1. Introduction. JAN-2016: Wideroe & Blue1 carriers not in service anymore Cargo Division not operational anymore

Transcription

1 Scandianvian VA SVATT-NG 1. Introduction Welcome to SVATT-NG, the flight planning tool of the Scandinavian VA. This manual describes how to install the application and the available functionality. To use SVATT-NG you must have: 1. At all times an active internet connection. 2. A password. You have received this password when you became a member. JAN-2016: Wideroe & Blue1 carriers not in service anymore Cargo Division not operational anymore Page 1

2 Table of Contents 1. Introduction Installation... 3 Microsoft Click-Once Technology... 3 Running SVATT-NG for the first time... 4 Downloading SVATT-NG databases SVATT-NG Home Page Pilot Logbook... 7 Submitting Pireps to SVA Server Importing Server Pireps to Your Logbook Create a SVA Flight/Assignment Selecting the departure and destination airport Aircraft Selection Module Fuel Configuration Module Import an ATS Flight Plan Edit SVA/Classic Fleet Settings Create Classic Flight Assignment Create Random Flight Assignment SVATT-NG Settings & Utilities SVATT-NG Settings Edit Pilot Profile Submit/Edit On leave Request Import Navigraph PSS Nav data cycle Flight Plan Export Settings Favourite Aircraft Settings Example RODOS Flight Plan Example Sabre Flight Plan SVATT-NG Data Folder Location Scandinavian VA Folder (main) Flightplans Folder Flightplans\NavData Folder Flightplans\HTML Folder FlightRecorder Folder Pirep Folder Resources Folder SVA Flight Recorder Checklist Performing a SVA Flight Page 2

3 2. Installation SVATT-NG Setup application is available at this web page: The following software is required for SVATT-NG to operate properly: Microsoft.NET Framework, version 4.0 or higher Microsoft SQL Compact Edition, version 3.5 SP2 Microsoft Visual C SP1 Runtime (64 or 32Bit) If these frameworks are not yet installed on your system, they will be automatically installed by the SVATT-NG Setup application, except for the Visual C Runtime. This has to be downloaded/installed manually before installing SVATT-NG. It may sound trivial, but please make sure your system clock has the correct time. SVATT-NG uses a secure connection to the SVA Server, and if your system clock is more than 5 minutes off sync, the communication with the server fails. Download/install the appropriate Visual C++ Runtime (even if a version is already installed on your system) and run the Setup application afterwards. 64Bit version: 32Bit Version: If you don t know your system type version, check your computer properties: It is not required the install SVATT-NG on the system running Flight Simulator, but if you would like to use the flight plan export functionality, the SVATT-NG PC must have network access to your Flight Simulator PC by means of a mapped network drive. Microsoft Click-Once Technology The Setup application is based on the Microsoft s Click-Once technology. This implies that you cannot choose the location where the application is installed on your system. This is determined automatically. The advantage of Click-Once technology is that in case of an application update, you will be notified during start-up and your current version will be updated automatically. Page 3

4 Running SVATT-NG for the first time After SVATT-NG and the prerequisites have been installed successfully on your system, you can start SVATT-NG by clicking the desktop icon, or using the link in the Scandinavian VA menu. When SVATT-NG is ran for the first time (or in case of a forced reinstall) you need to provide your SVA pilot-id and your password. After you have entered your credentials, an online validation is made on the SVA server. When the validation was successful SVATT-NG will continue and you credentials are stored locally. Each time SVATT-NG is used this online validation is also done, hence you need an active internet connection at all times. Of course you need to supply your credentials only once. When successfully validated, they are stored locally and submitted automatically to the SVA Server each time you start up SVATT-NG. Page 4

5 Downloading SVATT-NG databases After a new installation or in case of a new SVA timetable version on the server, you will be notified and SVATT-NG automatically downloads and installs these updated tables. Page 5

6 3. SVATT-NG Home Page When SVATT-NG successfully has started, the home page is visible. Your pilot profile is presented and current flight statistics collected from the SVA Server. You can replace the empty pilot picture with a picture of yourself, by replacing the pilot.jpg image in the resources folder. SVATT-NG Main Menu 1. Home Page 2. Pilot Logbook 3. Create SVA Flight/Assignment 4. Create Classic Flight/Assignment 5. Create Cargo Flight/Assignment JAN 2016: Cargo division not operational any more 6. Create Random Flight/Assignment 7. Edit SVA Fleet Settings 8. Edit Classic Fleet Settings 9. Edit Cargo Fleet Settings JAN 2016: Cargo fleet not operational any more 10. Launch Flight Recorder 11. SVATT-NG Settings Page 6

7 4. Pilot Logbook All your pireps (pilot reports) are stored in a local database. 1. Logbook view. 2. Import Flight Recorder data file. 3. Create manual pirep. 4. Chart view 5. Import Pireps from SVA Server. Page 7

8 The pireps are entered in your logbook by one of the 2 following methods: 1. Importing a SVA Flight Recorder data file. The Flight Recorder is a separate application that each pilot uses when performing a flight for the SVA. It records real-time several flight parameters from Flight Simulator, like flight time, distance, fuel burn etc. After a flight has been completed successfully, a data file (pirep) is automatically saved. You import one or more Flight Recorder data files by clicking on the Import button (2). The import module automatically checks if a data file previously already had been imported. Be advised: Only pireps recorded with Flight Recorder version 5.x can be imported. Flight Recorder 5.x is included in the setup package of SVATT-NG. Page 8

9 2. Creating a manual pirep in SVATT-NG. In case you forgot to use Flight Recorder or you attended an online Fly- In (for which SVATT-NG sometimes cannot be used, if the flight is not available in the time table) you also can create a pirep yourself by clicking on the Create Pirep button (3). JAN-2016: Cargo Division not operational anymore Page 9

10 Submitting Pireps to SVA Server Since all pireps initially are stored in a local database, they are not yet available on the SVA Server. You can submit pireps to the SVA Server also through the logbook. Any unsubmitted pirep is indicated by a blue status. By clicking on the blue indicator, the Submit Pirep window is opened. Apon submitting the pirep is validated on the SVA Server and either accepted or rejected. In case of a rejection you will be informed about the reason. Page 10

11 Importing Server Pireps to Your Logbook When you have (re)installed SVATT-NG your logbook will be empty. If you already had submitted pireps to the SVA Server, you can import those so your logbook is in sync again with the SVA Server. Import your pireps by clicking on the Server Pireps button (5) Page 11

12 5. Create a SVA Flight/Assignment Each SVA Pilot creates his/her own assignments, based on the available flights of the following carriers: 1. SAS 2. Wideroe (Subsidiary of SAS) JAN-2016: Out of service 3. Blue1 (idem) JAN-2016: Out of service All available destinations are shown on the map Also flights scheduled with a specific aircraft can be filtered. Additionally, only flights departing within the next hour can filtered. Page 12

13 Initially the selection mode (2) is set to departure mode which means that when an airport on the map is clicked, all flights departing from that airport are shown. When the selection mode is set to destination mode all flights arriving at that airport are shown. In case the Next hour flights filter is set, the selection mode is reset to departure mode. Selecting the departure and destination airport. When left-clicking on an airport icon the departing/arriving airport is set. (depending on the selection mode) and all available flights are shown. By left-clicking on one of the other airport icons, the other departing/arriving airport is set. Use can reset the selected airports by right-clicking on any airport icon. The map can be zoomed in/out using the mouse scroll wheel or by using the zoom buttons. The map can be moved by keeping pressed the right mouse button. Page 13

14 When the departing and arriving airport have been selected, you can choose a specific flight by clicking on the Flights button (3). All available flights, based on the selected filters, are shown. In the image below only flights scheduled with the Boeing are listed. After a flight has been selected, proceed to the aircraft selector by pressing the Next button (4). Page 14

15 Aircraft Selection Module With this module you select the aircraft used to perform your flight. The available aircrafts depend on the following parameters: The carrier of the selected flight The trip distance The maximum available runway length at both airports. (If the length is only 3.000ft for example, the Airbus A340 is not listed) The aircraft that initially is selected (in this case the Boeing ), depends on 2 factors: 1. By default the aircraft defined in the time table is selected. 2. When configured, the pilot s favourite aircraft is selected. The favourite aircraft is only selected if it fits the trip distance and runway length constraints. Nevertheless any other aircraft in the carrier fleet can be chosen as well. You can scroll through the aircraft list by pressing on the navigation buttons (1) or by clicking on one of the aircraft pictures (2). The pictures used for each aircraft can be modified by replacing them in the resources folder. (More information about the location of this folder is provided in the chapter SVATT-NG Data Folder Location ). When you have selected an aircraft, proceed to the Fuel Configuration module. Page 15

16 Fuel Configuration Module With this module you set the amount of fuel that is loaded into your aircraft by Flight Recorder and optionally import an ATS flight plan. Based on the flight distance and the selected aircraft, the required amount of fuel is calculated automatically, in above example 6.2T. The calculation is based on several fuel parameters specific for each individual aircraft. They can be edited in the fleet setting modules. Page 16

17 If the calculated amount of fuel does not meet your requirements, press the Configure Fuel button (2) In this screen the alternate airport can be selected (which impacts the required amount of fuel). Also each type of fuel amount can be edited. The numbers behind the selectors indicate the projected flight time for the entered amount of fuel. Also when you have processed an ATS flight plan and enabled Active Sky METAR support (see settings module) the various wind corrections are shown for different altitudes. A positive value indicates a tail wind, a negative value indicates a head wind. Based on these wind corrections and your planned cruise level, you can decide to load some more fuel. Important: When Active Sky METAR support is enabled, make sure you have started Active Sky before processing an ATS flight plan, otherwise old weather files are being used for the calculations! Page 17

18 Import an ATS Flight Plan Optionally an ATS formatted flight plan can be imported. Be advised: You must have imported first a Navigraph PSS nav data cycle, before you can import any flight plan. (Pay ware) Oceanic waypoints have the following 5 character format 5820E = N58.00 E N = N58.00 W S = S58.00 E W = S58.00 W20.00 Page 18

19 You can collect an ATS formatted flight plan from Vroute for example: (freeware) The imported ATS flight plan is used for multiple purposes: To create the RODOS or Sarbe flight plan (html) To create one or more flight plans for FMC s of 3 rd party aircraft. After the ATS flight plan is imported and validated, it is imposed on the map After you optionally have edited the amount of fuel and/or have imported a flight plan, click on the Next button. Page 19

20 When you see this dispatch voucher, the following actions have been performed by SVATT-NG: The RODOS flight plan has been opened in your internet browser. A assignment data file has been saved for usage in Flight Recorder. Flight Recorder is SVATT-NG aware and lists automatically all available assignments when started up. When configured, one or more flight plans have been exported to Flight Simulator. SVATT-NG comes with several flight plan export modules, which convert the imported ATS flight plan to the (FMC) flight plan format of 3 rd party aircraft. (Like PMDG, ifly, LevelD, etc.) The assigned gate printed on the voucher is calculated randomly and only for display purposes. You are now ready to go! When you arrived at the gate, tear off the side strip of the voucher and make sure to hand it over to our dispatch officer Enjoy your flight! Page 20

21 6. Edit SVA/Classic Fleet Settings Several aircraft parameters that are used in SVATT-NG can be edited/finetuned using these modules. JAN 2016: Cargo fleet not operational anymore The following performance settings need special attention: Range Based on this setting, the list of selectable aircraft for a flight is determined. If the flight distance is larger than the range of an aircraft, it is not available. Min Req Runway Length The list of selectable aircraft also is determined by the value of this setting. It defines the minimum runway length that must be available on both the departure and destination airport. If none of the runways at both airports meet this requirement, the aircraft is not available. Page 21

22 7. Create Classic Flight Assignment Besides the SAS division the Scandinavian VA also has a Classic The Classic fleet contains former SAS aircraft that are not operational anymore like the recently abandoned Boeing but also aircraft like the Convair CV990. The flight assignments in the Classic do not follow a specific time table, but are fully free flight. This implies you can fly between any of the airports that are in SVATT-NG included (just over airports), as long as one of the selected airports is located in Scandinavia. Since there is no time table the flight and aircraft selection is slightly different from the regular SVA flight. Click on the small SAS-logo (1) to open the Classic flight creator: Page 22

23 Select a departure and destination airport as well as the aircraft. The Classic are free-flight, you are not bound to any time table and can fly between airports anywhere in the world, as long as one of the airports is located in Scandinavia. The fuel configurator and ATS import module operate the same way as with a regular SVA flight. Page 23

24 8. Create Random Flight Assignment As an alternative for selecting manually a SVA assignment, you can use the random flight module. This way you can mimic a working day for example. Based on your selections set in the Flights Filter section (1), a flight is randomly chosen. Optionally you also can set/force a departing or destination airport, by clicking on an airport on the map but this is not required. JAN 2016: Wideroe & Blue1 carriers not operational anymore Page 24

25 9. SVATT-NG Settings & Utilities In the Settings & Utilities module several application settings can be configured. 1. SVATT-NG Settings 2. Edit Pilot Profile 3. Submit/Edit On leave Request 4. Import Navigraph PSS Nav data cycle 5. Flight Plan Export Settings 6. Set Favourite Aircraft Page 25

26 SVATT-NG Settings System Settings Map Provider You can choose out of 6 different map types used in the several map views. Log Level This sets the amount of information that is written to the log file. (SVATT-NG-YYYYMM.log) By default only a small number of informative messages are written to the log, however when set to Debug extended information is recorded. Set only to Debug level when asked. It is only required for troubleshooting bugs/errors and it will slow down SVATT-NG. HTML Flight Plan Format SVATT-NG supports multiple flight plan formats, RODOS and Sabre. Select here your preferred format. Also you can design your own flight plan format by creating an xsl style sheet. Copy your style sheet in the HTML folder and it will be listed here. (For HTML folder location, check the chapter SVATT-NG Data Folder Location) Active Sky METAR Support If you have Active Sky (AS6.5 or ASE for example) you can enable METAR support in SVATT-NG. When enabled and after you have imported an ATS flight plan, SVATT-NG will calculate several weather variables for better planning your flight: - WC: Wind Correction (weighted and based on flight plan route) - AW: Average Wind Direction and Strength (printed on HTML Flight plan) Calculated between departure and destination. This value can be entered in (most) FMC s for better performance calculations. - ISA DEV: Average ISA Deviation (HTML) for flight plan route. This value can also be entered in the FMC. - Winds per waypoint (HTML). When enabling METAR support, you also must set the folder containing the Active Sky weather files : current_wx_snapshot.txt & wx_station_list.txt For ASE this is for example: C:\Users\<User Name>\AppData\Roaming\HiFi\ASE\Weather Minimize to system tray If you like to can have SVATT-NG minimized to the system tray, showing only the small icon when minimized. Double-clicking on the icon restores the SVATT-NG window. Get METAR Cycle When enabled, the METAR information for the departure and destination airport is downloaded from the NOAA web site and printed on the RODOS flight plan. Hide Charter Flights The SK5xxx flights are not genuine SAS flights, but have been added manually to the time table. Mostly are flights to challenging or exciting destinations. If you only want to fly real SAS flights, hide these charter flights. Flight plan alert If you have not imported an ATS flight plan and you finalize your flight Page 26

27 assignment, a popup message is shown to remind you to import an ATS flight plan. Display Zulu time Instead of showing the local departure/arrival times, you can select to display the Zulu times instead. Restore settings. By means of the vault icon (top-right) your SVATT-NG and Fleet settings can be restored. Occasionally a SVATT-NG update can force a reinstall of all databases, causing your settings to be reset. When this happens, you can restore your original settings. Your settings are automatically backed up every time you do a save. Page 27

28 Edit Pilot Profile Your own profile can be edited here. The information is used to publish on the SVA web site in your personal pilot web page. You are kindly asked to fill in and keep your personal profile updated. The SVA Team uses your Sva address for sending s to you, so please keep it updated at all times. The Public is shown on the web site on your pilot page and is visible to everyone. After pressing the Submit button your profile is updated on the SVA Server. Page 28

29 Submit/Edit On leave Request You can submit a new on leave request to the SVA Team, or edit an existing on leave request. An on leave period can be requested for a maximum period of 6 months and is only available for pilots having filed more than 10 hours. After you have submitted an on leave request, please allow the SVA Team a few days to respond. Page 29

30 Import Navigraph PSS Nav data cycle SVATT-NG uses the PSS nav data for 2 purposes: To Import an ATS formatted flight plan to print on the RODOS flight plan. To export one or more flight plans for usage in FMC s of 3 rd party aircraft. With this module you can import your own cycles. Be advised: The nav data is pay ware and can be downloaded at the web site of Navigraph: Page 30

31 Flight Plan Export Settings You can install several flight plan export plug-in, depending on the 3 rd party aircraft you have installed in Flight Simulator. Each plug-in is a separate module that needs to be installed in the Flight plans folder, subfolder of the SVATT-NG data folder. Check the SVATT-NG Data Folder Location chapter about how to do this. Depending on the amount of plug-ins you have installed, each one is listed in this view. When using the flight plan export functionality, the MS Flight Simulator plugin is required at all times (most other export definitions depend on it) You need to set the location of the Flight Simulator main folder, containing the FS9.exe/FSX.exe (1) The 2 nd folder button is to set the storage location for FS flight plans. Depending on the type of plug-in, you can configure 2 settings: Checkbox for exporting the imported ATS flight plan or not. The location of the exported file to be saved. For most plug-ins the location is determined automatically (based on the location of you Flight Simulator), for some you have to configure the location yourself. Page 31

32 Favourite Aircraft Settings For every fleet you can set a favourite aircraft. Default the planned aircraft is selected as defined by the selected flight. When setting a favourite aircraft, that one is selected instead. Be advised: The favourite aircraft is only selected if the flight distance and runway length permit. Page 32

33 10. Example RODOS Flight Plan Page 33

34 Page 34

35 11. Example Sabre Flight Plan Page 35

36 Page 36

37 Page 37

38 Page 38

39 12. SVATT-NG Data Folder Location The SVATT-NG data folder contains the local database in which all required data is stored and it contains several resources (images etc.) that are used in the application. Some of these resources can be edited/replace by yourself. The location of the data folder depends on your system setup and on the version of Windows OS. To locate where the data is stored on your system, click on the About SVATT- NG button. (Most top-right button) The location in the screenshot above is on a Windows 7 Ultimate, networked PC. Page 39

40 The SVATT-NG Data folder has the following structure: Scandinavian VA Folder (main) Contains several SQL-CE databases, and monthly log files used to troubleshoot any bugs and anomalies. (SVATT-NG-YYYYMM.log) Also does it contain a SVATT-NG.dat file. By removing this file you can force a clean installation when desired. Be advised: Any customized data, settings and files (including edited images) are replaced by default settings and files. Flightplans Folder All Flight plan Export plug-ins you would like to use should be copied into this folder. These modules are dll files and can be downloaded from the download section in the SVA forum. For several FMC s of 3 rd party aircraft plug-ins are/become available. Only install the plug-ins you need, because there is not enough space to show them all in the interface. The Flight Simulator plug-in however is mandatory. (Sva.Flightplan.MSFS.dll) Flightplans\NavData Folder In this folder you should copy the Navigraph PSS Nav data cycle you would like to import in SVATT-NG (for HTML flight plans and exporting flight plans) Flightplans\HTML Folder All by SVATT-NG created HTML flight plans are saved in this folder. FlightRecorder Folder All assignments you create are located in this folder. The SVA Flight Recorder lists all assignments in its interface so you can select one and record a pirep in Flight Simulator. After Flight Recorder successfully has recorded a pirep, the matching assignment automatically is removed from this folder. Page 40

41 Pirep Folder After you have performed a flight using Flight Recorder, a pirep file is saved automatically by Flight Recorder in this folder. Subsequently you use the Flight Recorder import module in the SVATT-NG logbook to import the pirep into your logbook. After the pirep has been processed by SVATT-NG, it is moved to one of the other pirep subfolders. Resources Folder The resources folder contains all fleet images used in the several modules of SVATT-NG. If you like you can replace them by your own images as long as the size and file name remain exactly the same! The folder also contains a pilot.jpg file which is used in the pilot batch on the main page. You can replace it by a photo of yourself. The dimensions must be exactly 90px width and 100px high. Page 41

42 13. SVA Flight Recorder The Flight Recorder is used to record several parameters during your flight in Flight Simulator. The parameters include flight time, fuel burn, distance etc. When a flight has been successfully performed, a pirep (pilot report) is saved on your disk and can be imported in your SVATT-NG logbook and subsequently be send to the SVA Server. Each pilot is required to use Flight Recorder. It is automatically installed during the installation of SVATT-NG and can be started by using the button in the SVATT-NG top menu. 1. Depending on the amount of flight assignments you have created with SVATT-NG, they can be selected using the list box. 2. The information of the selected assignment (1) is presented in this window. 3. When performing a flight, real-time flight progress can be send to the SVA Server by using the ACARS option. You are kindly asked to do so, because other pilots can follow your progress on the SVA web site. Be advised: When using ACARS you need to have an active internet connection. 4. You can set several Flight Recorder parameters. - Set FS Clock (Sync the FS clock with the departure time of the assignment) - Show Recording Progress (Show recording parameters in FS main window) - Board Aircraft (Simulate Aircraft boarding) - Inhibit door opening (F.R. opens automatically all doors when arrived at Page 42

43 the destination gate/platform. To prevent this, check this setting. - Stop recording when speed < 1kts. Normally F.R. automatically will stop recording when you have arrived at the gate and you have shut down your engines + set the parking brakes. If this for whatever reason doesn t function on your system, enable this setting. F.R. then will stop recording when your aircraft is not moving anymore. Example of ACARS presented on SVA web site Page 43

44 14. Checklist Performing a SVA Flight To perform a flight for Scandinavian VA, follow the next steps: 1. Create a flight/assignment using SVATT-NG, following all required steps until you see the dispatch voucher. A Flight Recorder assignment file has been saved on your disk. 2. Start Flight Simulator and position your aircraft on a parking spot at the departing airport. Make sure the fuel is cut-off and the parking brakes are set! 3. Start Flight Recorder and select the assignment you just have created. 4. When you have done all your flight preparations, press the record button in Flight Recorder. It will start the actual recording when your engines are started and parking brakes are off (i.e. during push-back) 5. Perform your flight in Flight Simulator 6. After you have landed and have arrived at the gate/platform, shut down your engines (fuel cut-off!) and set your parking brakes. Flight Recorder will now stop the recording automatically and saves a pirep file. 7. In SVATT-NG, go to your logbook and import the Flight Recorder data file (pirep). It is now visible in your personal logbook. 8. Submit your pirep to the SVA Server, by clicking on the blue arrow in the 1 st column of a logbook row. Page 44