28. Online Networks

The online network functionality allows to connect to VATSIM, IVAO, PilotEdge or other online networks which publish information using whazzup.txt or JSON files. This covers display of information for centers, clients and servers on the map.

Network specific information like user names, active centers/towers, frequencies, flight plans and much more are displayed world wide without limits like distance to the user aircraft.

Access to online networks can be enabled and configured on Online Flying. Predefined options for the well known networks are available as well as freely configurable ones.

The custom connection options can be used for internal networks or tools like the Transmitter which can be used for small flying groups and MSFS which does not provide multiplayer traffic on its interface.

Online network related functionality can be found in the following places:

  • Search dock window, tabs Online Clients, Online Centers and Online Server.

  • Information dock window, tabs Online Clients and Online Centers.

  • Options dialog, page Online Flying.

See Search for general information on the search tabs.

28.1. Simulator and Online Aircraft Duplicates

Little Navmap fetches data from online networks using an interval of 15 seconds up three minutes depending on settings and network.

The program also fetches AI or multiplayer aircraft from the simulator which are updated about several times a second. These aircraft are injected into the simulator by the various online clients so they are visible in the sim.

Therefore, the user aircraft and other client aircraft can appear duplicated on the map. Little Navmap removes these duplicates by matching the position, speed and other parameters against each other. The de-duplication can be disabled in dialog Options on page Online Flying.

28.2. Map Display

28.2.1. Clients

Online network clients or their aircraft are displayed on the map using the Online in Flight symbol. This includes simulator aircraft that were recognized as online network clients.

The user aircraft is always displayed using the yellow Small GA or a similar symbol depending on aircraft type and simulator. Use the Show in Search map context menu item to see your own aircraft in the list of online clients.

Information for online aircraft is shown on the tab Online Clients in Information.

All other functionality like context menu, double-click, tooltips, map highlights and other are the same as for the other aircraft.

See Aircraft and Ships in the legend for all symbols.

_images/online_aircraft.jpg

Online network clients/aircraft in search tab, map, tooltip and information window. Image based on Little Navmap 2.4. Click image to enlarge.

28.2.2. Centers

Online centers are displayed as circular airspaces in Little Navmap and provide the same functionality as the other airspaces (tooltips, information and more). They can be enabled separately from the other airspaces by selecting Online as airspace source (Airspace Libraries)

Note

The circles do not represent the real airspaces and are only used to indicate the presence of an active center, tower, ground or other position. See below how to assign airspace boundaries to a center.

Detailed information for online centers/airspaces is shown in the Information window.

The following types are available and can be enabled in the drop down menus on the airspace toolbar or sub-menu Airspaces:

  • Observer: Circle size is taken from the visual range value of the center.

  • Flight Information (Center): Uses the visual range.

  • Delivery (Clearance): Uses the visual range.

  • Ground: Shows a circle with a diameter of 10 NM.

  • Tower: 20 NM circle.

  • Approach: 40 NM circle.

  • ACC (Center): Uses the visual range.

  • Departure: Uses the visual range.

The size of the circle shapes and the lookup type can be changed in the options dialog. See Map Display Online.

You can also assign centers to a boundary shape using imported OpenAir, JSON or GEOJSON airspaces from the user airspace database. See Online Airspaces for more information about this. The airspace geomentry is assigned to the centers by ident and type.

_images/online_center.jpg

Online network center/ATC in search tab, map, tooltip and information window.