nowhere really) now have Broadband SLI! It's made CCIS more usable, but I agree RASDA could be faster. I believe the database adminers are planning to re-align the way in which the replication works this week - it will be interesting to see whether it improves things. I remember Oracle (the database designers) said ICL wouldn't be able to get the RASDA replication to work at all in its current structure, and they were more surprised than anyone when ICL/Fujitsu managed it!
Sorry, banged on a bit there - back to the thread...
TwoTunnels/Maple01:
I don't believe RASDA is quite what you are looking for. It's fine for short-term planning, especially if you manage the Crew Currency and Constituted Crew functions properly, but I am not convinced that the MMI is sufficiently friendly for most people.
STH
TAC Int Bloke
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 974
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From: UK
STH,
Users, they want bl@@dy jam on it - did they ask for a user friendly interface? Baah humbug! Let's go back to the old CCIS and make them squirm, I don’t know, give them a 386 and 28k link and they’ll demand the moon on a stick next.......
Users, they want bl@@dy jam on it - did they ask for a user friendly interface? Baah humbug! Let's go back to the old CCIS and make them squirm, I don’t know, give them a 386 and 28k link and they’ll demand the moon on a stick next.......
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 1,034
Likes: 8
From: The Road to Nowhere
And What's More ...
If only it was a SQL database so we could link it direct to UCCS (DB2) and thereby saving thousands of hours copying data such as RPSs, flypro info and airfield weathers between the 2 systems ...
STH
STH
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 20
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From: lincolnshire
Two Tunnels
Give one of the sqns at Cottesmore a ring. They're all on the same system which works like clockwork and it seems to suit them. It's sold by an ex Harrier mate so it's not free but it's worth checking out.
Give one of the sqns at Cottesmore a ring. They're all on the same system which works like clockwork and it seems to suit them. It's sold by an ex Harrier mate so it's not free but it's worth checking out.
