I have been owning and using the Aivlasoft EFB v2 for many years and cannot fly without it. If you dont know the software, it allows to prepare your flight planning, avoids buying airports / terminal / approach and enroule maps beside allowing to follow your flight at all times on a different networked computer.
However, I recently discovered, after talking to the developer, that one needs to keep a subscription with Navigraph for the AIRAC cycles since the MSFS Navdata cannot be accessed by Aivlasoft.
So my suggestion to Microsoft/Asobo would be to allow third party developers such as Aivlasoft to have access to the current MSFS AIRAC, otherwise we will end up having the same issue with future airplane third party developers as well, and users having to pay for a data that is already in the simulator.
Your thoughts on this would be highly appreciated. Thank you.
The list of complains about Navdata in MSFS is very extensive. I, myself, have some complains and posted here in the forum and also tried a direct contact with the actual FMS data provider without any answer.
In my opinion, Microsoft and Asobo should open the FMS Data for us to edit or be free to choose a different source to update the navigation data (FMS Data) in the simulator.
Yesterday started the 2105 AIRAC cycle with a huge change in Brazil, specially on Sao Paulo terminal (SBSP, SBGR, SBKP, just to name some airports) and without an updated FMS Data it is impossible to fly using MSFS airplanes or even FBW A320 that uses the same FMS Data as the simulator. Of course you can fly using old charts but for those who fly on Vatsim, Ivao or Poscon, this is not an option. It seems that the next Sim Update will be on May, 25 so, util there, we have no way to fly on anywhere in the world were there was changes in this clycle.
Please, if you agree with that, vote for this topic so we can be heard.
As far as I understood, to use Navigraph is not a simple mater of copying the files or using Navigraph updater. The point here is to us be able to replace the old files with new ones every cycle without using complicated solutions as we can do for other planes like Aerosoft CRJ for MSFS and other simulators.
I’ve been a Navigraph Data only (most inexpensive plan) for a few months now. It is a transforrmational change to the Sim. All these IAPs, SIDs and STARs that were missing with NavBlue are now available. For about 40 USD a year you cannot beat this. Richard at NG is great, amazing and detailed support. And it will only get better when the client comes out of Beta.
Whilst the Navigraph data file is simple to update, flight planning with say Simbrief the FMC (Boeing) is still very buggy. Yesterday flight (B748) YBBN to NZAA was going well until the FMC decided to add a way point (UPLAR to BASIV in flight plan) then approach to NZAA. FMC added SALAC so A/C turned left at UPLAR to SALAC then right to BASIV. I’ve reported the bug to the team.
Flight plan - SCOTT3 SCOTT A464 RIGMI A464 UPLAR BASIV BASI1N
UPLAR is an entry point to the BASI1N arrival. Since BASIV is part of the arrival you don’t need to add it. The correct flight plan should have been YBBN SCOTT3 SCOTT A464 UPLAR BASI1N NZAA
I don’t think that using Navigraph beta is a solution for the idea of this post and the fact that it is necessary to have a beta version of this “solution” prove it is not a solution. If the navdata was opened as it is for some planes in MSFS like Aerosoft CRJ and and others simulator’s planes, Navigraph would have created a file (or files) with the exact necessary format in order to this work simple as it is. Also, other ways to update would be possible.
I think the issue is solved, technically. The Navigraph updater can modify the Navdata. Other third parties can develop something similar. The Navdata is modifiable already.
This is exactly what we are doing. Download the Navigraph Navdata Center from https://forum.navigraph.com/t/navigraph-navdata-beta/133 and install the Navigraph navdata, it is just 1 click. The process has been extremely stable for the past 6 months and we plan to take it out of beta any time now.
Thank you for your comments. I also feel quite frustrated about the fact Navigraph (which I was a subscriber to for years when using FSX and P3D) is the only way out of this, when MSFS uses a different database made inaccessible to third party developers. I believe the solution might include the possibility for add-on developers to be able to subscribe/have access to the same service as MSFS, i.e. NavBlue.
It is quite irritating to read that Navdata is included in MSFS, and on the next line… but not for third party products needing the same…! Which defeats the purpose of the free “inclusion” in the simulator.