Split "pages" according to foreflight charts categories

[fhb]

Please make it standard or optional for the Foreflight Tripkit to split the non georeferenced pdf file currently found under Airport into seperate files dedicated to different chart categories: VFR Aerodrome Chart and VFR General Aerodrome Information (found under Airport), Approach Chart and VFR Traffic Circuit Chart (found under Approach). For this the pdf files have to follow the naming convention "ICAO-4-Letter-Code_"category"_"Name" e.g. LIPV_approach_VFR APPROACH CHART.

Especially for Egelsbach and other airports with a lot of additional textual information the current implementation is not optimal, as you have to swipe a few pages to get to information such as frequencies, elevation, runway distances. I don't know what exactly "asSingleFile": false does?

[mipastgt]

Just in order to avoid misunderstandings. Could you provide me with a list of the exact file names and the pages contained in them for the example airport EDFE? Something like

filename 1 (1,2,3)
filename 2 (4,5)
...

where the numbers in braces are the page numbers of the current file EDFE_Airport_Frankfurt-Egelsbach.pdf.

I assume the current "Visual" files remain as they are.

[fhb]

So actually you can pick totally custom categories. My examples were those used for the paid jeppesen charts, which makes sense because these are the most used charts internationally and might be used alongside the charts downloaded with AIP Browser DE. Not having to look for the same chart from Jeppesen vs. AIP in different categories is almost a must, so it makes sense to follow the jeppesen scheme.

One thing has to be discussed before jumping to my two naming/categorization scheme suggestions: In each paid chart subscriptions I've used so far all pdf files only have one page and same type pages are just numbered e.g.:

EDFE_Visual_VFR Visual Operation Chart 1.pdf (5)
EDFE_Visual_VFR Visual Operation Chart 2.pdf (6)

This is probably done so you don't overlook material if you don't expect multi-page pdfs or might be a necessity to be able to send georeferenced charts to the map. I can't test the latter but I think both possible issues don't apply to purely textual Information (pages 1-4, 9) and I would definitely prefer to have those as multi-page pdfs. The pdf files would ideally be precisely named (alternative 1). But the AIP changes the format and where information is provided from airport to airport (e.g. runways on visual operation chart for EDFE but usually on Aerodrome Chart e.g. EDFV) so probably a relatively generic approach (alternative 2) is needed, which is indeed used for the paid DFS/AIP data in foreflight.

Alternative 1

EDFE_Airport_VFR General Information.df (1-4) 
EDFE_Approach_VFR Approach Chart.pdf (5)
EDFE_Approach_VFR Traffic Circuit Chart.pdf (6)
EDFE_Airport_VFR Aerodrome Chart.pdf (7)
EDFE_Airport_VFR Aerodrome Parking Chart.pdf (8)
EDFE_Airport_VFR Aerodrome Info.pdf (9)

Alternative 2 (more generic)

EDFE_Airport_VFR General Information.df (1-4)
EDFE_Approach_VFR Approach Chart 1.pdf (5)
EDFE_Approach_VFR Approach Chart 2.pdf (6)
EDFE_Airport_VFR Aerodrome Chart 1.pdf (7)
EDFE_Airport_VFR Aerodrome Chart 2.pdf (8)
EDFE_Airport_VFR Aerodrome Info.pdf (9)

The category and naming for the current EDFE_Visual_Frankfurt-Egelsbach 5-geo/6-geo.pdf files depends on wether you're able and willing to georeference the other files as well. Basically these are cut outs from pages 5 and 6, so it should easy to also have these georeferenced as a whole. Usually Pages 7&8 are also georeferenced, which is useful for taxiing. If these remain the only georeferenced files I'd name them:

EDFE_Approach_VFR Approach Chart - georef.pdf (5)
EDFE_Approach_VFR Traffic Circuit - georef.pdf (6)
or
EDFE_Approach_VFR Approach Chart 1 - georef.pdf (5)
EDFE_Approach_VFR Approach Chart 2 - georef.pdf (6)

If the whole pages get geo referenced as well:

EDFE_Approach_VFR Approach Chart - maponly.pdf (5)
EDFE_Approach_VFR Traffic Circuit - maponly.pdf (6)
or
EDFE_Approach_VFR Approach Chart 1 - maponly.pdf (5)
EDFE_Approach_VFR Approach Chart 2 - maponly.pdf (6)

[mipastgt]

I have thoroughly investigated this issue and came to the conclusion that I currently cannot implement what you have proposed although I conceptually like the idea. The main reason for this decision is the increased maintenance effort.

• The needed data cannot be derived automatically from the available sources and would have to be created and maintained manually.
• The scheme only makes sense if it is consistent and all maps are geo-referenced. (I am currently working on the latter.)
• This data has to be re-validated every 14 days and in fact even more often due to unscheduled changes on the DFS side. (See recent changes on June, 2nd for example, which is not an official AIRAC date.)

I may reconsider this proposal once I have found a way to geo-reference more airfields while still reducing the maintenance effort needed on my side.

[fhb]

Thanks for considering my proposal as well as the swift and thoughtful response. I totally understand that manual labor has to be kept at a minimum and that it's currently not possible to automate the process due to limitations of the AIP.

[fhb]

Instead of the complete solution suggested before it would be super helpful and should be easy to implement if you could add the non cut geo referenced approach charts as well, so I can find the complete approach chart in the correct category and not only the cut out:

EDRF_Approach_VFR Approach Chart.pdf
EDRF_Approach_VFR Approach Chart - maponly.pdf

or

EDRF_Approach_Bad Duerkheim 1 - maponly.pdf
EDRF_Approach_Bad Duerkheim 1.pdf

instead of
EDRF_Approach_Bad Duerkheim 1-geo.pdf

[mipastgt]

That would be doable but I can't make any promises. I just don't have the time at the moment.

Nevertheless, could you provide me with a list of all categories that are used by FF? In the examples given by you I see "Airport" and "Approach". Are there more? It would also be interesting to have a list of the categories used by the DFS for their commercial offering.

[fhb]

The categories can be chosen freely, one can add custom categories. This is how foreflight describes the process: https://foreflight.com/support/byop/
For VFR Jeppesen only uses airport and approach categories, this is how would do it as well. The DFS package uses the Airport and Visual categories:

For IFR is a bit more complicated:

[mipastgt]

Thanks. My question was wrong. I meant to ask how Jeppesen uses it and not FF. I'll have a look at your answer.

[fhb]

Mhm, I don't understand. In my post I showed you which category jeppesen uses for VFR charts (in Foreflight). I assume jeppesen uses the same categories for IFR charts as used for the freely available Eurocontrol charts shown in my last screenshot.

[mipastgt]

It's all good. You gave me the right answer for my wrong question already because I actualy wanted to know how Jeppesen handles this but I incorrectly asked for FF.