I was interested in purchasing a subscription for Navigraph but I am not sure if the ultimate is necessary for msfs2020 or just the FMS data plan would suffice. Anyone with any experience using it could chime in briefly? Thank you in advance!
Personal comments:
I’m on the Data Plan only.
Between the data and Little Nav Map, that covers most of my navigation needs in-sim. As much as the charts are very useful, and the interactive capability (it’s stunning on the CJ4 but I don’t fly that as I can’t figure out the Rockwell-Collins interface to save my life), that stuff is a nice-to-have. For example, many airports, even some of the bespoke ones from World Updates, don’t match real-world taxiways, but LNM depicts what the sim’s BGL files show - so when Ground tells you to taxi via such and such ways and intersections, LNM zoomed into the arrival airport matches those designations exactly. Real-world Jepp charts? Not so much. Tragic, but true.
If you’re a Simbrief user, then that may change your calculus. But I really needed the updated Navdata, and Navblue, even after SU4 and the FAA supplement, still doesn’t approach parity to what Navigraph brings out-of-the-box, so to speak. My 0.02 after inflation.
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It depends on what you mean by “necessary,” but since you are asking the question, it sounds like you don’t have an instrument rating IRL? You can get by with the FMS data plan if you are willing to find all of the approach plates on-line (at least that is an option in the U.S.) or if you don’t really care about flying IFR as realistically as possible. If you do have an instrument rating, Ultimate is pretty much the only way to go as it will give you the Jeppesen charts that you are likely used to.
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Personally, I fly on vatsim all the time so the charts subscription is invaluable for me. Yes the taxiway letters don’t match up for default airports, but the controllers will expect you to use the ones they assign you so you need to follow them from a chart rather than what’s shown in MSFS.
So I guess it depends on your use case. As mentioned, there’s other options for finding charts elsewhere (normally older versions but not necessarily out of date), so you could start with the data subscription and switch later. Or if you are planning on doing a lot of network flying (vatsim, ivao etc) then you could consider the chart option too.
I have the full package and it is money well spent if you want approach plates, stars and sids.
And great to be able to superimpose the approach plate over your flight path!
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I have ultimate as I enjoy the current and continued integration of their Charts service into various addons. To be honest, you could get away with the FMS plan if you have no interest in viewing charts (or don’t care to have them overlaid in-game). I would however recommend grabbing the ultimate sub as, in my opinion, you’ll enhance your sim experience with the added functionality.
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If you do significant IFR flying and care about realism, the Ultimate subscription is a must. The charts are high value.
You can also keep all your apps in sync with the current AIRAC cycle.
Navigraph is the best money I have ever invested for a simulator! Great tool and also great customer service! Best of best
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I have the expected results with the subscription when putting in a flight plan. Also I use ForeFlight so want the two to match
If you’re flying in VR, Navigraph Charts is a must. They have given a great in game panel that works perfectly in VR and even has a VR keyboard that I use to copy ATC taxi instructions.