VFS101 User Nav Updates

VoiceFlight has developed a Windows application to allow users to generate their own VFS101 Nav Updates. This program downloads Navigation data directly from FAA Servers, compiles that data into a VFS101 Nav Update file and writes the final update to the USB Thumb drive ... all in about 10-20 seconds with a speedy internet connection.

After this program is installed on your Windows Computer, generating a new VFS101 Nav Update file should be as simple as: installing the USB Thumb Drive into your computer, launching the VFS101 User Nav Update program, and clicking the GO button.

The VFS101 User Nav Update Program includes a menu screen that describes the type of Nav Update to be built. In most cases, the program will be able to automatically select the appropriate menu choices at startup. Use caution in changing any of these selections.

The VFS101 User Nav Installer can be downloaded by left-clicking the icon to the right. After download, the Installer can be executed, either automatically, or by double left-clicking the downloaded file as necessary. The Installer will then install the VFS101 User Nav Update program onto your Windows computer, along with a Desktop short cut using the same icon as appears to the right.

This is a very "light-weight" install and can be easily and completely removed from the Computer using the standard Windows Program Removal utility. The VFS101 User Nav Update has been digitally signed by VoiceFlight Systems LLC for your protection.

The VFS101 User Nav Update program must always be run -after- the corresponding GPS data cartridge has been loaded with the appropriate Nav data. The VFS101 update file generated by this program is only for the specific Coverage Area requested in the Menu screen (e.g. Full USA, Americas, etc.). The VFS101 will not complete the standard "Database Recalibration" process if the Coverage Area of the data cartridge installed in the GPS does not match the Coverage Area for which the update was generated.

Before starting the build, the VFS101 User Nav Update program will automatically remove (after receiving permission) any previous VFS101 Nav Update files on the USB Thumb drive. At completion, there will be two files on the Thumb drive: The User Nav "shim" (UsrNav.vfs) and the actual Nav Data file with a name that reflects the cycle and coverage area (e.g. Vfs1410U.nav). Both of these files are required for a successful VFS101 update.

Even though the FAA NASR Nav source data is currently on a 56 day release cycle, a new VFS101 Update file should be prepared whenever the GPS data cartridge is updated (typically every 28 days). The FAA NASR website indicated that they will be switching to a 28 day release cycle by the end of 2014, but this has thus far been postponed into 2016 ...

If you encounter difficulties running the VFS101 User Nav Update program, VoiceFlight has no objections to you sharing files with another VFS101 user that has the same Coverage Area. If you do copy files, please be careful not to add any extraneous characters to the file names (e.g. Vfs1410U(1).vfs).

Nav Cycles and Coverage Areas

If the desired Nav Cycle and Coverage Area can not be selected in the VFS101 User Nav Update program menu, the first step is to ensure that the VFS101 User Nav Update program is always run -after- the corresponding GPS Nav data card has been written (on the same Windows computer).

If that guidance has been followed and the desired Coverage Area is still not available, the required information may have been deleted from the computer. The most effective way to restore the information seems to be by re-verifying the GPS Nav data card as follows:

Insert the previously written GPS Nav data card back into the computer's USB port using the blue Skybound G2 adapter. Restart the JSUM update program. Locate the line matching the GPS Nav data card's current Nav Cycle and Coverage Area, presumably with -zero- updates remaining. RIGHT-click on that line and select "Verify" from the drop down menu. After the GPS Nav data card has been successfully verified, close the JSUM application and re-start the VFS101 User Nav Update program. The corresponding Nav Cycle and Coverage Area should now be available for selection.

The required information seems to be deleted more frequently when the JSUM download and card writing activities are split into two separate steps (i.e. by selecting JSUM's download now for future offline writing box). If this is your normal procedure, it may be helpful to try downloading and writing in a single operation. If the two step process is required, or if other problems are encountered, running the VFS101 User Nav Update program -between- the download step and the GPS Nav data card writing step may be helpful.