External chart viewer (tablet) in the VR cockpit

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If you haven’t seen, there is now a VR wishlist sub-forum here:
https://forums.flightsimulator.com/c/virtual-reality-vr/vr-wishlist/236
For whatever reason, this thread did not make it over so is not included in the new snapshot. I created a new thread to propose the basic idea that I’m pushing here:

Everyone, please vote up that new thread! Thanks!

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https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/add-a-way-to-view-charts-in-vr-even-if-just-a-web-browser/386256/3?u=croppingpoem113

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So it would be nice to have charts etc in VR so that when you get clearance you don’t have to keep taking off the headset to look at external sources for your charts etc I’m not sure how difficult this would be to implement but it would be nice even if its a simplified version of things like foreflight.

I’ve been using the ebag electronic flight bag tool, and it works greeat in VR. See the link below.

eBag (Electronic Flight Bag) also works in VR - Third Party Addon Discussion / Tools & Utilities - Microsoft Flight Simulator Forums

Try this:

https://www.rafaelsantos.es/web/simulators/flight-simulator/panels/107-ingamepanel-pdf-viewer-for-flight-simulator

Well said. And as you’ve mentioned, for a true hard-core simmer, a chart viewer is not enough, we need a real kneeboard that can be used to take notes for things like clearance (or if doing VFR flight in the traditional way, I need to write down the actual time of arriving a waypoint etc.) as well. My idea is to overlay an external window that could run desktop PDF viewer, Microsoft paint or any app you want. That way you can even easily use a drawing tablet to achieve the goal.
I’ve created a similar topic before: Scratchpad/kneeboard/EFB/windows overlay
Hope one day the votes could be merged as well for better visibility to the developers as this is a crucial yet missing functionality.

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I posted a topic for the upcoming Q&A about this basic concept (via my other thread) here:
https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/what-is-the-timeframe-for-vr-updates/401570

Let’s vote for that and get some feedback!

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Since VR launched, we have discussed adding a mechanism to view IFR charts in VR. The biggest discussion is here, and it currently has 111 votes (and made it onto the old snapshot):

Briefly, To properly fly in IFR, it’s essential to be able to review approach plates and similar materials. The old thread proposed a comprehensive set of tools as a formal chart viewer. All those tools would be great, but might take a lot of time to complete. The old snapshot listed that the release for a chart viewer had “Dependency (Charts).” I think this means that you are looking for something that would interface with a chart provider’s system and require licensing or something like that.

I suggest that there is a simpler approach that could be implemented very easily. These materials are usually widely available online. All that would really be required would be a simple VR web browser built directly into the sim. It could point to webpages or even to stored PDF files on our own machines. You could even brand it as Microsoft Edge. To really work well in VR, it could use some sort of virtual keyboard, but even that is not essential.

A more comprehensive solution as described in the other forum post would be great long term, but I would be very happy to see something more basic that could be rolled out quickly.

I agree with this. It would also allow more flexibility than viewing “just the charts”. For example, I can look at and review my aircraft manifest and flight plan, I can create new flight plans and interact with online multiplayer sessions, and even watch youtube or netflix when I’m on a long haul

Another alternative would be to display your desktop, something that FlyInside did for their VR addon for FSX (Features). This might be harder though since it seems like FS2020 relies on the VR being the top window for mouse interaction

Navigraph are working on integrating their chart software into the FS2020 in-flight toolbar.

Also, they are bringing live weather METAR sources into their next release and VFR maps are in the works to complement their IFR offering.

Combine that with their recent acquisition of Simbrief, and the fact that you can already replace the FS2020 base sim nav data with Navigraph’s to ensure it’s up to date, and it’s looking quite promising. It might not be long before a navigraph subscription gets you a complete in-sim VR compatible package of flight planning, charts and weather.

I understand that this is a paid-for service, but I can’t imagine that the FS2020 team are not aware of the Navigraph roadmap and therefore that there will be a plug for this gap in the future.

Some will be sad that it’s not free, but the navigraph package could be worth the money IMO. Let’s see how it develops!

@NAVData may be able to expand on this / correct me where I have gone wrong!

This guy has some good VR panels including a PDF viewer which can be used to view charts:

https://www.rafaelsantos.es/web/index.php

Works pretty good for me, not a simple plug and play solution though, you’ll need to gather the maps, place them in a specific folder and run a small included webserver (click to start).

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I definitely hope Navigraph gets something really good out. I may also take a look at Rafael Santos’s page–if it works, it would be a good interim solution.

I do think this is a core function of the sim, however. Hopefully, something will be pretty easy to implement.

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If you need to consult any PDF you can use my PDF Viewer. It’s very easy and powerful at same time. You can use my Enhanced Map panel (with following of the aircraft) in combination with the PDF Viewer. With that it’s enough to do a good flight.

RafaelSantos.es - Ingamepanel PDF VIEWER for Flight Simulator v1.2

I’m working on the Navigraph integration too. I’m researching a lot about it and I could do a solution soon, if the Navigraph team help me a bit.

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I have a Valve Index and use OVR Toolkit ($12 on steam) with SteamVR to pin any application window into the VR view. I pin LittleNavMap, Discord, Vatsim/PE, and a kneeboard i can type into or use a mouse to draw on. You can place these windows wherever you want as well as set them to disappear when you are not looking at them. For example, ill place the kneeboard down on my “virtual” knee, discord up on the ceiling, and little nav map either i’ll size it to fit nicely on the dash or just place it in the passenger seat. Works decently well. You can also save various window placements and configurations into profiles, so you can build profiles for your commonly flown planes so that you dont have to readjust the panels all the time. Just load the profile and enjoy.

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Thank you to everyone for those suggestions. I’m particularly looking at your PDF viewier, and I think it’s a great start.

1 Like

Since VR launched, we have discussed adding a mechanism to view IFR charts in VR. The biggest discussion is here, and it currently has 111 votes (and made it onto the old snapshot):

Briefly, To properly fly in IFR, it’s essential to be able to review approach plates and similar materials. The old thread proposed a comprehensive set of tools as a formal chart viewer. All those tools would be great, but might take a lot of time to complete. The old snapshot listed that the release for a chart viewer had “Dependency (Charts).” I think this means that you are looking for something that would interface with a chart provider’s system and require licensing or something like that.

I suggest that there is a simpler approach that could be implemented very easily. These materials are usually widely available online. All that would really be required would be a simple VR web browser built directly into the sim. It could point to webpages or even to stored PDF files on our own machines. You could even brand it as Microsoft Edge. To really work well in VR, it could use some sort of virtual keyboard, but even that is not essential.

A more comprehensive solution as described in the other forum post would be great long term, but I would be very happy to see something more basic that could be rolled out quickly.

So for X-Plane there is currently MoveVR and Avitab, which allow you to move windows, like your pdf files (charts etc.) into the cockpit in VR. Avitab gives you a virtual tablet inside the cockpit also. Can we expect a similar feature for FS2020 when it comes out in VR? Really wanna preorder the Reverb G2 and the only thing holding me back right now is the fact that I won’t be able to see my charts/maps and vpilot (for VATSIM) inside VR. The tablet would also be very nice and if we could write on it with the VR controllers that would be really sweet for taking notes while talking to ATC for example. Hope these will be included in the VR release :slight_smile:

Avitab is so wonderfull !!! Best plugin ever !!!
The guy from navigraph mentioned it in his video regarding the charts, maybe he knows something we don’t

Now as VR is released, can you move this post to the VR main thread or react to the wishlist postings there?

I definitively support this request!

Hello Farbod1277

Is there any news on this?
I am on the same road, as I want to use Self Loading Cargo to run into the VR cockpit and don’t find any app to move it inside the VR.