(USA) FAA airport database in Google Earth (KML) files

Nice, Tuno! Google Earth is a great tool, thanks for making it even
better!

For those who prefer Google Maps, you can get the latest info (for
airports, weather conditions, and TFRs in the US) at:

http://www.runwayfinder.com
(Created by an EAA buddy of mine)

--Noel
(How did pilots keep track of all of this before the computer
revolution? Geez!)

Tuno:

You have entirely too much time on your hands. Time to get that
glider back in the air!

Mike

Six more days, Mike! (Assuming the fin tank tube arrives from
Germany.)

Then winter training begins ...

2NO

On Nov 29, 7:37*am, Mike the Strike wrote:
Tuno:

You have entirely too much time on your hands. *Time to get that
glider back in the air!

Mike

(How did pilots keep track of all of this before the computer
revolution? Geez!)

I've heard rumors about paper things called "sectionals" that pilots
had to unfold and read in the cockpit.

And those flying in contests had to operate *film* cameras of all
things!!! Hard to believe stuff.

2NO

On Sat, 29 Nov 2008 11:16:39 -0800, Tuno wrote:

I've heard rumors about paper things called "sectionals" that pilots had
to unfold and read in the cockpit.

In the UK its a requirement that you must have our equivalent of a
sectional in the glider during an XC flight, even if you don't look at it
because you're navigating by GPS or with a moving map system. Does the
same apply in the US?

I've flown there, but only doing local soaring.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

bildan wrote:

Now, we need people to go to these strips and photograph them from the
ground and post the photos on Google Earth with notes.

That would be great. and it wouldn't even have to be a ground visit to
be useful. Just a pilotflying over a strip and looking down can get the
information you need, if he posts it on Google Earth.

The next step would be a "checkbox" in Justsoar, directing it to include
the comments for all the strips when you downloaded a database, so you
could see them inflight, when it really mattered. The comments would
have to be dated, so the pilot could decide how much he wants to trust them.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

* Updated! "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* New Jan '08 - sections on Mode S, TPAS, ADS-B, Flarm, more

* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org

On Nov 28, 8:18*am, Tuno wrote:
I've had a report from one user whose computer changed the file name
to use .xml extension instead of .kml. If you have trouble, check that
your pooter didn't do the same.

Also I've placed a copy of the NASR's schema file for the airport
database in the web site he

http://www.justsoar.com/public/nasr_...pec/apt_rf.txt

You can browse the schema file and if you see any fields in there you
want to see in the .kml data (e.g. added to the popup description),
let me know. (The descriptions currently contain airport owner and
manager contact info and comm frequencies, when provided.)

-ted/2NO

Nice job Ted. Now all we need is a way to program it all into a PDA
so we can fly GPS approaches into any airport in the database -- or at
least be able to pop up a satellite photo (and eventually pilot-
provided approach and field condition pics - appropriately dated).
Would be a really cool community activity to add the pics.

On my 'puter the fonts and pushpins are so big that it is hard to read
the map. There is a global preference for the font, but not for the
size/style of the pushpin as far as I can tell. Any thoughts here?

9B

Martin Gregorie wrote:
On Sat, 29 Nov 2008 11:16:39 -0800, Tuno wrote:

I've heard rumors about paper things called "sectionals" that pilots had
to unfold and read in the cockpit.

In the UK its a requirement that you must have our equivalent of a
sectional in the glider during an XC flight, even if you don't look at it
because you're navigating by GPS or with a moving map system. Does the
same apply in the US?
While I am not an aviation lawyer, have never played one on TV and don't
claim to even know any, the only USA/FAA-inspired "map gotcha" of which
I'm aware is of the 'generic need' to not bust any airspace restrictions
(e.g. [moving or stationary] temporary flight restriction,
outright/unmoving restricted airspace, flavors of controlled airspace,
etc.). How a pilot accomplishes this is up to the pilot.

Whether (in the case of being busted) being able to point to (the
misread/unused) sectional in your cockpit will lessen the egregiousness
of busting restricted airspace is another question entirely, of course...

YMMV,
Bob W.

On Nov 29, 2:02*pm, Martin Gregorie
wrote:
On Sat, 29 Nov 2008 11:16:39 -0800, Tuno wrote:
I've heard rumors about paper things called "sectionals" that pilots had
to unfold and read in the cockpit.

In the UK its a requirement that you must have our equivalent of a
sectional in the glider during an XC flight, even if you don't look at it
because you're navigating by GPS or with a moving map system. Does the
same apply in the US?

I've flown there, but only doing local soaring.

--
martin@ * | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org * * * |

To the best of my knowledge there is no specific requirement for a
current chart to fly under part 91 but if you don't have one I suspect
the Feds would claim you were not familiar with all the available
information. I suppose if you memorize all the information on the
chart you don't need to have it with you. No matter what you did, or
what you take with you, I doubt anyone will have *all* the
information.

Section 91.103: Preflight action.
Each pilot in command shall, before beginning a flight, become
familiar with all available information concerning that flight. This
information must include—

(a) For a flight under IFR or a flight not in the vicinity of an
airport, weather reports and forecasts, fuel requirements,
alternatives available if the planned flight cannot be completed, and
any known traffic delays of which the pilot in command has been
advised by ATC;

(b) For any flight, runway lengths at airports of intended use, and
the following takeoff and landing distance information:

(1) For civil aircraft for which an approved Airplane or Rotorcraft
Flight Manual containing takeoff and landing distance data is
required, the takeoff and landing distance data contained therein; and

(2) For civil aircraft other than those specified in paragraph (b)(1)
of this section, other reliable information appropriate to the
aircraft, relating to aircraft performance under expected values of
airport elevation and runway slope, aircraft gross weight, and wind
and temperature.

Andy