1) Combining real external data with FGFS-internal data
- As a fact there is (and will always be) the problem:
- the real (professional) world works with daily updated changes/infos/advises etc (which cost a lot of money for professionals or their company!)
OpenRadar is based on freely available (not always the newest) data which are on a slightly newer level than FGFS
the big and complex FGFS data cannot follow all those changes as fast
In addition those "FGFS-professionals" should be careful about what data they use or promote to be used! e.g.: The referenced "jeppesen release 3.7.2.1" data on http://www.fly-sea.com/charts/EGKK.pdf are 6 to 10 years old (see the dates in the header!). And be careful to use copied versions: There is something like "copyright" - and even if only you use them - how do you make them available for all users in FGFS? (That is also one of the reasons why we cannot always use the newest data!)
- I guess everybody is aware that human beings are changing the world (especially the technical and even more the electronic-world) on a daily base (see above). But also the world/earth is changing every day - a good explanation for e.g. the magnetic problems you find in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Magnetic_Pole. Also see e.g. http://skyvector.com/files/tpp/1308/pdf/05591AD.PDF : In the upper right corner you find (on all good airport maps) the vector showing the difference between the magnetic and geographic north-pol and the predicted annual rate of change! Another reason why we as Non-Professionals need to compromise!
- I am not sure why someone means all professional pilots navigate by "true heading"! To my knowledge it all began with just a magnetic compass. Then when the "Directional Gyros" were used every pilot had to readjust that gyro from time to time according to the magnetic compass (and he could go to jail if he forgot that - see the pilot training manuals). As of today modern navigation may change to GPS and similar and thus get headings from that! But e.g. all VORs still use magnetic headings! Yes: In Europe that difference is small and thus just about neglectable but:
see at http://skyvector.com/?ll=51.148055556,- ... 301&zoom=3 the "0-arrows" inside the VOR's point practically to north (You do not see a 1° difference)
see at http://skyvector.com/?ll=37.619105028,- ... 127&zoom=3 you see a very significant difference
But definitely you see that they show the magnetic heading! And thus on all charts you see the magnetic headings used!
And please: I do not want to be the guy telling a new pilot coming VFR in a c172p to convert my given headings into the magnetic headings in his gyro!!!
- I cannot see why "GAMERS" should need the very newest data as in real life. But even the growing group of "SIMULATORS" do not need it. Even the Flying Simulators in the real world do not constantly update to the newest data - and they do not need to (for most applications).
- Well there are people that "play" and need a new computer each few month - and there are others that have specialized data which cannot be transferred easily (e.g. many big companies have very very big problems whenever they want to transfer their data to a new program!). But what is the problem in FGFS regarding to that? As good example: If you watch the movies at EDDF (http://www.emmerich-j.de/EDDF/Films/Films.html) you will see that some aircraft taxi with the wheels under the pavement, others do not see the 4th runway or do not use ILS nor VOR or whatever -- but is that a problem? If some FGFS-user wants to use the newest FGFS-version he can do so - if not then he might miss some of the fun. And if he wants to use the daily newest papers and charts from the "professional world" he can pay for them as much money as he can!
- The point is: