When will Navaids Data get update?

[thew42]

Navaids directory in FGData is very out of date now. How can I help update them and when it will get update?

[Hooray]

Note that the issue is two-fold, because FlightGear's scenery depends partially on the navdata - i.e. some aspects of the scenery are statically pre-compiled using a toolchain called "TerraGear", e.g. airports/runways/taxiways.

The other issue is that the corresponding data is hard to get your hands on for most parts of the world (for details, look up the whole history on DAFIFT): http://wiki.flightgear.org/Dynamic_Airport_Generation


Thus, updating navaids is a little more involved than it may appear at first.

In the meantime, a number of long-term contributors and core developers have suggested to procedurally create the corresponding airport/runway geometry at runtime, so that newer/alternate navdata sources can be used - this would also mean that a 3rd party navdb could be used, including even a standalone navdb service (think an online API) - this is something that would also make it possible to properly shut-down certain navaids depending on the selected date/time:

https://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/ma ... /35383393/

I think your use scenario highlights a fundamental problem with our scenery approach, in dealing with historical periods. We just have no good way to have most of the nav data be current, but some portions reflect the world as it was in 1960 or 1980. I would prefer we maintained some global historical data sets of nav data, but in principle this would also mean maintaining historical scenery and airports, and selecting / de-selecting models based on data ranges. (So buildings appear based on their construction / demolition date).

Note that this would also help related efforts, that are currently limited by GPL restrictions (think fgmembers wanting to ship/include proprieary navdata with their aircraft)


See the wiki and the devel list archives for details: https://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/ma ... /35377711/

[thew42]

So I have to wait for core developer finish this?

Beside, I want to help developing scenery for my country but I am very confused now. I've read flightgear wiki in developing scenery section. I think many wiki pages is out of date now, many dead links.

[Hooray]

See the mapserver article in the wiki to learn why those links are dead meanwhile

[Octal450]

My MD-80 and MD-90 will have an FMS with an updated NavData package hopefully. Perhaps this can be adapted to FGFS? (or at least route manager)

[Hooray]

unlikely, depending on the source/license of said data

[pommesschranke]

the latest apt.dat.gz
http://media.lug-marl.de/flightgear/fgdata/Airports/

and the latest fix.dat.gz
http://media.lug-marl.de/flightgear/Navaids/

both from X-Plane, both GPL, both tested by more than one FG user.

FG has issues with reading the latest nav.dat.gz
maybe someone likes to debug this.

you can submit corrections an additions here:
https://gateway.x-plane.com/bugs