Simlink Feature Request - Aerowinx PSX support

[PanosI]

Spoke to them at expo... there's an api so we can plumb our own sim into it, so if it's not native we can do it ourselves...

When it's released i will take a look unless someone beats me to it.

Fantastic news Garry !

I can't wait to use PSX straight with simlink and charts without MSFS.   

[voipmeister]

Good news indeed!

[PanosI]

Here's a reply from skysail of Developer & Technical Support

https://forum.navigraph.com/t/simlink-feature-request-aerowinx-psx-support/7329/55

[Steve - Browny]

I've managed to use the PSX data stream to have a Simlink like interface in QGIS (GIS mapping software). I've managed to export some data out of Xplane to have ground maps but also have navigational data while also using the VATSIM data feed to have the VATSIM aircraft on the map. This allows me to never need to reference the scenery view while flying on VATSIM. I can do everything using PSX and the map. Not perfect but sure does what I like it to do and I can have it run alongside any GIS compatible data.

[voipmeister]

I've managed to use the PSX data stream to have a Simlink like interface in QGIS (GIS mapping software). I've managed to export some data out of Xplane to have ground maps but also have navigational data while also using the VATSIM data feed to have the VATSIM aircraft on the map. This allows me to never need to reference the scenery view while flying on VATSIM. I can do everything using PSX and the map. Not perfect but sure does what I like it to do and I can have it run alongside any GIS compatible data.

Nice results! I read on the QGIS site that it's open source and available for Windows, Mac and Linux. The Mac download is 1.6 GB, could you tell a bit more about the data included and what you had to source from, say, X-Plane? Does it have it's own dataset as opposed to Openstreetmap?

[Steve - Browny]

Nice results! I read on the QGIS site that it's open source and available for Windows, Mac and Linux. The Mac download is 1.6 GB, could you tell a bit more about the data included and what you had to source from, say, X-Plane? Does it have it's own dataset as opposed to Openstreetmap?

Yes, works great across the different operating systems, I use it on Linux. I use it a lot for work as well.

You can reference data sources such as Openstreetmap (I think it has the configuration for it included), as well as google maps, satellite as XYZ Tile servers (see below). You can reference official government sources who usually have WFS (vector)/WMS (raster)/REST servers set up. For example, I've have the positions of the Australian NSW fixed speed cameras, traffic lights, powerlines etc.

You can import data from a variety of formats and make your own plugins to do anything which is how I got the position of PSX and VATSIM into it as it constantly refreshes/updates the data. Occasionally QGIS crashes and so haven't worked out that one yet, I have a few guesses at what's causing it. I just have a few issues with the position updates (it updates the position each time PSX sends the network a new position (non-boost server) when I have all the fixes displayed etc but that would be just because it is constantly refreshing and can just reduce the repaint frequency to fix that.

I used this repository to import data from Xplane into GeoJSON (a format QGIS can read): https://github.com/CarlosBergillos/xplane_apt_convert

You can import your own images/PDFs into it and georeference it so you can overlay it on the map. Airservices procedure charts indicate they aren't to scale (and also don't reflect it) so doesn't quite work for it if you're using it as a reference while flying like what simlink does. But the aerodrome ones are and overlay nicely. You'd have to have scaled charts for it to work for procedures. I'm playing with the data from navigraph to see if there's an easy way to have the procedures shown as a line so it can be shown as a reference. All the data is there, it's just a matter of formatting it right. I'm just thinking on how the data looks for radius turns and headings until height restrictions etc.