Steve,

Go to the Ellie site and download the manual for the ND.  How to get flight plans in there is in that.  It is simple.  You need a flightplanner that outputs a flightplan in the Squawkbox 2 format....  with the .sbp file extension.  Call it "flightplan" and put it in the Ellie ND root directory.  Bingo, all the usual features of the "Magenta Line" like eta to next waypoint, color changes, the Kermit line superimposed for climbs and descents.

Dittof for getting weather on the Ellie ND........ but you need SA_WXR to make it easy....which unfoprtunately is discontinued.  The ND will handle any weather program output as long as it complies with the SA_WXR srandard bitmap format.  Setting that up is in the ND manual too.  Hit "W" or "w" to toggle the WXR on and off.

As to the traffic at Kai Tak, just read the manual for the Flytampa Kai Tak airport.  That tells you how to do that too.  Go to the FLyTampa site nd download the flightplans to add to your flighplan bgls.

best,

.....................john

Steve,

I use Flight Sim Commander (payware) as my flight planner.  It is like a real flight planning package.  It too is a complex piece of software and has a steep learning curve.  It CAN act like a moving map and radar if you want it to (I don't).  It has the ability to save across the network.  I have the primary output folder for it's Squawkbox flightplans as the Ellie ND directory on the ND machine.  I plan in FSCommander, call the plan "flightplan", and then save the plan directly into the Ellie ND location.  Sorted.

I also save the Commander flightplans into categories of my "standard routes".  Those are in heiarchical folders by departure airport.  So if I an flying my typical KBOS to KLGA route, I just load that plan into the Ellie ND and go fly.  SIDS and STARS are stored in FSCommander, and with the latest edition can be updated via Navigraph.  (As can the nav data in the Ellie ND.)

No, the Ellie ND cannot and never was designed to "pick up" the flightplan out of either the sim nor third party add-ons.  I don;t know of any external gauges that can do that.


As to the FlyTampa AI traffic at Kai Tak, there is a section in the manual that led me to set that up.  There is a traffic bgl file that has to be added to the main sim.  Kai Tak was / is CLOSED, so the sim does not have traffic flights going in and out of there by default.  You have to add a traffic bgl file that causes that to happen.  It is is simple download.


best,

......................john

stevehookem wrote on May 1^st, 2009 at 11:43pm:

Here's the AI traffic info for FlyTampa's Kai Tak:

http://www.flytampa.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3116

best,

.................john

I have FS Commander running on the same machine as FSX so I can use the large projected screen for the flight planning.

How do I get my sbp files to the other computer that runs Ellie? I know that the networking is correct since Ellie pops in immediately when my son starts FSX.

i just don't know how to tell FS Commander where to send it.

Steve,

Here is the info on where to locate the Ellie information of various types (like navigraph data, weather bitmaps, and flightplans) so that the ND can read them:

http://www.elliesystems.com/store/ProductHelpFiles/BoeingND_Operations/BoeingND_...

It is easiest to have the flightplan saved into the Ellie directory rather than have the Ellie ND look on another machine across the network.  If you want the ND to read across the network, look at the "Network Gurus Only" parts of that page.  Be careful there .....registry edits.

Sending stuff across the network first requires that network permissions are set up so that you can DO that.  That needs a book.   

Otherwise, the "flightplan.sbp" file has to be in the same directory that ND.exe is in, and you have to start the ND after it is already in there.  If you need to change flightplans after the ND is started, put the new plan in there (overwrite the file), and hit the appropriate key (shown in the link above) to refresh the flightplan.

If you want to save the flightplan across the network to a remote machine,  look at the docs for FSCommander and tell it to place Squawkbox plans in the same directory that the Ellie ND is located in.  That location all depends on what you selected when you did the Ellie install.  FSCommander has it's own setup for where it saves various things by default.

What I have and what you have do not necessarily match up.

best,

...................john

FLightsim Commander will simultaneously save the plan to the default FS directory (in .pln mode), it's own directory (and format) and the Squawkbox directory (in .sbp format).... if you specify all of those in the FSCommander setup.

So to re-use a plan you retrieve it from the FSCOmmander flightplans directory, and tyhen re-save it to ALL of the directories.

best,

................john

Steve,

For the Ellie ND the flighplan MUST have the actual name "flightpan.sbp".  YOU should not have to put that file extension on there; it should be the default extension made by FSCommander.  Make sure that you are saving in the OLD Squawkbox 2 format.... not the newer 4 version.  BOTH are available in FSCommander.  Ellie takes the old version, CONTRARY to what the online docs currently say.

To be hoonest I don't remember if the Ellie flight plan filename is case sensitive.  I THINK it is.

The flightplan for the main sim to read can be whatever you wish to call it.  They don;t have to match; ther is no "connection" between the external gauge and the internal gauges.

Did you hit the "Show Flightplan" key in the Ellie ND?

Hum...... to be honest I don;t know how to "lock" the gate selection in a flightplan for FSX.  I don't use "The X" so I can't tell you.  In my sim I am always starting the aircraft at the gate parked where I last left it.  So not something I have dealt with.

best,

....................john

Nope. Doesn't show up.

I'm pressing Shift P to get into Plan Mode.
I'm pressing f to reload the plan
I'm pressing p to toggle plan on and off.

Nothing. I thought maybe my range was too close but I see nothing happen when I try 1-7 to set range and nothing when I try + or - to increase or decrease the range. It looks the same no matter what I do.

No magenta line.

My ND.exe on the avionics computer installed here:
C:\Program Files\EllieAvionics\BoeingND and this is also where the flightplan.sbp is located.

I think something is wrong with my version of the ND.

I am in my purchases in my account and it shows my original purchase on Dec 12, 2008. It also shows v 2.2 in February but I don't recall ever getting anything new.

How do I download the latest version? There is nothing that I can click to download.

I got you email and will try those FP's out.

Steve

Steve,

AHA!!!!!!!!  Bingo!  Total mystery solved, I think.

Have you installed the NAVDATA file into the Ellie ND?  The "give away" here is that CRUCIAL mention of the lack of seeing any navaids at all.  (If you say "yes" to this question, then I'm pretty much sunk.)

The ND does not know "where it is" without the navdata files being installed into it.  It is just a dumb gauge waiting for the data to know it's location.  Like a GPS receiver that does not have the maps installed.  It is just a point in space with no physical real world references. 

See the Ellie docs for how to do that.  The ND comes with a free BASIC navdata database that is located online at the Ellie site.  You have to download that database separately and install it according to the directions.  That was done so that the ND download was not HUGE.  This is a big separate download.  Remember that database is current only at the time of the original creation.  (see below)

Once you have it, install it.  Then try this all again.  Bet you'll see all the navaids, the Magenta Line, and stuff like the runway approach centerlines when tuned to an ILS, and the radials that are selected on the OBS when you are tuned to a VOR.

An IMPORTANT note here is that the Ellie ND will take current AIRAC cycles of Navdata from Navigraph.  That is a payware service but it is VERY inexpensive.  It keeps your navaids continually up to date.  Those databases are updated every couple of months and absolutely match the real world databases.  The airlines pay BIG bucks for that data.  Remember here though that the FSX internal database is out of date altready.  (I don't know if it was designed to be updated.  The fs2004 one is NOT.)  So there is the possibility that some airports and navaids that show up on the FSX GPS and other stuff are not correct any longer and will not match exactly with the Ellie ND display.  A minor annoyance for most of us........ siince this is not REAL aviation simulator training.

I hope I've figured it out for you.

best,

........................john

Steve,

Above I was forgetting that the runway center lines, the VOR radials and such only show up when you are using the Navigraph data files.   Not available wit hthe default free one.   So it is well worth using that version over the free default navdata file.

Here are the instructions for installing the Navigraph data files (from the Ellie ND Manual):

---

Integrating NAVIGRAPH vasFMC Navigation Data:


1. Install the vasFMC Navigation data. (preferably on the same computer running the Ellie ND)

2. Make note of where the Data Directory is... you will add this information to the computer's registry

For the sake of argument, let's say you installed the vasFMC data Here:

C:\vasFMC\Data

Now edit the Registry:
   (Proceed ONLY if you are comfortable with working in the registry)

The key is here:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Ellie Systems\BOEING\ND\Left\ (...and Right)

In this location you will find this key: NavaidFolder

Set this key to point to wherever you installed vasFMC: Using our example above, it will be:

C:\\vasFMC\\Data (Note the DOUBLE backslashes...)

That's it!

---

Just a personal note here:

John has been so completely patient with my dumb questions and I appreciate the help greatly! The ND is working perfectly now and running the latest Navigraph data. It is so freakin' cool to get out of the "virtual" cockpit and fully utilize the actual glass and controls.

Thanks for all the help!! I'll buy you dinner if you ever make it to Houston.

Steve

(pictures of our cockpit to come..)