FalconView For General Aviation

This page contains hints on using FalconView for General Aviation. The first place to start is the Quick Start Guide. This page may be updated from time-to-time. See  this blog entry for where this is headed.

Downloading and Cataloging FAA / NACO Sectionals

Sectionals for FalconView are available from the Downloads tab above. Users will need to unpack the archive then add the map data to FalconView with the Map Data Manager. To do this, (1) open the MDM, (2) click on the Paths tab, (3) click on the "Add" button, (3) browse to the folder with the unpacked sectionals. You'll know you're at the right place when you see the "Map Data Found" indicator in the folder browser.

Loading Aeronautical Data as Shapefiles or KML

Aeronautical data may be loaded via the Shapefile overlay or by opening a KML (or KMZ) file.

Using the Analysis Tool to Find Distance and Bearing

The analysis tool is the perfect tool for finding distance and initial bearing between places on a chart. It also shows the great-circle flight path between points. To use it, click on its icon in the toolbar and start experimenting with it. It's very easy.

Getting Elevation Data

FalconView can give you elevations at various points if you have DTED data cataloged. One source of public DTED is  http://eros.usgs.gov/products/elevation/srtmdted.php. Unfortunately, the process for viewing your DTED in FalconView may require some manual intervention. See http://www.falconview.org/trac/FalconView/discussion/1/21 for a discussion of this process. (Hopefully we can get some utilities to help with this in the future.)

Aeronautical Data Needed

One of the nicest features removed from the open source version of FalconView was the support for Digital Aeronautical Flight Information Files (DAFIF). This was required because NGA no longer makes that data available to the general public.

If anyone can provide data on airports, navaids, waypoints and airspace in a standard GIS format, then I can probably make it available for FalconView. Thanks. (I've attached a Shapefile with airports in it to this page, but I'm unsure about the integrity of the data. I've also attached some old KML containing navaids. This KML is out-of-date as it was apparently created back when DAFIF was public, so refer to current publications before relying on any particular navaid.)