Electronic ERSA

[Guest burbles1]

I'm wondering how many pilots download the PDF pages of ERSA from AirServices Australia's NAIPS. I don't, as it: 1) would take a long time to download all pages, and 2) I don't have a PDA to use it. I just order the print copy.

 

But do you think it would be useful if ERSA were produced in a format that you could read on a PDA or even iPhone? I'm in editing and publishing, and just thinking of asking AirServices about this for a long-term project.

 

 

[perthjay85]

hey burbles,

 

first of all its a great idea, but what you need to look at is:

 

is it practical? yes i believe so

 

can you format it correctly? on a small screen like iphone or pda it might be a bit difficult, thats just my opinion.

 

im pretty sure the same guy that did NAIPS for Iphone is doing an Ipad version of ERSA, I think im not 100% certain though.

 

but if you did do it I am pretty sure quite a few people would download it or purchase it for convenience of always having it.

 

I know I would personally.

 

Jay

 

 

[sseeker]

I'm pretty familiar with the Apple iPhone API, this is something I'd be interested in doing if there was enough interest in it. On the iPhone it may be a little tricky to navigate due to the size of the screen, but pinch to zoom and drag it around to view should be sufficient... Opinions?

 

 

[slartibartfast]

I did it this morning on my non-Apple phone. Needed to check a radio freq because by 20 miles I still couldn't hear anything on what ERSA told me was right so thought I'd double check.

 

A quick browse to Airservices, go to ERSA section, download FAC for Mudgee. PDF opens right up.

 

Get a real phone.:devil:

 

 

[tangocharlie123]

I have been after this for a while.

 

When I used to used FSX there was a freindly person that had a script to download the current ersa can't remember who.

 

Cheers

 

 

[F22]

This is where the iPad would sit comfortably.

 

...this morning on my non-Apple phone.:devil:

You dont have an iPhone?!?!

 

 

[sseeker]

Who wants to carry an over sized iPod Touch in their plane? That's just about all it's good for

 

 

[F22]

Lol, I'd leave it in there or treat it as a laptop

 

 

[slartibartfast]

You dont have an iPhone?!?!

I've been using smartphones since long before Apple invented them.

 

 

[facthunter]

Effect.

 

I find myself a bit dumbphoneded by all that. Nev

 

 

[Guest basscheffers]

Been thinking about doing it for the 'pad and the 'phone. Don't need AirDisServices's permission as looking at the copywrong notice they have in front of it, I wouldn't be doing anything they don't allow. (it would be a free app)

 

The whole shebang is just 23mb, so easy to cache on the device when the new one comes out.

 

I have used the PDFs in the browser on iPhone and it's plenty usable. On iPad it will rock. (When can I have mine, Uncle Stevie?)

 

Just a matter of finding the time to do it with a nice interface.

 

 

[jetjr]

I did this for a while with Nokia phones, worked OK, screen too small for use really but OK.

 

I thought you had to carry paper version anyway so whats the point?

 

 

[perthjay85]

i have been thinking about this lately since the thread started.

 

I think it would be really good if you could have a decent content pages that has links to the appropriate pages.

 

rather than having to scroll through the whole thing. and also BACK TO TOP at the end of each paragraph.

 

just a though for anyone thinking about doing it

 

 

[Guest basscheffers]

That would increase the scope quite a bit as you would have to turn the PDFs into some other format; the easy way to do it is to simply display the PDF. I would say 99% of the time people use ERSA is to look up an airfield, which are all individual small PDFs already.

 

But I agree: these are teh Intarwebs; publishing PDFs is a stupid, half-hearted way to put something on a website and the whole AIP should be HTML.

 

 

[shags_j]

Out of interest does AirServices provide an rss feed on when an ersa page is updated? if so you could easily write a script to download the updated PDF to your smartphone, laptop etc. I was thinking of doing this for my phone (symbian os).

 

BTW, I'm with slarti. Get rid of that overpriced peice of marketing garbage they call an iphone and buy a real smartphone.

 

BASS: I reckon they should make a flash website out of it so the iphone users miss out :P

 

 

[leestanley]

BTW, I'm with slarti. Get rid of that overpriced peice of marketing garbage they call an iphone and buy a real smartphone.

Better still... get the so called 'real' smartphone people to improve their marketing so that they can tell us all why the iPhone is a piece of garbage!!

 

e.g does your smartphone allow you to use google voice search to find a restaurant, be shown a map with directions and the phone number you can touch to call?? THAT is slick!

 

Lee :)

 

 

[Guest basscheffers]

Out of interest does AirServices provide an rss feed on when an ersa page is updated?

LOL, ROFLMA! You are kidding, right? Now that would be, like, you know, modern and useful. Airservices is not in the business of modern and useful when it comes to their website.

 

if so you could easily write a script to download the updated PDF to your smartphone, laptop etc. I was thinking of doing this for my phone (symbian os).

In preperation of my iPhone app (yes, it will be there) I wrote some Tcl scripts last night that parse the HTML pages with links to the PDFs into a tab-separated data to create the menus in the app. I am happy to share this. In fact, this index will end up residing on a web server somewhere so the app will be able to grab the latest version. (it will be a SQLite file)The main thing I am waiting for is for the June 3rd ERSA to be posted online soon, so I can see what the links to that look like now and how they will change once it becomes current.

 

BASS: I reckon they should make a flash website out of it so the iphone users miss out :P

The iPhone users are going to get something much more useful from me soon! Flash on *any* touch screen device sucks; 90% of any flash UI requires you to hover to see things change. How's that going to work?

[shags_j]

Good stuff Bass. (I was just stirring with the flash, it always get iphone users worked up).

 

With your app though you would need internet access all the time to obtain the pdfs as required. I was thinking that perhaps having all the PDF's that you want locally then updating when possible. I know this isn't space efficient but more useful mid flight or rural for those that don't have telstra network (myself included).

 

Good call for the app though. I like it.

 

 

[Guest basscheffers]

e.g does your smartphone allow you to use google voice search to find a restaurant, be shown a map with directions and the phone number you can touch to call?? THAT is slick!

Well, yes, Android phones do that. :)

But I am sticking with my iPhone, not in the least because it provides me with a nice income. Not much market for Android apps yet... :)

 

 

[shags_j]

Oh and btw my Nokia does all that.

 

No RSS feed makes it hard. However I noticed that name of the pdf files has the date contained in it that it was last updated. What if I was to write into the script so that you list what ersa's you want access to, set a time for update, for example weekly, (or manually update). during update it searches the main link page for that pdf link, if it's still there it won't update, otherwise it will download the new pdf.

 

It looks for the airstrip name on the left then reads the linl from the next box.

 

 

[Guest basscheffers]

With your app though you would need internet access all the time to obtain the pdfs as required.

v1.0 will, simply to get it out there quick. I will set up a big enough cache, so good chance you will be able to see PDFs you've seen before even without connection.

v1.5 will do the download thing. (optional, if you want it to)

 

To be honest, because I don't want it to be borked on June 3rd with the change, I am unlikely to submit anything to the app store before that date. So expect the app live the second week of June.

 

 

[Guest basscheffers]

No RSS feed makes it hard. However I noticed that name of the pdf files has the date contained in it that it was last updated. What if I was to write into the script so that you list what ersa's you want access to, set a time for update, for example weekly, (or manually update). during update it searches the main link page for that pdf link, if it's still there it won't update, otherwise it will download the new pdf.

Because ASA does post the next ERSA early, I'd like my app to be able to display both available versions; current and next. That way if you are planning ahead, you can look at the new one.

 

 

[shags_j]

Didn't realise they did that. Might have a look at it.

 

 

[tangocharlie123]

How about us poor window users that don't have these so called smart phones. Hey I cant program so can some one write a script for me to do.

 

(just remember the phone is only as smart as the people that use them)

 

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

I'm in the market (medium term) for an iPhone-type device to take over from GPS, phone, ERSA... Waiting for next model iPad which may have all these features.

 

Lyle