ACARS Systems

Ok...so I'm looking around to try and find a more up to date and friendlier version of ACARS system to be added here at SPA. Unfortunately it's difficult to meet the following criteria:

1. Free
2. Compatible with multiple Sims (p3d, x-plane, fsx)
3. Allows import of FSX, fs-build, plan-g flight plans
4. Provides ease of install and use for pilots

Currently we can upload using the old FSACARS system, but this doesn't allow import of FSX plans (although it does allow FS-build plans, so as long as you create your plan with fs-build you FSACARS will auto-load most of that data at the push of a button).

We can now also use FS Flightkeeper (FSFK), but this violates criteria #1 above, as it is quite pricey.

I've considered :

VAFS5
This, while apparently free to the pilot, will cost SPA about $60/year. This is about half our current operating budget that is currently only supported by contributions from our pilots. Also - I'm not sure that this will allow user-defined flight plans like FSACARS and FSFK.

KACARS - This would appear to be ideal except, as far as I can tell, it will not allow user-defined flight plans. All flight plans must be defined by the airline and downloaded from our site. Besides being a lot of work administratively, it really limits the ability of our pilots to fly the routes they wish to fly - particularly with things like our Multiplayer Flights and Misty Moorings Flights.

XACARS - This appears similar to KACARS - but perhaps not P3d compatible - and again appears to require flight plan pre-defined at the website level.

It appears that FSPassengers has an upload feature we might implement, but again this is also a payware addon.

So...I'm open to additional suggestions.

John

It appears that the greatest issue with recent advances in ACARS software is the inability to except user-generated flight plans or import them from other than downloads from the virtual airline site.

I have settled upon XACARS as a freeware alternative to the old FSACARS. FSACARS should continue to work as well for those comfortable with it.

As for addons that pilots have acquired that have ACARS functionality (like FS Flight Keeper), we can add this to SPA based upon pilot interest when time allows.

XACARS appears to be compatible with all simulators (hopefully P3d will work with the FSX version that runs through FSUIPC-Simconnect).

The current drawback with XACARS is that it will not accept FSX imported flight plans - again only those downloaded from the server or entered manually by the user.

XACARS does work with the non-phpVMS systems, so we should be able to get it working for SPA.

If we can get the basic XACARS system operational, we can look at importing as many of our flights to the download option so that pilots won't have to continually enter 'all' of their PIREP data (but much depends on how things go with testing XACAR compatibility here at SPA).

While not ideal - it's the best I can do for now, and it allows some additional options for our pilots to post their PIREPs here at SPA.

I'll be adding configuration information shortly for FS Flight Keeper (FSFK) for those who have that addon and wish to auto-upload their PIREPS using that payware addon. I'm very satisfied with the SPA PIREP upload utility for this addon and it can now be used by SPA pilots (the active flight mapping utility of FSFK has not been implemented yet for SPA).

That's great news RoBear. Unfortunately I've been hit by a virus that I believe came from testing out various ACARS files . So my development will be set back a bit while I reinstall my local development environment from scratch (my backup plan failed me as well).

Oh well...we can muddle along a bit longer with what we have I guess.

John