Simplates X Crackle

I have the older version of SimPlates. It looks like they've just re-packaged the older program, as it's mostly plates and nav data on thousands of.PDF files. What I think is new is that they've increased the coverage of plates worldwide.The older verion had a system of updating the plates, but their server was extremely, extremely slow, and often the updated plate packs, expecially the larger ones, would be corrupted and unuseable.Presumably, the new collection includes all of the updated plates.

The old collection was notoriously poor for covering Eastern Bloc countries, so this new collection seems to have more of those plates. One that is missing from the new SimPlates X: the old Hong Kong Chiang Kai Shek Checkerboard. That was one of the coolest plates ever! The quality of the plates varies: they are just scans of existing real-world plates, however, they are out of date. Considering that FSX nav data is a few years old, it shouldn't be a problem.

You're supposed to print out the plates yourself, as viewing them as.PDFs while flying is a bit clumsy.The biggest draw is the cost, which is less than $50 for a world-wide selection of plates. If you fly to many airports, then this might be attractive. If you fly primarily in the US of A, the plates are free to access on the Internet anyway. When the old SimPlates went out of print, used copies became highly in demand. I remember folks paying hundreds of dollars to get a used copy. Now that free Internet research has blunted the utility of SimPlates somewhat, I'm not so sure it's as great an investment as it was when FS8/FS9 were new, but I think it would be a decent enough product.

Just make sure you load up on printer toner, and woe be to you if you have a lowly inkjet printer: if you don't watch out, you'll spend hundreds on getting the plates printed out, especially the full-colour French plates! As trivia, when I tried out to be an Avsim Product Reviewer, my try-out review was going to be SimPlates, but I had misplaced the discs, so I wrote a mock-up review of the PMDG 737 instead. The above represents my views and experiences only, and may or may not reflect the official opinon of AVSIM, if any.

AVSIM does have a review for the original Simplates 2004:Jeff ShylukSenior Staff Reviewer, Avsim. Www.vatsim.net Pilot Resources VATSIM Chart Center has SID/STARs available globally and free of charge.The problems with ANY approach plates at this point is that, if you use Navigraph's AIRAC cycles or SID/STARs for 3rd party add-ons, then you will have a tough time finding up-to-date and matching paper approach plates for it.The SimCharts have SID/STARs based on the original flight sim database from sometime in 2005, I believe. But then you have problems finding data from Navigraph to match those 'old' cycles.I wish that this dilemma could be resolved in FS11 by standardizing the cycle and using one cycle that can be exported to virtually all 3rd party add-on. Since there is currently no standard this is very unlikely, unfortunately.Hope this helps,Pat.

SimPlates X By Nels Anderson (16 December 2007)auntless Software has been around for quite some time now,providing a variety of aviation related software. For flightsimuse, their most popular product has been SimPlates. We actually first reviewed this product someseven years ago, as SimPlates 2000. The current version isSimPlates X and though the 'X' might make you think this is an FSXproduct that's not really the case. SimPlates runs outside yourflight simulator so it will work with any flightsim.We reviewed SimPlates again in 2004 at which time it includedsome 18,000 charts. If that sounds impressive, the currentSimPlates X is even more impressive as it includes over 30,000including approach plates, SIDs/STARs, airport diagrams and more.Approach types include ILS, VOR, VOR/DME, NDB, LLZ, SDF, GPS,TACAN, helicopter, visual and more.

Wow, that's a lot ofcharts!I suspect you'll be hard pressed to find a significant airportfor which SimPlates X does not provide a chart. USA coverage isvirtually 100% complete and the rest of the world is well coveredtoo.There is more than just instrument charts included too. Airportdiagrams, for example, are useful whether you are doing instrumentflying or not.

The worldwide airport/facilities directory providesdetailed infomation on airports such as radio frequencies, runways,instrument approaches and much more. For the USA, there's a list ofpreferred IFR routes; these are the routes that the real world ATCis most likely to assign so using them really helps yourrealism.One thing that must be emphasized is that these are realcharts, the exact same ones being used by real pilots. We oftentalk about flightsimming being 'as real as it gets', well this isone case where that phrase is literally true.IFR Plates Menu: This is likely themenu you'll use the most. Check boxes are used to determine thetypes of plates you want to search for and then pull downs are usedto narrow down by country, state and city.NAVAID Info Menu: The Airport Info andNAVAID Info menus are similar and let you simply search by locationand name to find the information you want.INSTALLATIONBefore you can start using SimPlates X you of course have toinstall it.

Fsx Charts

The package is available on DVD or by download, thoughgiven that there's 6 gigabytes of data involved, you need a goodInternet connection and some patience to go the download route. Mycopy came on DVD.Installation was mostly standard, though with a coupleannoyances. To validate the software it was necessary to copy byhand a really long serial number from the box. Fortunately, I gotit right the first time. Then, there's an online verification too.Odd system; it rejects first time registrants because theirinformation is not found, but then tells you this is normal; youthen have to submit again.

Well, if you stick with it, it doeswork, it's just a bit of a nuisance.The Airport Menu lets you find highlydetailed text information about any included airport. Detailsinclude location, nearby navaids, runways, radio frequencies andmuch more.The airport info for U.S. Airports evenincludes FAA preferred IFR routings to and from theairport.Similarly, the NAVAID Menu lets you findhighly detailed text information about any included navigationalaid.USING SIMPLATES XOnce installed, it's easy to get up and running. This is aproduct that really requires no instructions, since if you have anyclue what aviation charts are for (and you probably would not havebought this product if you didn't) the menus are fully sufficientto quickly find whatever you want.By default, SimPlates X requires that you leave the DVD in thedrive as the charts are not actually copied over during theinstall. Giving the large amount of data involved this may not besuch a bad thing. If you go for the downloadable version it will bedifferent of course since everything will go to your hard drive. Itis possible to transfer the charts from the DVD to the hard driveas well, though I did not try it.The charts are in Adobe Acrobat format.

This is something mostpeople are likely familiar with, but just in case you don't haveit, the software won't work until you download the free AdobeAcrobat reader. As it happened, I was testing this on a new PC thatdidn't have Acrobat installed yet so I was delayed a bit gettingthat in place. If you've never done it, don't worry as it's a quickand easy download and installation.As soon as I started I ran into an annoyance.

For some reason,SimPlates X includes a collection of recorded ATC sounds that areconstantly played whenever you do anything. Sounds like a cuteidea? Well, not so much if you're also trying to run FSX and therecordings cover up all the FSX sounds. Usually fixing this kind ofthing would be simple, since Windows programs always have a menubar across the top of the window; just find the right menu, lookfor something like 'Sound' and click it off. Oops, no menubar.SimPlates X does not use this standard interface.

I went allthrough the program trying to find how to turn the noise off andfinally had to contact customer service. Fortunately they are verygood and fast in replying. Turns out there is a picture of aspeaker in the corner that you click on to turn the sound off.Whew, I was glad to find that.The rest of using SimPlates X was obvious and quite easy. Fromthe opening screen you have five choices:, Help/About andExit. The meaning of each is certainly clear enough.IFR Plates is the heart of the program. This selectiongives you a screen that lets you find the exact plate you want,using a simple form.

You start by choosing the location and you canlimit the search to only certain types of charts if you wish.Quickly enough you'll have things narrowed down to just the airportyou are interested in and from the list can pick the appropriateIFR chart for your needs. The chart pops up in a new window, usingthe Adobe reader and there you go! Like any Adobe Acrobat file thecharts can be viewed on your screen or printed and can be resized,scrolled, etc.Airport Info is text rather than charts, and it includesevery little detail you could possibly imagine about an airport.There are the basics like where it's located (latitude, longitude,elevation), to a complete list of radio frequencies for bothcommunications and local navaids, to things like FAA preferred IFRroutes to and from the airport (for U.S.

Navigraph Charts Pdf

Airports only). For amajor airport the info just goes on and on, the level of detail isexcellent.NAVAID Info is similar to airport info. You can look upvarious navigational aids such as VORs, NDBs, etc and get detailedtext information on their location, frequency, range, etc. There'slot more detail here than you are ever likely to need! Sample instrumentplatesFor some reason Dauntless Aviation is rather insistant thatcharts are best printed out rather than viewed on screen. As withany Acrobat file, the printed results are quite nice and clear.

Simplates X Crackle Box

Butwhile this does work well, it's kind of wasteful if you're onlygoing to use a chart once or are going to use many of them. It'salso kind of behind the times. Real pilots these days typically flywith a GPS or FMC that has instrument procedures built in and inaddition this past year the FAA legalized the use of ElectronicFlight Bags (EFB) and Electronic Chart Displays (ECD), for Part 91operations at least, which means these pilots do not need to carrypaper charts any more; digitized versions and a suitable displayare now considered fully sufficient.

What I ended up doing most ofthe time with SimPlates X was something similar; with two monitorsconnected to my system I ran FSX on one and displayed SimPlates onthe other. At first, I thought I had found a reason why printingthe charts was suggested: every time I switched to SimPlates FSXwould pause. Hardly realistic, as in a real plane the plane keepsflying while you fumble around for charts. However, this turned outnot to be a problem as simply changing a setting in the FSX menusfixed the problem and the plane continued to fly along while Isearched for and viewed charts. Sample instrumentplatesCONCLUSIONI really like SimPlates X.

When I fly in the real world I amused to always having the proper charts and other informationnecessary to complete the flight; that is a legal requirement afterall. Flight Simulator lets you go anywhere in the world, butwithout the proper charts it just does not feel right. Gettingactual paper charts is a solution,but a limited one as I never have charts on hand for all the placesI would like to sim fly to. With its huge collection of charts anddata and world-wide coverage, SimPlates X truly is the solution andbeing so easy to use it's an ideal one.

No matter what kind of simflying you do, I'd certainly recommend adding SimPlates X to youradd-on collection.Nels Anderson.