Electronic Flight Bag

[rfresh737 4]

Electronic Flight Bag coming soon...to a cockpit near you...!!!

 

[Dean33 29]

I'm impressed with SimChecklist. Purchased two weeks ago and use it for various aircraft from 737 to PC12.

Now Ralph has added this EFB chart viewer which to me doubles my value from this product.

At present its just pdf's but coming soon images (John's plates!) and other features.

Any sim, it just pops up and down on hotkey.

30 day free trial. Great product in my opinion.

Dean

[brett 2,315]

Help me out here, from what I have seen in the video it runs outside of FSX so that if you forgot a couple of items in your flow and rectified the corresponding switch on your FSX panel the checklist would disappear and you would have to hotkey it up again to check the next item. Am I correct in this assumption?

 

As it stands now I have checklists that I have created for various aircraft in a folder that I run behind windowed FSX. Most are pretty nice looking as I have copy/pasted them from the aircraft manuals. Click on the checklist and it pops up on top of the FSX screen essentially doing the almost the same thing as SimChecklist.

 

What I do need is a checklist running within FSX so it stays on the FSX screen as I flip the switches to the correct position and this product doesn't seem to do that from what I saw in the vid's on Ralph's site. 

 

So, can someone explain to me why I should spend 30 dollars for a .txt based checklist that is not integrated into FSX and that I have to create my own checklists?(I didn't see if there were a large selection of default lists available)

 

Nothing personal Ralph, I am sure you have put many hours into this and you have been a asset to the FSX community for many years, just asking a hard question in my rude American way.

[rfresh737 4]

Hi Brett

 

No worries regarding your comments on SimChecklist (SCL). And thanks for the kind words regarding my 737NGX training videos which I make available for free to the flight sim community. I've made almost 40 of them this year. Next year I plan to move to the 777 platform and continue to make training videos.

 

>Help me out here, from what I have seen in the video it runs outside of FSX so that if you forgot a couple of items in your flow and rectified the corresponding

>switch on your FSX panel the checklist would disappear and you would have to hotkey it up again to check the next item. Am I correct in this assumption?

 

The answer (for SimChecklist) is: it depends. The checklist window in SimChecklist has a transparency (Opacity) setting. I set mine to around 60% and what this does is let me see "through" my checklist window even though I have it popped up on top of FSX. I can still see the whole cockpit. If an application is designed right (which SCL is), this window will remain in view until you hot key it out of view, even when you return to your FSX cockpit!! If the app is designed incorrectly, then you're statement is 100% true, you'd lose the window. But that doesn't happen with SimChecklist.

 

However, if you need to 'catch up' with some of the switches in the cockpit as you read your checklist, and those switches are behind the SCL window, then while you can still see the switches, you'd have to move the SCL window out of the way so you have clear access to those switches 'behind' the transparent window (while in the FSX cockpit).

 

The checklist would still be up but it may be overlaying an area in the cockpit you may need to access. You have two choices here: either just mouse move the window so you have clear access to the switch(es) in question or resize the SCL window so its small and keep it up in a corner where it won't be covering most of the switches you may need to access while the window is popped up. This BTW is a limitation of windows, not SimChecklist.

 

This was one of the main reasons I created SCL...to be able to keep a window displayed while in the FSX cockpit and still see the instruments. When I started flying the 737NGX about a year ago, I realized that flying single pilot IFR keeps me very busy, especially on final approach. So, having a digital checklist solution meant I'd have to pop it up fast, use it and then pop it down fast.

 

That's where I came up with the transparent window feature. I'm quite used to using SCL now to display checklists really fast as I fly. I want to add that I'm now just starting to fly the 777 and use it's Electronic Checklist (ECL) panel...and I don't like it lol...yet. Way too slow for me to use. I cannot yet see how I'm going to use this thing on final approach (the 777 ECL). The interface and time to access it just takes too long, for me at least. To be fair, I need more time with it, but so far, I don't know if a ECL in the 777 is going to be for me or not. If I want a cockpit display device for a checklist, I may end up using the Generic EFB I'm just finishing up in SCL.

 

>As it stands now I have checklists that I have created for various aircraft in a folder that I run behind windowed FSX. Most are pretty nice looking as I have

>copy/pasted them from the aircraft manuals. Click on the checklist and it pops up on top of the FSX screen essentially doing the almost the same

>thing as SimChecklist.

 

Yes, except for the transparency feature, it sounds like this is working for you, so that's great.

 

>What I do need is a checklist running within FSX so it stays on the FSX screen as I flip the switches to the correct position and this product doesn't seem

>to do that from what I saw  in the vid's on Ralph's site. 

 

There are several reasons why I didn't 'hook' SCL into SFX to work as you've stated:

 

1. I didn't want to tie SCL to one flight sim product. Right now, SCL will work on top of X-Plane and P3D.

 

2. I didn't want to write a checklist for a specific aircraft and not allow it to be edited by the user. If you hook it into the cockpit, making the list editable presents some major design issues. You'll note the Electronic Checklist (ECL) in the 777 sim product is not editable...probably for that reason. Everyone seems to have their own checklist they like to use. I might have missed an item on their checklist that doesn't read a switch in FSX. Or worse, Microsoft's SDK (for us developers) may not give us access to a given cockpit switch.

 

I wanted to 'hook' my 737NGX fuel planning window into the FSX CDU but PMDG doesn't currently provide what we call the API calls to make this work. The truth is, for the 737NGX that I normally fly, the cockpit doesn't work this way by desing (in the real world). Only the 777 and 787 have checklists that work this way.

 

3. I wanted to create a generic checklist window that could be used with any aircraft.

 

>So, can someone explain to me why I should spend 30 dollars for a .txt based checklist that is not integrated into FSX and that I have to create my own

>checklists?(I didn't see if there were a large selection of default lists available)

 

The transparency feature is the only reason I can think of Brett but, as I said, it sounds like you've got a good system in place already with no need to change.

 

I have provided 10 checklists on the down load web page of www.SimChecklist.net. I've not made a lot of them because I've felt the users would want to make their own. There are plenty of templates for them to start from. Their not terribly difficult to make and most of it is pasting from another checklist source. Most of your time is spent formatting. But once you're done, you're done.

 

The generic Electronic Flight Bag add-on I'm doing can support checklists if one wants that and to that end, I've built-in an editor so one can create and edit and format their checklist pages right inside the EFB screen. In fact, I'm going to be doing a video tutorial on exactly how to do this. The EFB will support RTF files and TXT files. Obviously, with the colors and formatting options in RTF files, this is what you'd want to use and this is what I will be showing. I expect to release this video in about 48 hours. Release Candidate 4.2 is soon to be released along with this video.

 

SimChecklist is an expanding product. 90% of the suggestions I receive from my customers I implement. Some of them I can't for various reasons, but mostly technical.

 

The EFB is a good example of expanding SCL. This came about because I recently 'tied' SCL into the CaptainSim 777 EFB product. For chart management, I created a window in SCL that resulted in those changes being seen inside the 777 EFB device in real time. After releasing a video tutorial on this feature, I received a lot of emails from flight simmers asking if I could build a Generic EFB for them (they were not flying the 777). So, I gave it some thought and moved forward with this generic EFB project. 4.1 is the first phase which is now out and I'm days away from releasing 4.2 which adds more EFB features. There will be a phase 3 EFB release in Jan 2015 to add support for third party apps such as moving maps which can be pulled right into the EFB screen itself! Awesome stuff!

 

Fuel planning is another example of expanding SCL. After releasing a fuel planning window for the 737NGX, I was asked by several Dash 8 Q400 flight simmers if I could add support for that aircraft. This has been a long road, taking many months. But I'm 80% done with this add-on. Majestic Software stepped up and agreed to partner with me to do this add-on. I also got an ex-Dash 8 Captain (14,000 hours on the Dash 8) and an actual, current Q400 flight dispatcher to consult with me on the fuel burn numbers. I'm quite convinced my Q400 fuel planning add-on window will be very accurate. I want to also say that Captain Sim has stepped up and supported my efforts on writing a window to manage their charts in real time inside their 777 EFB.

 

Well, I guess my reply got a little long winded, but I hope I've answered your questions Brett.

 

[brett 2,315]

Thanks Ralph, you have answered my main concern.  I just wanted to make sure your product stayed on and above the FSX screen while interacting with FSX, this is the main problem with what I use now so it would be a step up. Easy formatting and additional editing is also a major plus.

 

I don't think I explained myself correctly as far as having the product integrated into the cockpit, what I meant was having SimChecklist available from the Addon tab on the menu bar, sort of like the old pdfKneeboard freeware. This would negate having to startup the checklist before FSX. I guess that would cause more problems than it's worth so I will withdraw that comment anyway. 

 

I know everyone frowns on me saying this but I still feel 30 bucks is a bit steep for only the checklist but that is only my opinion as a poor man, everyone else seems to be made out of money.     This of course does not take into consideration the ongoing development and the upcoming EFB components which would make the whole package worthwhile. I do fly the Q400 occasionally but am mostly a GA flyer where the checklist alone would come in more handy. There are many simmers that only fly GA aircraft so might suggest thinking about a reduced price for the checklist alone, only a thought.

 

Thanks for your detailed answer Ralph, I wish you the best of luck on your project, it will definitely improve flight simming into the future.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[rfresh737 4]

I just released ver 4.2 for the Electronic Flight Bag...I added three content types: Rich Text Format (RTF), TXT docs and Images. The RTF is the most important addition of these. This took longer that I thought because once I got into it, I saw the value of being able to create/edit RTF/TXT content right inside the EFB screen, so I decided to build an editor inside it with a pop-up editing menu. Turned out pretty nice I think.

 

Well, after a couple of weeks of putting in 16 hour days, I'm going to rest for a short while then start in on the 3rd phase of the EFB: 3rd party application support. You'll be able to suck in any app that is running when you start SCL and suck it into the EFB screen to actually have it continue to run. I've been told that some of the GA simmers have moving maps and would like this capability inside their cockpits.

 

My 737NGX YouTube Channel has two video tutorials I just made covering the 4.2 additions: https://www.youtube.com/user/rfresh1011

 

[brett 2,315]

Nice improvements Ralph, keep up the good work.

[Dean33 29]

Great work Ralph.

And for those who haven't seem the free 737 videos they really are a 'must see' for all airline simmers. Great detailed procedures based on the manuals.

Dean

[rfresh737 4]

I have just released Ver 4.3 of my Generic Electronic Flight Bag (EFB). This ver adds support for pulling 3rd party apps into the EFB screen and running them from there.

 

Specifically this feature was added to support the Plan G app moving map display, but you can remote control almost any windows application.

 

A video tutorial on how to use this new ver 4.3 feature is located here:

 

http://www.7x7simtraining.net/777-3/free/

 

Next up I will finally get to finish the fuel planning window for the Dash8 Q400 flight simmers!

 

[J G 927]

Hi Ralph.

 

I have been looking at the product videos for SimChecklist and am impressed with what I see.  I have a couple of questions:-

 

I run FSX on one PC and Plan-G on a second PC.  Can SimChecklist handle this configuration and could I run it on either PC?

 

Specifically:-

 

If I can run it on the FSX PC, will I be able to use a hot key run external programs on the second PC and window them in the SimChecklist frame ?

 

If I can run it on the Plan-G PC will I be able to create a hot key for it on the FSX PC? - I would want to apply the hot key to a FSUIPC controlled switch.

 

Thanks.

[rfresh737 4]

Hi JG

 

Unfortunately, the answer is no...if you are running SimChecklist (SCL) on one PC, it would not know anything about what another PC was doing. SCL only knows about what is going on, on the PC it is installed and running on.

 

Wish I had a better answer for you :-(

 

[J G 927]

That is a shame as I use plan-g all the time but on a second pc to spread the load. I have a home cockpit with instrument screens from both pcs. Plan-G can work on a second pc linked to the main fsx pc. From what you have said I think I could run SimChecklist on my second PC and use it with Plan-g.

I also run an air traffic control program (Radar Contact) from the same second PC which I can control from the main PC.

However what I am not clear about is:
1. Does SimChecklist need a connection to Fsx to function properly?
2. What is the size of the flight bag window? - I run a 4.5 inch screen as a panel mounted instrument screen and was wondering if the window would be too small on this screen if it is a fixed size.

[Dean33 29]

Hi.

No doubt Ralph will reply with the actual size and technicalities later.

For now I can say SimChecklist has no connection to whatever simulator you use. It's a separate Windows program that Ralph cleverly created to pop up and down without interfering with whatever you are flying.

One pop up for checklists function and another for the EFB.

Cheers

Dean

[J G 927]

Thanks Dean.  I guess I will give the demo a try soon.  I am still interested in the window size as it might be unreadable  on a 4.5 inch screen.

[rfresh737 4]

Yes, you could run SCL on your second PC with Plan G.

 

SCL runs independently from your flight simulator program, what ever that might be, and you can use a hot key for the checklist window and another hot key for the EFB window.

 

I'm finishing up my 737NGX MCP (auto pilot) video training series and am making a video of a flight from Los Angeles to San Francisco. In that video I use my SCL checklist window and the EFB, so it demonstrates how fast one can get to the checklist items and then pop it back down out of the way as you continue your flight. Flying single pilot IFR in an aircraft that was designed for two pilots presents some challenges in time management during the critical phases of flight.

 

For that reason (time management) I designed the EFB so that it would only contain the IFR charts you need on your current flight. This eliminates you having to scroll through a lot of plates that don't apply to your trip while in flight...scrolling through unnecessary charts and plates is something you really do not have time for while flying. While the EFB has many other content uses, this is the primary purpose for building it.

 

My customers are the ones who make suggestions on features and if I can add them, I do and have done so. Dean recently asked if it would be possible to 'pop out' a 3rd party app after you've pulled it into the EFB screen to afford more real estate to make adjustments on the 3rd party app, then pop it back inside the EFB screen. Ver 4.3b was released last night and has this capability now.

 

The EFB will adjust to your screen resolution, depending on what that is. So, the size of the screen should not matter. In my testing, the EFB will still fit on a screen with a resolution down to 1280 x 720. So if your screen resolution is at that or above, it should fit OK. I don't think I have any customers using it on such a small screen size, so I too would be interested to know how it renders. It is fixed in size and you cannot re-size it as you do with a normal window frame, but it should adjust to fit on any size screen.

 

[J G 927]

Thanks for all your help Ralph.

 

I will give SimChecklist a go when my rebuild is complete (You can see my progress here: http://forum.mutleyshangar.com/index.php/topic/14467-i-am-building-a-new-rig )

 

I will try it on the RHS 4.5 inch screen which is controlled by PC2.  From what you say all should be well except possibly the small screen element.

 

If I could request a mod, it would be a remote hotkey via FSUIPC, so that hotkeys on the main PC could be mapped to SimChecklist on a second PC. 

 

I will let you know how things go with the set up, but it may be a week or two as I am in Venice part of next week. 

[rfresh737 4]

>If I could request a mod, it would be a remote hotkey via FSUIPC, so that hotkeys on the main PC could be mapped to SimChecklist on a second PC.

 

I will look into this.

 

Thank you...

 

[rfresh737 4]

Hi JG

 

I took an initial look at FSUIPC. I will also need the WideFS client app. I have to network a PC which, oddly enough, I don't already have setup that way.

 

However, since I have finished the EFB, I must now finish the Dash8 Q400 Fuel Planning window in SCL. This was started in late 2014 and was awaiting some technical data from Majestic Software (from the owner, Oleksiy. He has been extremely busy programming a new feature for the Q400 which I am not at liberty to say, since I have signed an NDA). So I am working actively on that project at this moment. As soon as that is done, I will start work on the FSUIPC feature for you.

 

[J G 927]

  now that is service. I am off the Venice for a few days, but when I return.... you just made a sale!!!

[rfresh737 4]

Hi JG

 

The Q400 fuel planning is still ongoing but Majestic would like me to add some additional features that is going to take more time (unfortunately)....I know my Q400 fuel planning has taken more time that I thought but now that Majestic is involved with me on its design (for SimChecklist), I want to make sure their idea's make into my fuel planning window.

 

In the mean time, I have purchased and registered FSUIPC and WideFS client from Peter Dowson and have networked my 2 PCs together...yahoo! JG, if you wouldn't mind emailing me, I have some user-specific questions I wanted to ask you about your setup, to get this FSUIPC hotkey setup working. My email is support at SimChecklist dot net.

 

Thanks...

 

[J G 927]

Hi Ralph.  I have sent you a pm.

 

J.