NavDataPro is being discontinued

[bkray1]

Just FYI, got an email this morning.

NavDataPro is being discontinued after 31/12/2024

Dear NavDataPro & NavDataPro Charts users,

Since 2012, Aerosoft has been providing up-to-date navigation data for flight simulation with its NavDataPro service. This enabled users to use the on-board systems of modern aircraft, especially modern commercial aircraft, in the flight simulator in the same way as in reality.

In 2016, we were then able to expand our offering and provide the latest airport charts in addition to the FMS data.

The whole field of flight simulation has of course evolved over the years. The range of aircraft add-ons that use our navigation data grew, and other stand-alone applications were added to the flight simulators.

And the simulators themselves have also evolved. In the beginning it was FSX and X-Plane 10 that dominated the market, then came Prepar3d, and now it is the current versions of Microsoft Flight Simulator and X-Plane 12.

Our aim has always been to keep up with the latest developments in the market and to continually develop our product range. Our goal has always been to provide our users with up-to-date navigation data and charts for all current flight simulators and add-on products.

Now that Microsoft has announced the release of the next generation of Flight Simulator, the question naturally arose as to how we could further develop our NavDataPro service to include new features to reflect developments in real aviation. However, it became clear that both the cost of developing our service and the cost of acquiring the basic data would increase. In particular, the increase in the purchase price of the basic data proved to be a real problem.

Unfortunately, we were unable to find a satisfactory solution that would allow us to continue our NavDataPro service economically.

We are therefore forced to discontinue our subscription service at the end of the year with the last cycle 2413. We regret this step very much. Whether there will be a similar product from Aerosoft in the future remains to be seen.

[B747-400]

Yeah, got that as well.

As great as all the features from Navigraph are: it's a pity, that we are going to loose the great LIDO charts 

BR
Hans

[Gary Oliver]

Hans,

Same discussion about LIDO charts here as I use the aerosoft chart service in the (two years later still) soon to be released PSX EFB.

However I saw these guys at fsexpo so will investigate them as a source of lido charts.

https://www.aviaplanner.co/

Cheers
G

[B747-400]

Gary,

that sounds very interesting! The pricing seems also to be fair and affordable!!
The SW looks promising as well! Short presentation on YT for all interested in: https://youtu.be/rzFv7zDu66k

Btw: your link ends up 404. Here's working link: https://www.aviaplanner.com

Cheers
Hans

[MFarhadi]

It is absolutely depressing to see a simulation company discontinuing a product after so many years. Though their software interface wasn't much to brag in 2024, but their product was. I'm surely talking about their navigation data bases.

As much as I love Navigraph for their integration and consistency, their navigation databases (as far as I've noticed in PSX) isn't very accurate. I was planning on moving back to NavDataPro soon and now this happened.

[B747-400]

Yeah, absolutely.

But when AviaPlanner succeed, and - hopefully - has native support for PSX Cycle upd., then we have LIDO back, and a planning SW on top.

Hopefully Hardy and AviaPlanner can work something out.

Cheers
Hans

[Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers]

We know how hard Hardy fought to retain his own data, and in the end had to stop. I think that the data sources (not the governments but the well-known collators) are trying to cash in on the sim hype and just see how far they can push it. One less competitor -- that's fine. With one left they can charge more, as consumers have no choice. Simple business logic.

Which I hate, but simple nonetheless.    :-(

I bet that one of these days, Microsoft itself goes Jepp and then everybody else dies overnight.

[andrej]

AviaPLanner looks very promising. If they will be more open to integrate PSX, I would gladly switch and support them. Regarding the flight planning, I hope that PFPX successor will come along (one can hope)

Cheers,

[QuadFan]

I've only been using Navigraph, so I'm not familiar with the LIDO style charts. Are there big differences compared to the Jeppesen ones?

[B747-400]

LIDO is from Lufthansa, designed / optimized for airline ops. So, less infos than Jepps who also cover infos for GA ops.

Lot of discussions about pros and cons out there.

Below is a sample from Vienna.



BR
Hans

[QuadFan]

Thanks Hans!
I'll browse the interwebs for some more research

[joergalv]

ok.. so on one hand we have a well established provider of FS related products, discontinuing it's NavData related products due economical reasons.. on the other hand, a new company entering the same market, offering comparable products at roughly 60-70% lower price... and promising to include even more services/products, which comes add additional costs to them...
Aggressive pricing might be required to enter a market dominated by 1 player, and it might help them big time to gain their market share, but I remain sceptical that they are able to keep the significant price difference to their competition. Will be interesting to see how this develops.


Joerg

[B747-400]

Yeah, I have same thoughts. They are operated by UFETA LLC, so using still existing resources can drop costs.

But it reminds me: (long time ago) as MAZDA started their activities on Austrian car market. They were WAY cheaper than all other competitors. But as soon as they were fairly established on the market, their prices went up.

Hopefully, we will have another good service at fair prices. So, we'll see!

BR
Hans

[Bluestar]

I started using DoD plates in 1967 and haven't changed. 

[QuadFan]

But it reminds me: (long time ago) as MAZDA started their activities on Austrian car market. They were WAY cheaper than all other competitors. But as soon as they were fairly established on the market, their prices went up.

Same with Kia in Europe, not so cheap anymore 

The web form on the aviaplanner site seems to be broken though. Not really practical if you want to enter the market 

[B747-400]

Not broken, but wrong URL.
Use URL from my mail - there's a YT link as well.

[QuadFan]

Hans, I meant the web form on the site. If you want to send a message to them, the form errors out.

I did note the typo in the url

[Hardy Heinlin]

I started using DoD plates in 1967 and haven't changed. 

What are DoD plates?

[B747-400]

Hans, I meant the web form on the site. If you want to send a message to them, the form errors out.

Uh! Yep, you wrote it ! So, disregard my message 

BR

[QuadFan]

Uh! Yep, you wrote it ! So, disregard my message 

No biggie, I just sent you a message on Discord by the way