Database Updater Team progress report

[DaveG]

I absolutely agree - but I'd have thought that, with all the resources and skills at AirNav's disposal, putting together a routine to import registers in bulk would be a no-brainer. 

It's hard to avoid the conclusion that the support you're getting from your "employer" is pretty pitiful.

Only one thing to add, Not employer, volunteer, big difference especially on some of these forums, lol.

No, but I can easily put one together, give me a day or two.

Thanks Dave, just need one to try something out.

[ACW367]

Dave. The problem is not the airnav support, it is the lack of info that is one click away. GAS is fairly comprehensive for Europe/North America. But it does not cover china, south america or the middle east well.  We sped through the BA/bmi/Lufthansa fleets. With your one click can you find me full details for the AirAsia Indonesia fleet, or VivaAerobus, or China United Airlines. We have to piece these together with many fragments from many different websites. Add to that over 60New airliners roll out of the factories each month. Many many more are reregistered/deregistered. These are the things slowing us down. not the level of support we are receiving.

[ACW367]

The moral is, if you see aircraft without details and its not on GAS, then use the box on the GAS website to update the details there, including boeing/douglas line numbers to the c/n. We will then have the one click checking tool, which will speed the process up.

[DaveReid]

Dave. The problem is not the airnav support, it is the lack of info that is one click away. GAS is fairly comprehensive for Europe/North America. But it does not cover china, south america or the middle east well.  We sped through the BA/bmi/Lufthansa fleets. With your one click can you find me full details for the AirAsia Indonesia fleet, or VivaAerobus, or China United Airlines. We have to piece these together with many fragments from many different websites. Add to that over 60 New airliners roll out of the factories each month. Many many more are reregistered/deregistered. These are the things slowing us down. not the level of support we are receiving.

Yes, I'm probably more familiar than most with the issues involved in keeping a Mode S database up-to-date :-)

But it's hard to square, on one hand, your assertion that AirNav are supporting you properly with, on the other hand, lists of "unknowns" that are 80% US civil registered aircraft. 

AirNav are, or should be, perfectly capable of furnishing you with a routine that will update your central database with N-registered aircraft automatically, and yet we're told that they expect you to enter even those aircraft details painstakingly, one at a time.

Most of us, myself included, are in aviation as either a hobby or career because we love what we do, but it always worries me when I see what looks like cynical exploitation of people's enthusiasm and goodwill.

[DaveReid]

No, but I can easily put one together, give me a day or two.

Thanks Dave, just need one to try something out.

http://www.civilaircraftregisters.org/Mode_S_Resources/NavDataEmpty.db3 (rename before use!)

HTH
Dave

[DaveG]

No, but I can easily put one together, give me a day or two.

Thanks Dave, just need one to try something out.

http://www.civilaircraftregisters.org/Mode_S_Resources/NavDataEmpty.db3 (rename before use!)

HTH
Dave

Cheers
Dave

[Marpleman]

[
Most of us, myself included, are in aviation as either a hobby or career because we love what we do, but it always worries me when I see what looks like cynical exploitation of people's enthusiasm and goodwill.

That's a tad harsh Dave?

I wouldn't class anything that keeps me away from "her indoors" as "cynical exploitation" - more like "greatfully received opportunity"  :-)

AirNav have a "wishlist" that the team have compiled - I think perhaps other commercial priorities have precluded these items from becoming fully functional at present, but when they are, we'll be flying.

In a perverse way, I'm actually enjoying the task also ;-)

By the way, appreciate the links/requests you keep providing us with - they're very useful!

Rgds

Rich

[orkney]

Hello Dave

Actually I find updating very enjoyable and informative.  It has certainly broadened my knowledge of airlines etc so I don't feel exploited at all.

Andrew

[DaveG]

"exploitation", yep too many hours, not enough pay and bad social life because of it, Hmm wait that's not Airnav that my real job.  Must think about that one! anyone got the 6 ball numbers for this weekend lotto draw.

[eggplant]

That's a tad harsh Dave?

I wouldn't class anything that keeps me away from "her indoors" as "cynical exploitation" - more like "greatfully received opportunity"  :-)

Hmmm... An analogy. I make an offer to a keen (possibly deluded) gardener to come and mow my lawn and in return I allow him to clean my gutters, would this also not be exploitation ?

I have to concur with Dave.

[Marpleman]

That's a tad harsh Dave?

I wouldn't class anything that keeps me away from "her indoors" as "cynical exploitation" - more like "greatfully received opportunity"  :-)

Hmmm... An analogy. I make an offer to a keen (possibly deluded) gardener to come and mow my lawn and in return I allow him to clean my gutters, would this also not be exploitation ?

I have to concur with Dave.

Please yourself

Unfortunately I don't know anything about gardening

[Southwest]

[/quote]

AirNav have a "wishlist" that the team have compiled - I think perhaps other commercial priorities have precluded these items from becoming fully functional at present, but when they are, we'll be flying.

[/quote]

Does anyone know what this 'wishlist' contains and has anyone seen it (other than AirNav staff)?

Herein lies the problem.  I appreciate AirNav are a commercial organisation and they need the big Boeing bucks to maintain a healthy profit margin.  But this 'wait for a big announcement' culture is hacking everyone off. 

I think the cynical exploitation statement is a little harsh but the little guys like me are beginning to feel marginalised by what has been going on recently.  I know we don't have the financial clout of someone like Boeing but I think all of us who have spent our hard earned cash on a RB deserve much better than we have been given.

[AirNav Support]

Southwest.

This wishlist has nothing to do with the functionality of RadarBox and its simply just for the database updaters app.

If you have an specfic issue that you think we are not looking at please contact us.  We are a company which listens to our customer base, our efforts on the forum to talk to customers shows this.

[radarspotter10]

Airvav did post their list a few months ago if i remember right, now stop your whingeing and look for it.
from pat

[Marpleman]

AirNav have a "wishlist" that the team have compiled - I think perhaps other commercial priorities have precluded these items from becoming fully functional at present, but when they are, we'll be flying.

[/quote]

Does anyone know what this 'wishlist' contains and has anyone seen it (other than AirNav staff)?

Herein lies the problem.  I appreciate AirNav are a commercial organisation and they need the big Boeing bucks to maintain a healthy profit margin.  But this 'wait for a big announcement' culture is hacking everyone off. 

I think the cynical exploitation statement is a little harsh but the little guys like me are beginning to feel marginalised by what has been going on recently.  I know we don't have the financial clout of someone like Boeing but I think all of us who have spent our hard earned cash on a RB deserve much better than we have been given.
[/quote]

Ok -probably my fault here!

AirNavs comment is correct - the "wishlist" was the updaters wishlist purely to make our task more simplified and quicker.

They provided the framework for a bog standard database updater, which we played around with for a week or so.

The team then reached a concensus as to what we need as additional functionality on this updater - this then goes on the wishlist, and as and when AirNav have the ability to look at our suggestions, they do.

Sorry if I confused annyone!

Rich