Post by Dutch Owen on Dec 8, 2009 12:15:18 GMT -5
The idea is to have a new tab on the Administrator (probably the first tab you see when you open it?) named "Flights".
At the top we would get input: a departure airport, a time, and an airplane type. Once those were entered, the same process as the FCOM goes through would be executed, and the possible flights listed in a listbox. You could then browse through the flights and select one you were interested in.
Once you select a flight, the details would be shown and you would have the option to revise ETE or alternate airports just like in the FCOM. But in addition, have the ability to select an existing flight plan from the flight plans folder, enter an altitude and wind component, and have dispatch compute an estimated ETE based on that information.
Once you were satisfied with your planning, you could click the COMMIT button and have the Administrator book the flight in your log just like the FCOM does.
This would be more realistic in that dispatch planning doesn't happen in the airplane in front of an ACARS by in the office before the flight.
Problems: weather. If done outside FS, the FS weather is not available. One solution is to have the pilot input the winds aloft for the altitude he's planning to fly. Another is to download Metar and TAF data from the internet if that's possible (and I believe it is I have seen a gauge that will download Metars and display them to you inside FS.)
At the top we would get input: a departure airport, a time, and an airplane type. Once those were entered, the same process as the FCOM goes through would be executed, and the possible flights listed in a listbox. You could then browse through the flights and select one you were interested in.
Once you select a flight, the details would be shown and you would have the option to revise ETE or alternate airports just like in the FCOM. But in addition, have the ability to select an existing flight plan from the flight plans folder, enter an altitude and wind component, and have dispatch compute an estimated ETE based on that information.
Once you were satisfied with your planning, you could click the COMMIT button and have the Administrator book the flight in your log just like the FCOM does.
This would be more realistic in that dispatch planning doesn't happen in the airplane in front of an ACARS by in the office before the flight.
Problems: weather. If done outside FS, the FS weather is not available. One solution is to have the pilot input the winds aloft for the altitude he's planning to fly. Another is to download Metar and TAF data from the internet if that's possible (and I believe it is I have seen a gauge that will download Metars and display them to you inside FS.)
