Import Flight Plans to Avare

[John Wiley]

Today another user and I were discussing the Android file system in private email, about importing flight plan files from other apps into Avare for use in flight. Since we've liked SkyVector it was specifically in relation to that app, but will work with any app that can display the standard plan format Avare uses, e.g.: BOS JFK BOS for a round trip from Boston to NYC (wonder what those ramp fees are for a 172 ;)

Avare has a setting for where it stores Plan files (see Map>Menu>Preferences>Storage and Downloads>User Defined Waypoints/Plans). I've "enjoyed" trying to find files and folders on my S7 and other Android devices.  Enjoyed in the sense of my innate yearning for understanding how things work, and in the sense of discovering that so far Android's file system is both inscrutable to me and randomly changed with each device, OEM, carrier, and Google update.  So to actually import a plan rather than bang my brain on Android file systems, I've resorted to Zubair's recommended method of bypassing it and simply using copy/paste to insert a Plan.  I've written the following up for myself, and decided to post it here on the Forum in the hope it may be useful for others.

How To Import a Plan
First display your flight plan (in SkyVector for example), and figure out how to display it in the standard format Avare uses (for example, BOS JFK BOS).
1. Save the plan in a text file of any name.
2. Copy the text file into the Download folder of your Android device.
3. Open that text file on the Android, select all the text, and use Copy to copy the text into Android's copy buffer.
4. Launch Avare and paste that text into a Plan:
  a. Tap the Plan tab.
  b. Long-press in the box under the title "Add Waypoint to Plan."
  c. Use the Android Paste function to insert your plan text.
5. Presuming you want to keep this new Avare Plan, tap the Save tab at the top of the Plan screen and give it a name.

[Tom Philips]

Your posts are very helpful John, thanks. I find SkyVector the most useful for my back country flight planning and the creation of lat/lon waypoints. Your method works like a champ. I find that I need to break the coordinates apart and past them one at a time but that's no biggie.

[fly...@yahoo.com]

Hi Tom and everyone.

You do not need to add each waypoint one at the time. If you have your string / multiple waypoints in your Copy buffer in Android just Long press in the Plan>New>Create window and Paste and Save if you need. You can just copy a complete Plan from SkyVector Plan window and just add the Start and Destination to it.

I find it more convenient to use Notepad in my tablet and type the waypoints from SkyVector, and after that just Copy a complete Plan, and Paste as described above. TV

[Laura W. Mokhtari]

I have spent the day struggling with doing this.  I cant find a way to get it into a text file.  How would I do that?  found a way to copy and paste but that doesnt seem to work.

[fly...@yahoo.com]

Hi Laura.

You can create a .txt file by using any text editor, like Notepad, Word..  and xfer it to your tablet, or if you use a tablet you should have some Memo app and just type a couple of chars in the FP Create to make it easier to Paste to it. TV

[MAFOME]

Hi John,

I have read your post with interest.  Good discovery but did not work as per your instructions.  I believe that it was due to the version in use at the time and the latest (8.1.2).  Find below a modified set of instructions, which I have thoroughly tested with excellent results:

How To Import a Plan

====================

First display your flight plan (in SkyVector for example), and figure out how to display it in the standard format Avare uses (for example, BOS JFK BOS).

1. Save the plan in a text file of any name (.txt)
2. Copy or eMail the text file as an attachment to your android device and save it in the "Download" folder of your Android device.
3. "Open" that text file on the Android and "Select" all the text. Use "Copy" to copy the text into the Android's copy buffer.
4. Launch Avare and "Paste" that text into a Plan:

     a. Tap the Plan tab.

     b. Tap on the "New" tab at the top, then Long Press "Create New Plan"
     c. Use the Android "Paste" function followed by tapping "Create"

[azcharlie2009]

I hate to be critical.  I'd love an easy way to copy files directly from Skyvector to Avare.   But,this seems to be more work than just typing in the identifiers to Avare plan and click save and you're done.  I wonder though, if you could type up something for ALL your flight plans in Skyvector, and then copy them to the download file in your Android in one action?

[Apps4av Support]

I don't think you need skyvector when we make AvareX available. What is that you do on skyvector that Avare does not do?

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[Simon Roberts]

What skyvector does that (I don't believe) Avare can do is drive the big screens attached to my desktop computer, allowing a glorious overview of long routes, while maintaining detail because that long route is shown over 30" and large numbers of pixels and simultaneously allowing me to see other sources of planning information on other sites, chat-room comments from folks who've flown over the same areas, and so on. That, of course, is not a weakness of Avare, it's a weakness of the 8" screen on my Android, but that's a hard weakness to bypass. 

[Apps4av Support]

Yes but with AvareX, you can use a 60 inch screen. That's why I don't see a reason to import skyvector in it. It is skyvector and more.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/apps4av-forum/edd4ab8a-b45d-4938-8b97-a6f7de875ea4n%40googlegroups.com.

[command...@gmail.com]

Skyvector lets you use either rubber banding or right clicks to modify a route, and will let you select a fix nearby to where you selected vs just GPS coordinates. Seeing fuel prices, textual metars and tafs, and either radar or clouds all in the same place is also nice. I can browse airport details and approach plates easily, whether on the route or not.

I hope that Avarex will allow us to still add plans as a continual string like Avare. It has never been that hard to do my planning on SkyVector and then add the plan to Avare and my IFD directly. I like Avare's simplicity for use in the cockpit. It doesn't have to be much more.

[Apps4av Support]

AvareX let's you do all that except we don't have fuel prices.

And it's as simple as Avare. 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/apps4av-forum/776266de-bc41-48ba-aa75-bbd44b337257n%40googlegroups.com.

[azch...@juno.com]

Fuel prices, for one thing.  Plus, you don't have to download any charts.  They're all there; IFR Low, and VFR. 

 

Skyvector has a nice rubber banding function when doing a flight plan.  You put in your departure and your destination, and it draws a straight line.  Then drag and drop approximately where you want to vary the route, like to avoid a mountain, or some known way point, or VOR, etc...  Then right click to show what's close.  Select the ones you want and they go right in your flight plan.  Skyvector also gives you choices if you click on the "Routes" button in the flight plan window.  Then, you can edit that as you wish.

 

I haven't seen AvareX yet, as I can't seem to find the file that opens it.  I'm anxious to see how it works on Windows.

 

Rick

Tucson

 

On Thu, 28 Mar 2024 12:00:17 -0400 Apps4av Support <app...@gmail.com> writes:

I don't think you need skyvector when we make AvareX available. What is that you do on skyvector that Avare does not do?

On Thu, Mar 28, 2024, 11:43 AM azcharlie2009 <azch...@juno.com> wrote:

I hate to be critical.  I'd love an easy way to copy files directly from Skyvector to Avare.   But,this seems to be more work than just typing in the identifiers to Avare plan and click save and you're done.  I wonder though, if you could type up something for ALL your flight plans in Skyvector, and then copy them to the download file in your Android in one action?

On Tuesday, December 24, 2019 at 10:36:52 AM UTC-7 MAFOME wrote:

Hi John,

I have read your post with interest.  Good discovery but did not work as per your instructions.  I believe that it was due to the version in use at the time and the latest (8.1.2).  Find below a modified set of instructions, which I have thoroughly tested with excellent results:

How To Import a Plan

====================

First display your flight plan (in SkyVector for example), and figure out how to display it in the standard format Avare uses (for example, BOS JFK BOS).

1. Save the plan in a text file of any name (.txt)
2. Copy or eMail the text file as an attachment to your android device and save it in the "Download" folder of your Android device.
3. "Open" that text file on the Android and "Select" all the text. Use "Copy" to copy the text into the Android's copy buffer.
4. Launch Avare and "Paste" that text into a Plan:

     a. Tap the Plan tab.

     b. Tap on the "New" tab at the top, then Long Press "Create New Plan"
     c. Use the Android "Paste" function followed by tapping "Create"

5. Presuming you want to keep this new Avare Plan, tap the "Save" tab at the top of the "Plan" screen and give it a name.

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[Apps4av Support]

Well don't compare skyvector to AvareX. AvareX does almost all that skyvector does, but Skyvector is not useable in airplane but AvareX is. Does Skyvector have glass cockpit, ADSB? So it's not a fair comparison. 

On Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 12:28 PM command...@gmail.com <command...@gmail.com> wrote:

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/apps4av-forum/776266de-bc41-48ba-aa75-bbd44b337257n%40googlegroups.com.

[Apps4av Support]

AvareX has as big a screen as you can afford.

On Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 12:41 PM 'John Rodkey' via Apps4Av Forum <apps4a...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Yes, Big Screens Are The Best for flight planning, at least for long flights.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/apps4av-forum/72c7f53c-5d1f-47fe-9571-35bcb754a8e7n%40googlegroups.com.

[Apps4av Support]

The charts are there on skyvector because you are looking at a website. Try that in that airplane and you get zero charts. Because you did not download them. AvareX will actually cache open street map and you will be able to use it in flight with open street maps without a need to downloads any chart. 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/apps4av-forum/AABVAMGRXAK3RBFJ%40smtpout01.vgs.untd.com.

[Apps4av Support]

I plan to covert you over to one platform. Challenge accepted.

On Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 2:12 PM <azch...@juno.com> wrote:

Don't misunderstand!  I love Aware as it is.  But, I do use Skyvector for flight planning only...  Both are great at what they do.  If we never upgraded to AvareX, I would be completely happy!

 

Rick

Tucson

 

 

On Fri, 29 Mar 2024 12:43:43 -0400 Apps4av Support <app...@gmail.com> writes:

Well don't compare skyvector to AvareX. AvareX does almost all that skyvector does, but Skyvector is not useable in airplane but AvareX is. Does Skyvector have glass cockpit, ADSB? So it's not a fair comparison. 

On Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 12:28 PM command...@gmail.com <command...@gmail.com> wrote:

Skyvector lets you use either rubber banding or right clicks to modify a route, and will let you select a fix nearby to where you selected vs just GPS coordinates. Seeing fuel prices, textual metars and tafs, and either radar or clouds all in the same place is also nice. I can browse airport details and approach plates easily, whether on the route or not.

I hope that Avarex will allow us to still add plans as a continual string like Avare. It has never been that hard to do my planning on SkyVector and then add the plan to Avare and my IFD directly. I like Avare's simplicity for use in the cockpit. It doesn't have to be much more.

On Thursday, March 28, 2024 at 9:00:33 AM UTC-7 app...@gmail.com wrote:

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/apps4av-forum/776266de-bc41-48ba-aa75-bbd44b337257n%40googlegroups.com.

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[John W 4sba]

Apps4av Support wrote:
> Yes but with AvareX, you can use a 60 inch screen.

When the Linux version of AvareX is fully functional, I'll be flight
planning on a 93" projection monitor and popping it over to my Android
phones & tablets plus maybe my wife's iPad. :D

For now I'm usually doing initial wx/TFR/NOTAM check on assorted fav
websites (93"), plus sometimes Skyvector for initial route on long x/c
flights then just manually typing in airports in Avare's Plan screen. I
find the rubber banding in Avare's fine for fine route planning.

[Chip Davis]

I've been needing to upgrade from my elderly Samsung Galaxy Tab A (T350, Android 7.1.1) whose battery no longer holds a charge long enough to get from home to hangar, but it's exactly the right size for my cockpit (and its yoke mount/power) and has given me excellent service.

I'm going to wait until there is some UX reported on AvareX on different tablets before I put down the cash, though.  It won't be an Apple product, however.

BTW, I was a little dismayed at most of the new name proposals for Avare, but I'm quite happy with "AvareX"; as soon as we can agree on which of its three syllables to stress.  ;-)

Now if we could find an open-source version of "inflight Internet", we would be able to get updates to all the things that aren't disseminated over ADS/B, and eliminate any need for Skyvector.

-Chip-

[command...@gmail.com]

That will be great then. I was unable to do so with the beta from https://www.apps4av.org/share/beta/. Several other features like flight plan controls were missing from this. I just assume this is just an early preview, so I'll wait to see what comes out of your efforts.

Thanks!

[azch...@juno.com]

Don't misunderstand!  I love Aware as it is.  But, I do use Skyvector for flight planning only...  Both are great at what they do.  If we never upgraded to AvareX, I would be completely happy!

 

Rick

Tucson

 

 

On Fri, 29 Mar 2024 12:43:43 -0400 Apps4av Support <app...@gmail.com> writes:

Well don't compare skyvector to AvareX. AvareX does almost all that skyvector does, but Skyvector is not useable in airplane but AvareX is. Does Skyvector have glass cockpit, ADSB? So it's not a fair comparison. 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/apps4av-forum/CADA_tR8FKKqBS11eZpo10OP7MxWqh3kaLwFGRTKCnr9TbQ470g%40mail.gmail.com.

 

[azch...@juno.com]

With all due respect, you guys do a great job.  But, AvareX has a long way to go IMHO.  I still can't get the IFR plates to show.  The SW IFR LOW chart won't download.  I can't make, or load a flight plan.  And, you have to use your fingers on either the screen on my one laptop, or the mouse pad to change screen size, which is kind of clunky on a laptop..  Avare on the other hand is fantastic the way it is on my Android.  I can't remember the last time I made a donation, but I think I'm due.  (-:

 

Rick

 

On Fri, 29 Mar 2024 15:21:04 -0400 Apps4av Support <app...@gmail.com> writes:

I plan to covert you over to one platform. Challenge accepted.

On Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 2:12 PM <azch...@juno.com> wrote: