• Aircraft Communications Addressing
  • PIREP Reporting System

    • Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System
    The following is an overview of, and instructions on the use of, the fully integrated It's Your Plane fully integrated Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) and Pilot's Reporting system (PIREP).

    Activating ACARS:   Pronounced... "Eh Cars"

    Please be advised, that when you launch the IYP application for the first time, ACARS is NOT ACTIVATED. Please say, "Bring up the ACARS window." To ACTIVATE ACARS, simply say, "Activate ACARS system." Your trusty Co-Pilot will respond with, "The ACARS system has been activated."

    The ACARS window will change from what is displayed on the LEFT to what is displayed on the RIGHT (above).

    Automatic Logging of ACARS data:

    If you meet the following conditions:

    1. The Origination airport ICAO has be defined.
    2. The Destination airport ICAO has be defined.
    3. The Top of Climb (cruise) altitude / flight level has be defined.
    4. A flight plane has been loaded in the GPS (FMC in the case of Project Magenta)
    5. The aircraft is parked at the origination airport gate/ramp
    6. The parking brakes are on.
    then when you perform the Before Startup Checklist, Michelle (Mike) will ask,

          "Captain, do you wish to start the ACARS logging system at this time?"

    If you answer in the affirmation, ACARS will start logging your flight.

    Manual Logging of ACARS data:

    Given that the aforementioned six (6) conditions have been met, you can manually start the ACARS logging process by saying...

          "Start ACARS logging"

    at any point.

    Alternatively, you can say...

          "Bring up the ACARS window"

    and then click on the Start ACARS Logging button. (see image below)

    VERY IMPORTANT NOTES:

    LOADING PRE-SAVED FLIGHTS
    If Michelle says, "Sorry, you must save this flight under a suitable flight name before you can start ACARS", this means that the flight has likely been loaded as a, 'PREVIOUS FLIGHT'.

    Here's a typical setup procedure for a Cessna Skyhawk flying from the Reina Beatrix International airport in Aruba to the Josefa Camejo airport in Venezuela.

    Please follow these steps if you are using FS9:
    Bring up your simulator.
    Click on CREATE A FLIGHT.
    Click on CHANGE... under Selected aircraft.
    Choose the C172SP Skyhawk aircraft.
    Click OK.
    Click on CHANGE... under Selected location.
    Under Country/Region, select Aruba.
    Under RunwayStarting position, select PARKING 5 -- RAMP GA SMALL.
    Click OK.
    Click on CHANGE... under Selected weather.
    Choose whatever you desire.
    Click OK.
    Click on CHANGE... under Selected time and season.
    Set your time and season as desired.
    Click OK.
    Click on Flight Planner... (departure is already set to TNCA as per above)
    Click on Choose Destination...
    Click on Country/Region, press the V key, then select Venezuela.
    In the Airport ID: box, type the letters SVJC.
    Josefa Camejo Intl will appear in the list.
    Click OK.
    Select IFR.
    Select Low altitude airways.
    Click on Find Route.
    Leave the Cruising altitude set to the default altitude of 6000 feet.
    Click OK.
    It will ask you to save a file called: IFR Oranjestad Reina Beatrix Intl to Josefa Camejo Intl.PLN
    Click OK.
    It will ask if you want to be moved to the departure airport.
    Click Yes.
    Click FLY NOW!
    Wait for the flight to load.

    Say, "Start ACARS logging", unless you have the ACARS set to start automatically (see note below).

    REQUISITE INFORMATION
    ALL of the requisite data MUST be present before ACARS logging will start. Namely:

      Airline - Will display It's Your Plane - PRIVATE unless flying with a VA (more later)
      IATA - Will display IYP
      Registration - Actual Tail (Registration) Number of the aircraft being flown
      Select Call - A 4-character Selective Calling Code that is randomly generated by the
              IYP application. Refer to PAGE 152 of the IYP User's Manual for details.
      Call Sign - Is derived from the Flight Number of the aircraft being flown
      Pilot # - The IYP Pilot Number
      Dept ICAO - The departure airport ICAO pulled from the Flight Plan
      Dest ICAO - The destination airport ICAO pulled from the Flight Plan
      Altitude - The planned Flight Level pulled from the Flight Plan
      Aircraft - An IYP formulated 4-character code for the aircraft being flown
      Route - pulled from the Flight Plan (unless Project Magenta then FMC)

    Here's what your ACARS window should look like if you are flying as an It's Your Plane user (i.e., not associated with a Virtual Airline)


    Here's what your ACARS window should look like if you are flying as a pilot associated with the IYP Virtual Airline

    Saving ACARS Data:

    If you have started ACARS logging for a given flight, then upon arrival at the destination airport, the IYP application will ask you if you would like to SAVE your ACARS data at the conclusion of the Parking or Shutdown checklists. Assuming that you want to save your data, it is saved in the folder:

      [SIMULATOR ROOT FOLDER]\IYPLogs\ACARS\
    in the format:
      YYYYMMDDhhmmss.TXT

      (e.g., C:\Program FIles\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\IYPLogs\ACARS\20071214083202.TXT)

    Uploading ACARS Data:

    If you have saved your ACARS data to your local drive per the above instruction, and you are operating IYP in the ONLINE mode, then Michelle will then ask you if you would like to UPLOAD your ACARS to the IYP servers. If you say, "Yes please", or "Affirmative", then the IYP application will send your ACARS data to our servers in order to create a Pilot's Report (PIREP) that can been seen by fellow pilots on our site.

    You can see filed PIREPs by clicking HERE.


























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