$10 Flight Planning Software

[[email protected]]

60-day trial, $10 registration fee, free database updates

http://www.razorsedgesoft.com/airplan.htm

Call it SPAM if you want... thought you might be interested... as
close to free as I can make it.

[Montblack]

wrote)
> 60-day trial, $10 registration fee, free database updates
>
> http://www.razorsedgesoft.com/airplan.htm
>
> Call it SPAM if you want... thought you might be interested... as close
> to free as I can make it.


For new lurkers to r.a.p., how about you introduce yourself and your
product?

For folks who have been around a while, what's up? You went away, now you're
back.

Is it the same software? What's changed? Will you be at OSH?

Good to hear from you again.


Montblack

[[email protected]]

On Feb 15, 11:15 pm, "Montblack" <Y4_NOT!...
> wrote:
> wrote)
>
> > 60-day trial, $10 registration fee, free database updates
>
> >http://www.razorsedgesoft.com/airplan.htm
>
> > Call it SPAM if you want... thought you might be interested... as close
> > to free as I can make it.
>
> For new lurkers to r.a.p., how about you introduce yourself and your
> product?
>
> For folks who have been around a while, what's up? You went away, now you're
> back.
>
> Is it the same software? What's changed? Will you be at OSH?
>
> Good to hear from you again.
>
> Montblack

Hi Montblack. Yes its the same software. I wanted a way to be able
to keep providing at least USA data to my long-time customers, so I
managed to find a lower cost website where I could post the data. I
am subsidizing the site by selling $10 licenses for the software, but
the database will always be free to update.

The flight planning software market is so saturated with both free and
$100+ products that I really couldn't afford to sink too much time or
money into promoting my product. By making it a shareware low cost
for registration planner, I expect that I can at least keep it out in
the world and allow those who bought it over the past 10 years to keep
using it with current nav data. Unfortunately, folks outside the USA
won't get new data because the DAFIF is not available anymore...

I may be at Osh this year, but not to promote this software. I can't
afford a booth for that purpose. I am doing some other things
aviation related that I may go to Osh this year to help promote.

I also have been doing some avionics design under contract for a
company that makes an EFIS system, which has been keeping me busy.

If I go to Osh this year, I'll see if I can make your party. Its a
long way from the main campground out to where you guys hang out, and
I usually like to take in the Theater in the Woods or aviation movies
at night.

Dean Wilkinson

[Marco Leon]

On Feb 16, 10:25 am, wrote:
> The flight planning software market is so saturated with both free and
> $100+ products that I really couldn't afford to sink too much time or
> money into promoting my product. By making it a shareware low cost
> for registration planner, I expect that I can at least keep it out in
> the world and allow those who bought it over the past 10 years to keep
> using it with current nav data. Unfortunately, folks outside the USA
> won't get new data because the DAFIF is not available anymore...

That's nice of you not to abandon your old customers. Voyager on the
other hand has a different point of view. After old customers spent
$150 and $75/year for updates, they now require these same customers
to pay another $100 for the new version. Then again, maybe that's what
they need to do to stay above water in such a saturated market.

> I also have been doing some avionics design under contract for a
> company that makes an EFIS system, which has been keeping me busy.

Being in the software development in order to support my aviation
habit, I secretly dream about working for an avionics company working
on EFIS or MFD systems. Unfortunately, Long Island has very few
cutting-edge aviation companies despite its rich heritage in aviation.
It must be nice to have money actually going IN to your wallet while
doing something related to aviation.

Marco

[[email protected]]

On Feb 16, 1:36 pm, "Marco Leon" > wrote:
> On Feb 16, 10:25 am, wrote:
>
> > The flight planning software market is so saturated with both free and
> > $100+ products that I really couldn't afford to sink too much time or
> > money into promoting my product. By making it a shareware low cost
> > for registration planner, I expect that I can at least keep it out in
> > the world and allow those who bought it over the past 10 years to keep
> > using it with current nav data. Unfortunately, folks outside the USA
> > won't get new data because the DAFIF is not available anymore...
>
> That's nice of you not to abandon your old customers. Voyager on the
> other hand has a different point of view. After old customers spent
> $150 and $75/year for updates, they now require these same customers
> to pay another $100 for the new version. Then again, maybe that's what
> they need to do to stay above water in such a saturated market.
>
> > I also have been doing some avionics design under contract for a
> > company that makes an EFIS system, which has been keeping me busy.
>
> Being in the software development in order to support my aviation
> habit, I secretly dream about working for an avionics company working
> on EFIS or MFD systems. Unfortunately, Long Island has very few
> cutting-edge aviation companies despite its rich heritage in aviation.
> It must be nice to have money actually going IN to your wallet while
> doing something related to aviation.
>
> Marco

Be careful what you wish for... my experience is that many small GA
avionics companies are low paying sweatshops. The one I am doing
contract work for right now (can't say who it is) isn't like that, but
another that I actually worked at was (Chelton Flight Systems).

The contract work I am doing brings in only a fraction of my actual
salary from my day job, but that is because I feel like it would be
too risky to go to work for a small avionics company full-time, at
least not until they have really established themselves in the
marketplace like Garmin has. Doing it part time limits the amount I
make.

Dean

[Gerry Caron]

"Marco Leon" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Being in the software development in order to support my aviation
> habit, I secretly dream about working for an avionics company working
> on EFIS or MFD systems. Unfortunately, Long Island has very few
> cutting-edge aviation companies despite its rich heritage in aviation.
> It must be nice to have money actually going IN to your wallet while
> doing something related to aviation.
>
> Marco
>

It's not just nice to work in aviation, it's inconceivable that I could be
happy working in any job outside aviation. It's worse than any addiction
the medical community recognizes. I grew up around airports -- Dad was an
A&P. I got a degree in Aero Eng and now have 30 years in the industry; 17
years USAF (Maj Ret.) and 13 years in avionics.

The downside to this industry is that you have to go where the jobs are.
Everyone has their priorities. For some it's family. Others just have to
live in [insert town here]. I have to live where I can do the work I have
to do. It's taken me back and forth across this country 4 times. Can't say
I've lived any place I truly didn't like, though I did like some places
better than others. Overall, I'll say I prefer to avoid big cities so I
probably won't go back to LA or Long Island.

If you're serious, I know where there are open positions doing just what you
describe. Let me know.

Gerry

[[email protected]]

On Feb 16, 8:34 pm, "Gerry Caron" > wrote:
> "Marco Leon" > wrote in message
>
> ups.com...
>[i]
> > Being in the software development in order to support my aviation
> > habit, I secretly dream about working for an avionics company working
> > on EFIS or MFD systems. Unfortunately, Long Island has very few
> > cutting-edge aviation companies despite its rich heritage in aviation.
> > It must be nice to have money actually going IN to your wallet while
> > doing something related to aviation.
>
> > Marco
>
> It's not just nice to work in aviation, it's inconceivable that I could be
> happy working in any job outside aviation. It's worse than any addiction
> the medical community recognizes. I grew up around airports -- Dad was an
> A&P. I got a degree in Aero Eng and now have 30 years in the industry; 17
> years USAF (Maj Ret.) and 13 years in avionics.
>
> The downside to this industry is that you have to go where the jobs are.
> Everyone has their priorities. For some it's family. Others just have to
> live in . I have to live where I can do the work I have
> to do. It's taken me back and forth across this country 4 times. Can't say
> I've lived any place I truly didn't like, though I did like some places
> better than others. Overall, I'll say I prefer to avoid big cities so I
> probably won't go back to LA or Long Island.
>
> If you're serious, I know where there are open positions doing just what you
> describe. Let me know.
>
> Gerry

I could have a job tommorrow at Collins, but I don't want to live in
Cedar Rapids Iowa.

Likewise, I passed on two job offers from Boeing to work on the 787
because I didn't want to move my family to Seattle. I worked there
for 8 years on the 777 but that was when I was a younger man and
single. The salary offer from Boeing wasn't enough to make up the
cost of housing differential between where I live now and the Puget
Sound area. I would have to trade my 3700 square foot home for a 2
bedroom shack for the same selling price!

I enjoyed working for Boeing, and other companies I have worked for.
I would advise everyone to steer clear of Chelton Flight Systems. It
was absolutely the worst place I have ever worked, and that includes
all the minimum wage jobs I had before college!!!! I have some real
horror stories from that job...

Dean

[boB[_2_]]

wrote:
> 60-day trial, $10 registration fee, free database updates
>
> http://www.razorsedgesoft.com/airplan.htm
>
> Call it SPAM if you want... thought you might be interested... as
> close to free as I can make it.
>

Well. I don't call it spam after looking through it all evening. Most of
my flying is/was VFR below 1000 feet agl with a sectional on my knee but
I really like the features (some that I don't understand yet) included
in your program. I'm reading through the manual and can't find out how
to get sectionals in the Airplan chunk format for MSFS. My sectional
files are all set up for MSFS calibrated for use in FSM MovingMap (by
Rana Hossain) b y Matt Fox


The file extensions for the sectional charts are JGW - PRJ and JPG

Any help about re-formating these files would be appreciated or even
better, a place to download sectionals already in Airmap Chunk Format.

$10.00 and free updates --- that IS about as close to free as you can get.

--

boB
copter.six

[[email protected]]

On Feb 18, 12:14 am, boB > wrote:
> wrote:
> > 60-day trial, $10 registration fee, free database updates
>
> >http://www.razorsedgesoft.com/airplan.htm
>
> > Call it SPAM if you want... thought you might be interested... as
> > close to free as I can make it.
>
> Well. I don't call it spam after looking through it all evening. Most of
> my flying is/was VFR below 1000 feet agl with a sectional on my knee but
> I really like the features (some that I don't understand yet) included
> in your program. I'm reading through the manual and can't find out how
> to get sectionals in the Airplan chunk format for MSFS. My sectional
> files are all set up for MSFS calibrated for use in FSM MovingMap (by
> Rana Hossain) b y Matt Fox
>
> The file extensions for the sectional charts are JGW - PRJ and JPG
>
> Any help about re-formating these files would be appreciated or even
> better, a place to download sectionals already in Airmap Chunk Format.
>
> $10.00 and free updates --- that IS about as close to free as you can get.
>
> --
>
> boB
> copter.six

Bob,

I have a software program that user's can use to carve up sectional
charts into the chunks. I used to provide chart chunks to my
customers, but without enough sales at a price point that was
comparable to the other flight planners, I couldn't afford to keep
putting them out.

By making AirPlan shareware at a low price without chart chunks, it
becomes a low maintenance shareware program that I can afford to keep
online and give free updates for...

Dean

[Gerry Caron]

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> On Feb 16, 8:34 pm, "Gerry Caron" > wrote:
>> "Marco Leon" > wrote in message
>>
>> ups.com...
>>[i]
>> > Being in the software development in order to support my aviation
>> > habit, I secretly dream about working for an avionics company working
>> > on EFIS or MFD systems. Unfortunately, Long Island has very few
>> > cutting-edge aviation companies despite its rich heritage in aviation.
>> > It must be nice to have money actually going IN to your wallet while
>> > doing something related to aviation.
>>
>> > Marco
>>
>> It's not just nice to work in aviation, it's inconceivable that I could
>> be
>> happy working in any job outside aviation. It's worse than any addiction
>> the medical community recognizes. I grew up around airports -- Dad was
>> an
>> A&P. I got a degree in Aero Eng and now have 30 years in the industry;
>> 17
>> years USAF (Maj Ret.) and 13 years in avionics.
>>
>> The downside to this industry is that you have to go where the jobs are.
>> Everyone has their priorities. For some it's family. Others just have
>> to
>> live in . I have to live where I can do the work I
>> have
>> to do. It's taken me back and forth across this country 4 times. Can't
>> say
>> I've lived any place I truly didn't like, though I did like some places
>> better than others. Overall, I'll say I prefer to avoid big cities so I
>> probably won't go back to LA or Long Island.
>>
>> If you're serious, I know where there are open positions doing just what
>> you
>> describe. Let me know.
>>
>> Gerry
>
> I could have a job tommorrow at Collins, but I don't want to live in
> Cedar Rapids Iowa.
>
> Likewise, I passed on two job offers from Boeing to work on the 787
> because I didn't want to move my family to Seattle. I worked there
> for 8 years on the 777 but that was when I was a younger man and
> single. The salary offer from Boeing wasn't enough to make up the
> cost of housing differential between where I live now and the Puget
> Sound area. I would have to trade my 3700 square foot home for a 2
> bedroom shack for the same selling price!
>
> I enjoyed working for Boeing, and other companies I have worked for.
> I would advise everyone to steer clear of Chelton Flight Systems. It
> was absolutely the worst place I have ever worked, and that includes
> all the minimum wage jobs I had before college!!!! I have some real
> horror stories from that job...
>
> Dean
>
I understand. I work for Collins, but not in Cedar Rapids. I'm in
Melbourne FL. It's not heaven, but it's preferable (to me) to Cedar Rapids.
The disadvantage is that Melbourne is a smaller organization with fewer
opportunities. The advantage is that Melbourne is small enough that you
know almost everybody. I get most of the benefit of a large corporation
with few of the drawbacks. For me, it is worth the trade-offs. In recent
years, Collins has grown and about half the company is somewhere other than
Cedar Rapids.

I have worked for small avionics companies. One is no longer in business
(it was bought by the other company.) The other still exists, but is no
longer in avionics. I gained a lot of experience, but you are correct to
watch out for the small avionics companies. They tend to be
undercapitalized; so pay, benefits, and resources are often low.
Personalities are always a big factor in a small company, and it often works
to the detriment of employee satisfaction.

My point was that if you truly want to work in aviation, it's quite possible
to make a decent living doing so. You just have to realize that it can be
cyclical and you may have to move around to stay in the industry. When I
got laid off from my last job (because they shut down the operation), I
could have found a job locally; but it wouldn't have been in aviation. So,
I moved to Melbourne.

Gerry

[boB[_5_]]

wrote:

>
> Bob,
>
> I have a software program that user's can use to carve up sectional
> charts into the chunks. I used to provide chart chunks to my
> customers, but without enough sales at a price point that was
> comparable to the other flight planners, I couldn't afford to keep
> putting them out.
>
> By making AirPlan shareware at a low price without chart chunks, it
> becomes a low maintenance shareware program that I can afford to keep
> online and give free updates for...
>
> Dean
>

I can certainly understand that. Thanks.. It looks to be a nice program
and I'm just scratching the surface.


--

*-----------*
* boB*
* copter.six*
*-----------*

[[email protected]]

On Feb 18, 1:43 pm, "Gerry Caron" > wrote:
> > wrote in message
>
> oups.com...
>
>
>
> > On Feb 16, 8:34 pm, "Gerry Caron" > wrote:
> >> "Marco Leon" > wrote in message
>
> ups.com...
>
> >> > Being in the software development in order to support my aviation
> >> > habit, I secretly dream about working for an avionics company working
> >> > on EFIS or MFD systems. Unfortunately, Long Island has very few
> >> > cutting-edge aviation companies despite its rich heritage in aviation.
> >> > It must be nice to have money actually going IN to your wallet while
> >> > doing something related to aviation.
>
> >> > Marco
>
> >> It's not just nice to work in aviation, it's inconceivable that I could
> >> be
> >> happy working in any job outside aviation. It's worse than any addiction
> >> the medical community recognizes. I grew up around airports -- Dad was
> >> an
> >> A&P. I got a degree in Aero Eng and now have 30 years in the industry;
> >> 17
> >> years USAF (Maj Ret.) and 13 years in avionics.
>
> >> The downside to this industry is that you have to go where the jobs are.
> >> Everyone has their priorities. For some it's family. Others just have
> >> to
> >> live in [insert town here]. I have to live where I can do the work I
> >> have
> >> to do. It's taken me back and forth across this country 4 times. Can't
> >> say
> >> I've lived any place I truly didn't like, though I did like some places
> >> better than others. Overall, I'll say I prefer to avoid big cities so I
> >> probably won't go back to LA or Long Island.
>
> >> If you're serious, I know where there are open positions doing just what
> >> you
> >> describe. Let me know.
>
> >> Gerry
>
> > I could have a job tommorrow at Collins, but I don't want to live in
> > Cedar Rapids Iowa.
>
> > Likewise, I passed on two job offers from Boeing to work on the 787
> > because I didn't want to move my family to Seattle. I worked there
> > for 8 years on the 777 but that was when I was a younger man and
> > single. The salary offer from Boeing wasn't enough to make up the
> > cost of housing differential between where I live now and the Puget
> > Sound area. I would have to trade my 3700 square foot home for a 2
> > bedroom shack for the same selling price!
>
> > I enjoyed working for Boeing, and other companies I have worked for.
> > I would advise everyone to steer clear of Chelton Flight Systems. It
> > was absolutely the worst place I have ever worked, and that includes
> > all the minimum wage jobs I had before college!!!! I have some real
> > horror stories from that job...
>
> > Dean
>
> I understand. I work for Collins, but not in Cedar Rapids. I'm in
> Melbourne FL. It's not heaven, but it's preferable (to me) to Cedar Rapids.
> The disadvantage is that Melbourne is a smaller organization with fewer
> opportunities. The advantage is that Melbourne is small enough that you
> know almost everybody. I get most of the benefit of a large corporation
> with few of the drawbacks. For me, it is worth the trade-offs. In recent
> years, Collins has grown and about half the company is somewhere other than
> Cedar Rapids.
>
> I have worked for small avionics companies. One is no longer in business
> (it was bought by the other company.) The other still exists, but is no
> longer in avionics. I gained a lot of experience, but you are correct to
> watch out for the small avionics companies. They tend to be
> undercapitalized; so pay, benefits, and resources are often low.
> Personalities are always a big factor in a small company, and it often works
> to the detriment of employee satisfaction.
>
> My point was that if you truly want to work in aviation, it's quite possible
> to make a decent living doing so. You just have to realize that it can be
> cyclical and you may have to move around to stay in the industry. When I
> got laid off from my last job (because they shut down the operation), I
> could have found a job locally; but it wouldn't have been in aviation. So,
> I moved to Melbourne.
>
> Gerry- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

I had heard that Collins had some sort of operation in Florida, but
that was about the extent of it. What do you work on down there?

A friend of mine who was my roomate when we both worked for Boeing on
the 777 is now a director at Collins in Cedar Rapids. One of my
former lead engineers at Boeing is now the chief systems engineering
on the 787. I have lots of friends at Boeing and Honeywell that I
worked with during my Boeing years. I really miss that line of work,
but I just can't bring myself to live in Seattle, Phoenix, or Cedar
Rapids.

What you said about personalities at small companies being a negative
effect on employee morale hits the nail right on the head for my
Chelton Flight Systems experience. Two of the three guys who started
the company had zero management experience, and zero skills and
dealing with their employees, yet they were president and vice
president, and that made it a nasty place to work. Add to that the
fact that they turned on their third partner and tossed him out of the
company just two weeks after he barely survived a plane crash that
killed two others (he was a passenger) made the place morally
repugnant. The only good that came out of that experience is that I
am still friends with the partner who was tossed out.

At one point they even threatened to fire me if I didn't pass an RFI
test because they had a consultant of theirs telling them that my
design would never pass RFI, and I had the nerve to insist that it
would pass and that the consultant was incorrect. I passed the
DO-160D category M RFI test with 20db of margin. I never received an
apology or an admission that they had treated me poorly. I have never
been so happy to change jobs as the day I left Chelton Flight Systems
for another position at an electronics company.

Dean

[Gerry Caron]

> wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> I had heard that Collins had some sort of operation in Florida, but
> that was about the extent of it. What do you work on down there?
>
The engineering group down here works on Comm & Nav radios and surveillance
systems (transponder, TCAS, radar).

If you search the Open Positions database on the RC careers web page, you
can filter on location. Reviewing job descriptions will give you a pretty
good idea of what goes on at that location.

Gerry