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Free Air Map

Controlling your aircraft, using the autopilot etc.

Free Air Map

Postby Robertfm » Thu May 07, 2020 9:18 pm

http://geminisoftware.de/ Has anyone else come across this. Surprising it is supposed to be compatible with FG. I downloaded it but it says it needs to sync with FG. Any assistance would be welcome. If it works it opens in a separate screen with maps, plates etc in a Garmin 500.
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Re: Free Air Map

Postby SurferTim » Thu May 07, 2020 9:29 pm

Looks like you've dealt with this before. Page 27
https://geminisoftware.de/release23/FreeAirMap_e.pdf
It interfaces not unlike Pirate's Panel did. UDP packets.
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Re: Free Air Map

Postby Robertfm » Thu May 07, 2020 9:39 pm

Do you know I don't recall that at all, which FG thread was it.

Edit: Guess this line means it's not worth loading on a single machine set up if it won't read FG Flight Plans. In a client/server configuration the FlightGear flightplans cannot be displayed in the FreeAirMap panel!
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Re: Free Air Map

Postby Robertfm » Fri May 08, 2020 8:15 pm

Easily loaded and it does follow FG flight plan. Lots of features just got to get use to how they function.

Edit: How very odd, in order to become familiar with FAM I loaded FG & FAM on my laptop. Exactly the same procedure but they won't talk to each other. UDP ports activated etc. Any ideas Surfer Tim.

Edit: Sorted problem, I have two versions of FG loaded and the FAM xlm files when to the wrong one. I shifted them over and bingo.
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Re: Free Air Map

Postby Robertfm » Sun May 10, 2020 4:16 pm

Now I have become familiar with this I would recommend others download it if you use windows. It has a number of features not found on FG. there is TAWS which takes a bit of getting use to. It has a minimum safe altitude (MSA) feature based on your flight plan. It is permanently shown on the display. There is also a wind direction indicator & strength. As well as a variety of maps with all the usual way points etc. If I can use it anyone can
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Re: Free Air Map

Postby Hooray » Sun May 10, 2020 4:42 pm

is this actually accessing FG DEM info (BTG tiles) or where is the elevation data coming from ?
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Re: Free Air Map

Postby Robertfm » Sun May 10, 2020 4:56 pm

That's a bit technical for me. An input is placed in the settings when you open FG. As shown in the Free Air Map Manual. Then it just works. As I understand it it follows data from Route Manager altitudes. https://geminisoftware.de/release23/FreeAirMap_e.pdf
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Re: Free Air Map

Postby Robertfm » Mon May 11, 2020 7:57 pm

Whilst I appreciate that our resident experts would not have used the TAWS system in FAM my question is more about TAWS in general. The system works well with one exception when ever I start a descent even just 100ftpm the sink rate alarm sounds, and then after a few times the pull up sounds even though I may be at 5000ft. As soon as I set ALT again, it stops. The FAM gets it's data from FG. So my question is really are there any settings in FG that could alter this. Even when I switch to APPR on TAWS the same thing happens so I have to switch it off.

In Depart Mode. Sitting on the runway it says 'Don't sink', which is normal on take off if rate of climb drops off. If I advance the throttle slightly it stops. Any assistance would be welcome. The manual is posted in the post above.

EDIT: The reason I asked for help is because for some reason the companies email bounces, as do their online form. This is odd as the latest update was April..
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Re: Free Air Map

Postby Robertfm » Tue May 12, 2020 9:27 pm

Now managed to contact company and they are being very helpful.
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Re: Free Air Map

Postby Robertfm » Mon May 18, 2020 5:23 pm

Having spent the last 6 days communicating with Klaus at FAM he has now tuned the system to work excellently in GA aircraft. The call out makes landing easy and the TAWs, it also has GPWS and a flight transition system which is automatic, it's is well tuned with few false alerts. The FAM follows Route Manager with a moving plane/map. It compliments the Phi in FG as you can't expand the page in FAM with out altering a setting. So running the two side by side works well. I have discussed with Klaus adding a terrain profile map like in Foreflight and he is looking at it.

FAM is totally free and Klaus really is open to modifications and addition. I urge FG users to give it a go. If you encounter any difficulties, as with all things there are 'little secrets' please feel free to ask me. I've learnt a lot in the last week about FAM.
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Re: Free Air Map

Postby hmt1 » Tue May 26, 2020 8:38 pm

Robertfm wrote in Fri May 08, 2020 8:15 pm:Easily loaded and it does follow FG flight plan. Lots of features just got to get use to how they function.

Edit: How very odd, in order to become familiar with FAM I loaded FG & FAM on my laptop. Exactly the same procedure but they won't talk to each other. UDP ports activated etc. Any ideas Surfer Tim.

Edit: Sorted problem, I have two versions of FG loaded and the FAM xlm files when to the wrong one. I shifted them over and bingo.


Tried Free Airmap: FAM does not appear to talk to FG 2018.3.2 when flying a PA34. Says "Waiting for GPS sync (Flight Gear)"
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Re: Free Air Map

Postby Robertfm » Tue May 26, 2020 8:57 pm

Did you load it into the Protocol of your version of FG,

Did you read the manual: https://geminisoftware.de/release23/FreeAirMap_e.pdf Have you loaded the code into the settings in FG launch page>

--generic=socket,out,10,127.0.0.1,12347,udp,freeairmap
--generic=socket,out,1,127.0.0.1,12348,udp,freeairmapai
--generic=socket,in,1,127.0.0.1,12349,udp,freeairmaptime --launcher

Note in the manual it shows a space after = in line 2 & 3 there shouldn't be one.
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Re: Free Air Map

Postby hmt1 » Wed May 27, 2020 1:21 am

Hi Robert,

Thanks for getting back.

Yes, I did read the manual in FreeAirMap_e.pdf. I have set the command line parameters for FlightGear launch, as above. I note that if I have "--generic=socket ..." as opposed to "-generic=socket ..." it does not run and complains of error. So, I am launch FlightGear with "-generic=socket ..." on all three lines plus "-launcher" at the end.

No luck, however.

HMT1
Last edited by Johan G on Wed Jul 01, 2020 11:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Please, do not quote the entire preceding post. It is right above your post.
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Re: Free Air Map

Postby WoodSTokk » Wed May 27, 2020 1:36 am

hmt1 wrote in Wed May 27, 2020 1:21 am:I note that if I have "--generic=socket ..." as opposed to "-generic=socket ..." it does not run and complains of error. So, I am launch FlightGear with "-generic=socket ..." on all three lines plus "-launcher" at the end.

No luck, however.

HMT1


You need two dashes, because its a long parameter.
If you use only one dash, every character stays for one parameter.

As example
Code: Select all
fgfs --help

means the long parameter 'help'.
Where as
Code: Select all
fgfs -help

is equivalent with
Code: Select all
fgfs -h -e -l -p

where every character is a different parameter.

In your case, you need two dashes so that the program read the string up to the next white space.
If you receive a error message, please post it here. There are enough high experienced users on this forum to help you.
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Re: Free Air Map

Postby Robertfm » Wed May 27, 2020 9:06 am

Have you checked in Protocol, did you save to there. What you may find within protocol is another data file open that and there will be another 'protocol' open that and you should see 3 xml files for FAM. Copy them to the main protocol file. Check you have a Gemini folder in Programs, the fact that you have the Program itself will mean you have Gemini but I found as described above with the extra data file.
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