Folks, I hope the level of disagreement on this thread illustrates precisely why we cannot please everybody. And no, adding lots of options doesn't please everybody either. You need to look no further than certain competitors in this area to see that. SkyDemon does not seek to please everybody; we seek to please the mass market. Our position at the top of the market reflects that and is one we are very happy with.

When we move to adopt new features or enrich existing features, we do it because of general feedback pushing us in that direction. Not specific feedback, not a couple of users on a forum (even if their friends agree) but on general feedback, from everyone - by email, forum and telephone. We receive sufficient feedback to know what our users want (they are not shy).

The next version of SkyDemon mentions explicitly in the Charts window the date that the installed chart is valid from. Yes, our charts are updated in line with the AIRAC cycle and always have been; I believe this is discussed on our website.

Just my comments on the three issues raised above:

1) For the kind of VFR flying I do, the difference between rhumb line and great circle navigation is entirely a non-issue. The distance between waypoints is never more than, say 50 miles. And at these distances the two courses are, for all practical purposes, identica.

2) I would really value it highly if I knew positively, that the software I am using really includes ALL relevant VFR airspaces. No compromises here. There already is a toggle to switch between weekday and weekend map view. Why not day and night?

3) Including the conusing plethora of IFR waypoints (particularly transition and approach fixes) needlessly clutters the map while not adding much value for the pilot. Enroute fixes are different in that they are more sparsly spaced and often used for VFR reporting.

-- Chris.

Shifu,
@ #1: The issue with the rhumb lines has nothing to do with "flying visually" or not. The most important reason why people use Moving Map software like SD is airspace awareness and -avoidance. With SD, you are planning a flight from A to B and the course line shows you passing a restricted airspace e.g. 2 NM west. Now you are in the airplane, enter the waypoints into your GPS and suddenly the course crosses the restricted area, because the bulit-in GPS follows industry standard and navigates from A to B along the great circle.

@ #3: Is it really THAT much effort? All this data comes with the AIRAC cycle every 28 days, and most probably SD sources this data electronically already. Perhaps Tim can enlighten us on that?

BTW, another issue is that SD does not show which AIRAC cycle is the basis for the current charts. Now, after Part-NCO has finally and undoubtedly "legalized" electronic charts, with SD you are formally not compliant with the AMCs, as they state:

The aeronautical data should be appropriate for the current aeronautical information
regulation and control (AIRAC) cycle (AMC1 NCO.GEN.135(a)(10))

No way to prove this fact during a ramp inspection if you are using SD.

Tobias

In one easy tap?
Thats not possible because:
- Generally people seem quite happy to find the frequency with a couple of taps on the map.
- This (at present) is very much not a popular request.
- It needs to be developed, integrated, tested & finalised
- It slows down the whole software eventually
- SD is a intelligent software in supporting you with the right information at the right time
- Start adding options indiscriminately and you have "optionware"
- And so on...
Who need frequencies accessible in a direct and easy way? Thats for dummies!

And now serious:
I talked with some pilots about navigation apps. Often they said: Skydemon looks very good, but I prefer a solution with implemented ICAO charts because........... there I can see the frequencies and this is very important for me, because I have to change it for some short requests very often.
Then I asked here for this and more or less 50% was agree with this idea for a option like the choice of ICAO or name or both.

But Again, it was wasted time. Let all like it ist.

Chris

If you need three taps, then you are not using the proper method...

See, surely your desire for this feature is legitimate - but so are others, and for your "problem" there is a very simple workaround.

Top three Skydemon bugs which really annoy me - and there is no alternative method to access that information:

1. Course presented as rhumb line and not as a great circle (has been discussed many times here)
2. ED-R150 in Germany not shown, so using SD at night will sooner or later put you in violation of the rules (see above)
3. IFR Procedure-Waypoints not included

Tobias

Chris

we could try to convince Tim to make it ONE EASY TAP, right?

nix für ungut ;-))

-mike

Ok, let it like it is, it doesn't matter. Wasted time here... I will tap again three times (in bumpy air 10 times...) to get a frequency and all is fine.


Chris

Chris_LSZO,

there is no need to throw the toys out of the pram. Shifu is absolutely spot on with his remark, there is nothing more to add. 'Verschlimmbessern' is the fitting german idiom which characterize these processes. If you like to see the frequencies permanently, it´s a good choice to use an ICAO chart.

just my 2 cents

-mike

Fully agree. Start adding options indiscriminately and you have "optionware" -- a piece of software which no one can use because of the myriad of options.

-- Chris.

The software don't know, what I need, like or want. If I think, I need the frequencies visible permanently like in the ICAO chart, it will be nice if I can customize it like I want.
Again (and again and again): If you don't need, like, want, whatever: You are not force to use it! Many user of SD would like to have this option, many not. Whats the problem to let the user choice?

Chris