Oceanic tools (WIP)

[Anders Moen]

Hi guys!

 

As there seemed to be some interest in the post your scope thread, I've (after a long time) decided to start a separate thread for my WIP oceanic tool here.

The current version of the OCA tools can be found at http://oca.vnas.net (most things I present in this thread is not implemented here yet as I'm working on a completely new build on another domain)

 

 

The third version's coming along nicely :)

Although I really wish I could get more time to work on it..

 

I've created two list types this time; one based on the simple Excel sheet and one based on one image of the GAATS+ list I have found. The GAATS+ list can be extremely 'weird' to use, but once you get the hang of it, it's not too bad actually.

 

The list is also set up so you can change altitude, speed, reporting time and estimated time directly in the table. This could however potentially be slightly buggy if you are two or more using it and someone updates something . I haven't tested it properly yet, but we'll see how it works out.

 

I have also set it up to support ATC callsigns (in order to "own" and "hand over" aircraft) although I haven't begun the work on how to handle that right now as I rather have the basics in first. Planning to introduce this eventually.

 

One of Kirk's ideas has also been implemented; when you click on the "OCL" link, it will automatically check if any other aircraft (on the same level that is) is entering on the same entry point. If there are any, it will check if it's less than 10 minutes between them. If it is, it will automatically add the text "Cross WAYPOINT not before XX:XX" (XX:XX will be preceding aircraft's entry time + 10 minutes.). The first aircraft will not get any time restrictions as it is right now - it will only check for aircraft ahead and not behind, nor will it consider their [Mod - Happy Thoughts]igned Mach speed. I haven't really tested this properly out yet, so it could be a bit buggy, especially if you have three or more aircraft in a row that's too tight.

 

 

Here's a short video of the current (WIP) version:

 

and an 'old' image of the map:

 

 

 

Since I've seen very many people without a rating for Gander and/or Shanwick has tried to register, I've also decided to set up some simple pilot tools in this version.

 

Tracks:

 

Oceanic clearance:

 

Position report:

 

 

Anders

[Josh Glottmann]

Great to see more progress on OCA. Really exited for it's eventual release.

[Jonathan Fong]

Nice! Looking good, especially the pilot tools... Will the clearance delivery/POSREP function of the pilot tools be able to accommodate for aircraft which use different/special procedures (ex. block altitudes, mach numbers higher than 1, supersonic NATs SM/SN/SO, etc.)? It would be really helpful if they did, but I understand if it's too much work to add in.

[Kirk Christie]

Looks great, thanks for taking my feedback on board.

 

With the addition of pilot tools, this is going to make for a lot less work on oceanic if they can enter their own pos reps, or does the controller still need to interact, you might just be putting us all out of a job!

 

If their is no controller logged in, can pilots still enter data?

[Anders Moen]

Thanks

 

Jonathan:

To some degree yes. Although I'm not a 'Concorde on VATSIM' fan, I have included track SM, SN and SO to work with the clearance, tho I gotta read up those procedures again so the example text is correct (ish). Block flight level is not supported, at least not yet..but we'll see. Mach higher than 1 is possible yes. Normally it will only accept 2 numbers, but if the first number is 1 or 2 it will accept up to 3 numbers if I don't recall all wrong.

 

Kirk:

In theory I could set it up so the pilots can enter their own data and send automatically to us, but I don't think I will..I think. Could be cool to just add a "send" button tho..the problem is that ATC has to respond somehow to it.. Now you got me thinking of things! Not good Got any ideas?

 

The pilot tools will work regardless whether there's ATC online or not. The output text is only (and more of) an example of what the pilot might expect to hear from ATC - if he(/she) follows the format published in the ICAO NAT docomeents where I get most of my examples from. So yeah, this is completely standalone from the ATC side of the system. Just a little extra I created because of the number of non-oceanic controllers trying to register with the system

[Josh Glottmann]

In theory I could set it up so the pilots can enter their own data and send automatically to us, but I don't think I will..I think. Could be cool to just add a "send" button tho..the problem is that ATC has to respond somehow to it..

Idea, allow sending of data by "logging in" with a callsign.

The pilot could enter their callsign into a text input. On the controller side, they can choose whether or not to accept this connection (could potentially involve the pilot telling the controller that they would like to use the online reporting system). Once that's complete, the pilot (as long as they have the window open), can send information over. It would of course have to be manually accepted by the controller. Maybe this is a bit too complicated.

 

Out of curiosity, how much more efficient will the new system (map specifically) be? I was working with Shanwick one day and had around 30 planes. Due to that volume, the old new map (map 2), was particularly laggy in its movements.

[Anders Moen]

Yeah, something like that could work!

Yep, indeed it would have to be accepted by the controller. But I already have an idea for that as well: "incoming position reports" where you could accept (and let the system update itself + auto read-back to the pilot perhaps) or reject it for whatever reason.

 

Considering the current state of the map, hopefully around 100% better

The issue right now, I believe, is that a certain file is called every time the map is refreshed, which is quite a lot right. Even, who has created the basics of the map itself, thinks he has some ideas on how to improve it, so hopefully it will be a lot better in this build. Fingers crossed it will whenever I get to that point

[Josh Glottmann]

Think that it might be a possibility to use SSO with this version? You could potentially pull the list of "approved" CIDs from Gander and VATUK's websites. Additionally you could have one master login for students (if this eventually was the software that people were trained on). This also would allow a pilot to submit their own POSREPs (and actually be them).

[Richard McDonald Woods]

Will swift also cover these oceanic functions?

[Kirk Christie]

What oceanic function? This is a web based controller tool.

[Richard McDonald Woods]

Hi Kirk,

It looks to me that both this software and swift are oceanic controlling functions. Is this not true?

[David Zhong]

Not sure how you got that impression... swift is a proposed pilot client. OCA is a tool for oceanic controllers. Certainly the discussed proposal to allow pilots to do the data entry is not dissimilar from CPDLC and it is proposed that swift will have some sort of CPDLC capability, it is probably way too early in the discussion for any sort of decisions about integration.

[Richard McDonald Woods]

Hi David,

I apologise that my description of swift was only as an oceanic tool for controllers and pilots. But I thought that swift will have the ability to cover oceanic flying. This is why I am confused about the potential relationship between these two products.

[Kirk Christie]

Im not sure what functions Swift is adding to have the ability to cover oceanic flying, as long as you can communicate to a controller, and receive a selcal then all the functions for oceanic flying are included.

 

The "software" above as you call it, is not, its a web based site that opens in a browser, and only pulls data from vatsim, in terms of the aircraft, callsign, and flight plan, all other information is input by an oceanic controller, when that information is p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ed to them via the frequency.

 

The above tool, is a controller tool only and a pilot has no reason to access it, or interact with it. The pilot functions that have been included are just there for pilots that want to be nosey, and learn how to make a clearance request or position report.

[Richard McDonald Woods]

Thanks, Kirk

[Anders Moen]

Richard, as these guys have already explained, swift is not an oceanic tool, but rather a pilot client, just like vPilot.

I believe they wrote some time that CPDLC is considered to be integrated, and if they do I hope it'll be possible for me to connect this onto that as well

[Josh Glottmann]

Anders, has any more progress been made on the tool?

[Sean Harrison]

Any chance this would be available for the Pacific Ocean?

 

I've tried using excel but just can't get it anywhere near useful.

[Josh Glottmann]

Any chance this would be available for the Pacific Ocean?

Last I've heard, he was working on v3 (which has an amazing text interface, but the map is not functional at all yet).

[Mod - Happy Thoughts]uming that got done, I believe the next expansion was going to be for New York, Santa Maria, and Iceland.

 

Honestly, I think once he has everything done, it shouldn't be terrible difficult to get it working for other regions. I think it would involve changing waypoints, adding an airway setup, and adding new GEO/FIR/Lat-Lon.

[Luis Mauricio Esparza Sanchez]

Hi I was controlling Gander and every time I go online I use this fantastic tool but there's is a little issue, nothing relevant but there are 2 flights which cannot be deleted here is the image http://ctrlv.in/923342 thanks for this great tool guys! See you on the North Atlantic!

[Josh Glottmann]

Hi I was controlling Gander and every time I go online I use this fantastic tool but there's is a little issue, nothing relevant but there are 2 flights which cannot be deleted here is the image http://ctrlv.in/923342 thanks for this great tool guys! See you on the North Atlantic!

I'll try deleting it later. I would suggest using the newer version of the tool, http://new.vnas.net

[Luis Mauricio Esparza Sanchez]

Hi I was controlling Gander and every time I go online I use this fantastic tool but there's is a little issue, nothing relevant but there are 2 flights which cannot be deleted here is the image http://ctrlv.in/923342 thanks for this great tool guys! See you on the North Atlantic!

I'll try deleting it later. I would suggest using the newer version of the tool, http://new.vnas.net

 

Great! Waiting for approval then. Thanks

[Andreas Fuchs]

Are you guys now all using this new Oceanic Tool or is GOATS still alive?

[Josh Glottmann]

Are you guys now all using this new Oceanic Tool or is GOATS still alive?

Yeah, most are using Anders' tool (and most of those areusing v3). GOATS has been long dead.

[Andreas Fuchs]

Understood, thanks!