Fast online Notams
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: London, UK
Posts: 778
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Fast online Notams
The Notam facility at fly.dsc.net is now pretty well tested now and has been very well received. You can use it to get a route brief online in less than 30 seconds. The URL to read more about it is:
http://fly.dsc.net/u/Notams
As explained therein, unfortunately there is no reliable free source of the Notam data which makes the job quite difficult. As such you should be very careful to check the indication at the top of each briefing to see if it is using the current data. And even then, of course, it's not "official".
Both area and route briefs are very quick. It covers quite a few FIR, not just the UK ones. There are lots of output filters and the results are designed to be easy to read. You can also plot whatever you find on a Google Map. Lastly the text briefs have been shown to be useable even on a PDA or Blackberry browser, over a slow connection.
Here's a couple of screen shots.
http://fly.dsc.net/u/Notams
As explained therein, unfortunately there is no reliable free source of the Notam data which makes the job quite difficult. As such you should be very careful to check the indication at the top of each briefing to see if it is using the current data. And even then, of course, it's not "official".
Both area and route briefs are very quick. It covers quite a few FIR, not just the UK ones. There are lots of output filters and the results are designed to be easy to read. You can also plot whatever you find on a Google Map. Lastly the text briefs have been shown to be useable even on a PDA or Blackberry browser, over a slow connection.
Here's a couple of screen shots.
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: ...back of the drag curve
Age: 61
Posts: 558
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Why, oh why can't systems like this be the norm, rather than left to individuals to improve on the 'correct' and 'official' systems available (with no graphical presentation, just reams of text gobbledegook)?
Makes the AIS NOTAM site look pretty inadequate.
Well done to all involved, and I hope the UK AIS suits sit up and see what can be achieved..
Chuf
Makes the AIS NOTAM site look pretty inadequate.
Well done to all involved, and I hope the UK AIS suits sit up and see what can be achieved..
Chuf
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Hampshire, UK
Posts: 93
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks it's very useful. Nice work - Clever chap.
But... isn't there always a 'but'?
Can it do a route from UK to France?
I ask this as every time I enter EGHH to LFRC I get routed from Bournemouth to some place that makes whiskey - Lamphroig (or sumfink)
Cheers
But... isn't there always a 'but'?
Can it do a route from UK to France?
I ask this as every time I enter EGHH to LFRC I get routed from Bournemouth to some place that makes whiskey - Lamphroig (or sumfink)
Cheers
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Surrey, UK.
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by Ni Thomas
Can it do a route from UK to France?
I ask this as every time I enter EGHH to LFRC I get routed from Bournemouth to some place that makes whiskey - Lamphroig (or sumfink)
Cheers
I ask this as every time I enter EGHH to LFRC I get routed from Bournemouth to some place that makes whiskey - Lamphroig (or sumfink)
Cheers
Change it to "any" and it will allow you to cross international boundaries.
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: EuroGA.org
Posts: 13,787
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Let's say I do a route from AAA to BBB (where BBB is a navaid) and there is another navaid called BBB in Mongolia (often the case), how is this resolved? The ais.org.uk software picks the nearer one, which seems to work but I am just curious.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: London, UK
Posts: 778
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Let's say I do a route from AAA to BBB (where BBB is a navaid) and there is another navaid called BBB in Mongolia (often the case), how is this resolved? The ais.org.uk software picks the nearer one, which seems to work but I am just curious.
Any ambiguities are ultimately resolved by you being shown a list of what matches what you entered and you choosing which you want. If you put in 'LAM' you get the VOR by Stapleford just north of London, but you also get the the NDB in Iran.
It does apply a bit of logic to try to pick the right one for you though. If you've entered a waypoint where there is only one match (as is often the case if you're using Navaids) then it will look for a match for this waypoint in the same country. So for example, if you plan a route from EGTR to LFAT and use LAM as a turning point it will choose the LAM in the UK over the one in Iran. If however you are routing from Tehran to Dubai, it'll choose the NDB in Iran. Using the nearest would also work, but is more work computationally, though not really significantly.
Ultimately this exact thing is the purpose of the very rough and ready graphical representation of your route at the bottom of the plan screen - so you can see if your route looks "sensible". If you're planning Norwich to Southend and the yellow line seems to go to India first you've probably not got the right waypoints.
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: EuroGA.org
Posts: 13,787
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Excellent work Drauk.
Best to not mention this on your CV if applying for a job at NATS though
Another suggestion, along the lines of "in for a penny, in for a pound": airways handling.
EGKK MAY R8 DVR L9 KONAN L607 RUDUS L984 ASKIK Z74 DONIS L603 CHIEM P995 ARNOS P735 GILIN LJLJ
Best to not mention this on your CV if applying for a job at NATS though
Another suggestion, along the lines of "in for a penny, in for a pound": airways handling.
EGKK MAY R8 DVR L9 KONAN L607 RUDUS L984 ASKIK Z74 DONIS L603 CHIEM P995 ARNOS P735 GILIN LJLJ
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: London, UK
Posts: 778
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
IO540, as with most things with this stuff, the trouble with airways is the data. If someone gives me the lat/lon of all the airways then it'd be no big deal to add that function. Until then, just enter the VORs that define the airways (which will be okay but for the kinks in them). Actually I guess an intersection database would probably get us most of the way there.
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: The South
Posts: 98
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by drauk
IO540, as with most things with this stuff, the trouble with airways is the data. If someone gives me the lat/lon of all the airways then it'd be no big deal to add that function. Until then, just enter the VORs that define the airways (which will be okay but for the kinks in them). Actually I guess an intersection database would probably get us most of the way there.
Go to http://www.ead.eurocontrol.int/ register for EAD Basic, log in, wait some time for lots of Java to load, select 'SDO reporting', wait another while, then you can generate reports of various things including upper and lower airspace routes.
The routes are not given in lat/long but by referencing navaids / waypoint names which you'd then have to deal with. You can download the database of those too though.
Regards,
Mark
Intelligent Idiot
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Cleethorpes, UK
Age: 66
Posts: 182
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Just done my QXC and used it to double check my calcs before I set off.
Also downloaded airfield plans for each airfield so no stumbling around for exits and holds when i got there.
Instructor also mightily impressed with it and added to list of favourites.
First class site and facility.
Also downloaded airfield plans for each airfield so no stumbling around for exits and holds when i got there.
Instructor also mightily impressed with it and added to list of favourites.
First class site and facility.
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: EuroGA.org
Posts: 13,787
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
IO540, as with most things with this stuff, the trouble with airways is the data. If someone gives me the lat/lon of all the airways then it'd be no big deal to add that function. Until then, just enter the VORs that define the airways (which will be okay but for the kinks in them). Actually I guess an intersection database would probably get us most of the way there.
I see somebody has already answered this so I will just add that it "should" be easy to get all this data, worldwide, because somebody has done an airways overlay for the NASA World World Wind software. It must be there somewhere. I would start with DAFIF but that database will be closed to the public (courtesy of Osama BL) this autumn. After that, EAD Eurocontrol is the next place to look.
I see somebody has already answered this so I will just add that it "should" be easy to get all this data, worldwide, because somebody has done an airways overlay for the NASA World World Wind software. It must be there somewhere. I would start with DAFIF but that database will be closed to the public (courtesy of Osama BL) this autumn. After that, EAD Eurocontrol is the next place to look.