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FP: and Other People asking about New Zealand.
I am not having a lot of luck so far with getting the live data. NZ Metservice dont offer a public web site to get data. I sent of an email but apparently they are only interested in giving me the data if I pay for it. I have asked them the cost but im guessing its not going to be cheap. So NZ people may be out of luck. I have added NZAA NZCH NZWN which is all i could find for free on the internet.
If anyone knows of anywhere where i can get the data would love to add NZ but otherwise looks like Australia Only at this stage.
I have put all the NZ airports in the database however so the zoom to airport function still works if you want to get an idea of what the an airport looks like before you get there.
Matt.
I am not having a lot of luck so far with getting the live data. NZ Metservice dont offer a public web site to get data. I sent of an email but apparently they are only interested in giving me the data if I pay for it. I have asked them the cost but im guessing its not going to be cheap. So NZ people may be out of luck. I have added NZAA NZCH NZWN which is all i could find for free on the internet.
If anyone knows of anywhere where i can get the data would love to add NZ but otherwise looks like Australia Only at this stage.
I have put all the NZ airports in the database however so the zoom to airport function still works if you want to get an idea of what the an airport looks like before you get there.
Matt.
Hey Matt, thanks for taking the time to do that 
Pity abt Metservice, I'm not sure how they're funded but guess that will have some impact on their decision. I'm not sure if Airways could come to the party somehow via their site (www.ifis.airways.co.nz) but if you've not tried already that may be worth a crack.
There are a number of Internet-accessible private weather stations that I make use of from time to time that could, at some stage, be worth including I guess. They tend to be a fairly standard device (LaCrosse units mostly) so parsing the data shouldn't be too difficult. Most of them are not located precisely on fields but they're often close, or are suitably placed enroute somewhere so quite useful. I imagine a similar group of people do the same thing in Oz?
Rgds, FP.
Pity abt Metservice, I'm not sure how they're funded but guess that will have some impact on their decision. I'm not sure if Airways could come to the party somehow via their site (www.ifis.airways.co.nz) but if you've not tried already that may be worth a crack.
There are a number of Internet-accessible private weather stations that I make use of from time to time that could, at some stage, be worth including I guess. They tend to be a fairly standard device (LaCrosse units mostly) so parsing the data shouldn't be too difficult. Most of them are not located precisely on fields but they're often close, or are suitably placed enroute somewhere so quite useful. I imagine a similar group of people do the same thing in Oz?
Rgds, FP.
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www.ifis.airways.co.nz does not seem to be accessible from Australia. At least not from any of the links i have tried. Perhaps they only let you access it from nz
Matt, a real nice app!
If you want some help porting it to a real language like .NET, send me a message
I can't access http://www.ifis.airways.co.nz/ either, however if any of our NZ compatriets would care to send us a proxy server to use, I'm sure that won't be an issue any more
If you want some help porting it to a real language like .NET, send me a message
I can't access http://www.ifis.airways.co.nz/ either, however if any of our NZ compatriets would care to send us a proxy server to use, I'm sure that won't be an issue any more
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WBB: I thought all you .NET people had converted over to Ruby. Good to see theres one left
PAF: Yes i did use regex's to get the bit's i needed out of the TAF/METAR (the cloud and it's level is what i am interested in) That Weather.aero link looks excellent. I would much rather get my data in XML (even if i do hate soap) I think im going to go of and re-write my data grabber program
.
Matt.
PAF: Yes i did use regex's to get the bit's i needed out of the TAF/METAR (the cloud and it's level is what i am interested in) That Weather.aero link looks excellent. I would much rather get my data in XML (even if i do hate soap) I think im going to go of and re-write my data grabber program
.Matt.
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FP:
Bad News on the New Zealand Stakes im afraid .
Got this message back from the powers that be.
Hi Matt
Unfortunately in NZ the supply of Aviation Met information is governed
by a user pays arrangement and we do not make information available to
the public for use on personal websites for distribution to NZ aviation.
We supply the information direct to airline/aircraft operators under
strict commercial arrangements.
----
so i offered to pay and i got.
Hi Matt
Under NZ CAA regulations the supply of Met information for aviation in
NZ has to be obtained from a fully certified CAA CAR Part 174 supplier.
MetService does not contract 3rd parties for the supply of Met
information to the aviation sector in NZ apart from Airways Corporation
as part of their
AIS requirements to provide a briefing service to Aircraft.
Aircraft operators access MET data direct from MetService.
So the short answer is that we will not be able to supply the
information to you under a commercial arrangement.
----
Sounds like nice guy but his hands seem tied by the fact that they own the data and tightly control it to make back every sent they can. Oh Well that being the case and the fact that i can find any more then the international airport TAF's anywhere else im going to have to can the idea of adding NZ.
Sorry Fokes.
Bad News on the New Zealand Stakes im afraid .
Got this message back from the powers that be.
Hi Matt
Unfortunately in NZ the supply of Aviation Met information is governed
by a user pays arrangement and we do not make information available to
the public for use on personal websites for distribution to NZ aviation.
We supply the information direct to airline/aircraft operators under
strict commercial arrangements.
----
so i offered to pay and i got.
Hi Matt
Under NZ CAA regulations the supply of Met information for aviation in
NZ has to be obtained from a fully certified CAA CAR Part 174 supplier.
MetService does not contract 3rd parties for the supply of Met
information to the aviation sector in NZ apart from Airways Corporation
as part of their
AIS requirements to provide a briefing service to Aircraft.
Aircraft operators access MET data direct from MetService.
So the short answer is that we will not be able to supply the
information to you under a commercial arrangement.
----
Sounds like nice guy but his hands seem tied by the fact that they own the data and tightly control it to make back every sent they can. Oh Well that being the case and the fact that i can find any more then the international airport TAF's anywhere else im going to have to can the idea of adding NZ.
Sorry Fokes.
I thought all you .NET people had converted over to Ruby. Good to see theres one left
P.S > If you wanted to switch to a real language you'd be able to access a webservice using a proper object oriented approach instead of hacking at it with PEAR and XPath
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This probably should be a separate post but. I have just finished a mobile version of VMC Tracker. It's not as nice as the google map's enabled big brother but fits on a mobile screen well and has been tested from Windows mobile and Symbian. It is all text very low fuss (so it will work on GPRS or HSDPA)
Check it out from your mobile Open up your web browser on your new type mobile and go to http://m.vmctracker.com
Matt.
Check it out from your mobile Open up your web browser on your new type mobile and go to http://m.vmctracker.com
Matt.
Sigh, well Matt thanks for pursuing that query, there are times when I feel I must apologise for this place (ok, ok, I know - no wisecracks thanx!)....
The proxy server idea has some merit, or perhaps a script sitting somewhere that would relay the info, but if they're going to have a fit about it all then it's probably just too hard
. I can see some point with respect to the integrity of data supply specifically for aviation purposes (I guess they could argue that you might 'massage' the data and end up providing incorrect info), and of course it costs money so there is a commercial aspect. However on the other hand I think it has the potential so improve the lot of the weekend aviator which has to be positive (safety-wise if nothing else) so would have thought there was a way forward.
Anyway I'll keep an eye on progress, I think it's a great project!
Cheers, FP.
The proxy server idea has some merit, or perhaps a script sitting somewhere that would relay the info, but if they're going to have a fit about it all then it's probably just too hard
. I can see some point with respect to the integrity of data supply specifically for aviation purposes (I guess they could argue that you might 'massage' the data and end up providing incorrect info), and of course it costs money so there is a commercial aspect. However on the other hand I think it has the potential so improve the lot of the weekend aviator which has to be positive (safety-wise if nothing else) so would have thought there was a way forward. Anyway I'll keep an eye on progress, I think it's a great project!
Cheers, FP.
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FP: Yea it makes sense to have NZ data but looks like if I were to nick it via some other means (a php script running on an NZ box say) they would perhaps just go after me and i dont want that.
All should remember though the site does not take the place of the Official Forecast. As PIC you should have the offical forcast onboard..
All should remember though the site does not take the place of the Official Forecast. As PIC you should have the offical forcast onboard..
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An interesting widget Matt. I'm not sure it is detecting changes in TAF. YBLT is shown as IFR at the moment (0500-ish) but the TAF has been nice since 0100.
PS. Why do the met drones put 'RMK' in every TAF, but never put in any remarks. 100 millitrees of paper would be saved every Killicam if they desist.
BALLARAT (YBLT)
TAF AMD YBLT 210004Z 210014
13017G27KT 9999 BKN012
FM01 15015KT 9999 SCT030
RMK
T 16 21 23 20 Q 1013 1010 1008 1008
METAR YBLT 210500Z AUTO 14016KT 9999NDV // NCD 22/13 Q1010
RMK RF00.0/000.0
TAF AMD YBLT 210004Z 210014
13017G27KT 9999 BKN012
FM01 15015KT 9999 SCT030
RMK
T 16 21 23 20 Q 1013 1010 1008 1008
METAR YBLT 210500Z AUTO 14016KT 9999NDV // NCD 22/13 Q1010
RMK RF00.0/000.0
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Currently The Data is updated at 00:10 06:10 12:10 18:10 AEST. I would not mind updateing it more often but i need to check with my data source first to make sure that's ok. Hourly is the aim.
Matt.
Matt.
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Updates to VMC Tracker Version 1.2.4
Now Supports ATIS information and takes that over metar and taf in priority.
Also takes into account Expect ILS approach as being a bad sine for VMC.
Display ATIS information on http://m.vmctracker.com for mobiles.
Data update now every 3 hours for http://vmctracker.com and http://m.vmctracker.com
Soon to be implemented a graphical description of the field high and cloud heights and types around the field. (Picture that looks like the ones from the VMC flight guide)
Matt.
Now Supports ATIS information and takes that over metar and taf in priority.
Also takes into account Expect ILS approach as being a bad sine for VMC.
Display ATIS information on http://m.vmctracker.com for mobiles.
Data update now every 3 hours for http://vmctracker.com and http://m.vmctracker.com
Soon to be implemented a graphical description of the field high and cloud heights and types around the field. (Picture that looks like the ones from the VMC flight guide)
Matt.
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Oh and one more new function i forgot on 1.2.4 down the bottom of the map screen now you can enter in from and to airport (icao code) to plot one airport to the other. It will display the track on the map so you can see all the airports on the way. (in a straight line)
Matt.
Matt.