SIM ACARS Beta for AAVirtual

[Michael Blakely]

SIM ACARS is ready for Beta testing by our AAVirtual pilots.

Remember - this is a Beta, there will be bugs. If you're using this for a real flight I suggest two options so you don't lose your flight data:
1. Write down all your flight information so you can file a manual FREP is you encounter a SIM ACARS bug.
2. You can use FSACARS and SIMACARS at the same time on the same flight. Submit the FREP with SIM ACARS, and then use the Edit FREP page to see if there were any errors in submission. If you see errors, then submit the FSACARS FREP.

What is it?
SIM ACARS a more recent version of flight simulator ACARS software, similar to our FSACARS. SIM ACARS is software that runs on your PC while you fly. SIM ACARS will log the data from your flight, and allow you to submit this data as a FREP to AAVirtual with the push of a button.

Known Issues:
Incorrect pushback and shutdown times: SIM ACARS reports everything based on computer time, not simulator time. This is coded in the client, and we have no access to the client source code, so we can't change it. This means any SIM ACARS FREP will need to be edited by the pilot to correct the departure and arrival times from computer time to sim time. This can be done on our Edit FREP page.

Untested Features:
Long flights: I have not tested SIM ACARS on flights longer than 1 hour. Longer flights generate more data for submission to the AAVirtual website. I don't know if the data sets for long flights are fragmented into multiple submissions or not. If they are fragmented, I expect the FREP submission will fail.
Limited Simulator Testing: I have only tested SIM ACARS with P3Dv4. Supposedly it works with FS2004, FS9, FSX, X-Plane, and P3D.

Installation:
1. Log into the AAVirtual website.
2. Go to the SIM ACARS section of the file downloads by navigating from Resources - File Downloads - Member Files - SIM ACARS Files, or use this link: https://aavirtual.com/download_member/S ... _1.4.0.zip
3. Download and Unzip the SIM_ACARS_1.4.0 folder.
4. Copy this folder to where you want to keep your programs (C:\ or C:\Program Files (x86)).
5. Click SIM ACARS.exe to run the program.
NOTE: SIM ACARS keeps separate data files for "Run as User" and "Run as Adminstrator". If you use or configure the program in one mode, the configurations and flights will not be available in the other mode.
6. Click on the Virtual Airlines Settings tab at the top of the screen.
7. Click the New Virtual Airline button.
8. Enter this data:
Callsign: AAL270 (Replace 270 with your AAL pilot number)
Password: Your AAVirtual password
VA Name: AAVirtual
VA ICAO: AAL
VA ACARS URL: http://www.aavirtual.com/pages/simacars
Weight Unit: Lbs
9. Click OK.
10. Test your connection to the AAVirtual website using the Virtual Airline Login box a the lower left.
11. In the Virtual Airlines drop down box click AAVIRTUAL.
12. Click the Login button.
If the Virtual Airline Login title bar turns green, you are connected.
If you receive an error message, double check the data from step 8. If you need to delete the information and start again, use the blue "X" next to the AAVIRTUAL line to delete your prior settings.

Operation:
SIM ACARS works best if your simulator is up and running before you start SIM ACARS, and keep your simulator running until after you have submitted your FREP with SIM ACARS.
1. Start your simulator, get to the point where your aircraft is active and parked at the gate.
2. Start SIM ACARS.
Each time you start SIM ACARS, you will need to log into the AAVirtual website.
3. In the Virtual Airlines drop down box click AAVIRTUAL.
4. Click the Login button.
5. Wait for the Virtual Airline Login title bar to turn green.
6. Fill out the flight plan information in the top half of the SIM ACARS window.
Departure ICAO, Arrival ICAO, and Flight Number are required.
Flight Number should match the flight number in your FREQ.
All other fields are optional.
NOTE: The Aircraft Type ICAO field is used to auto-populate the aircraft equipment in your FREP.
NOTE: If you miss-enter the Departure ICAO, SIM ACARS will notice that your aircraft is not located at near the airport, and a confirmation window will pop up. You can confirm your actual location, or go back and edit your Departure ICAO.
7. In the lower left box, click on Lbs to report fuel use in Lbs.
8. In the Network box, click on VATSIM or OFFLINE.
NOTE: If you click on VATSIM, then VATSIM FLIGHT will be set to YES in your FREP.
9. Click the Start Track button. The Connection status will switch to a green Connected message.
10. Fly your flight.
11. When you have completed your flight, and you are parked at the gate, click the End Flight button.
12. The Send Report button in the lower left box should now be highlighted. You can click this button to submit your FREP, or go to the Logbook tab, find your flight, and click the green paper airplane next to the flight to submit the FREP.
13. If the FREP submission is successful, you will see the message "Report saved in the system" in green.
14. Close SIM ACARS.
15. Close your flight simulator program.

You must edit your FREP to correct the pushback and shutdown times
There is an "Edit a FREP" option in the AAVirtual.com website left side navigation bar. This tool will show you a list of your FREPs that have been submitted, but have not yet been approved by your hub manager. If you click "edit" on one of your listed FREPs, it will bring up the "Submit FREP" form with all your data pre-populated. You may then edit any of the fields and submit the updated FREP.
1. SIM ACARS does NOT check if the flight is in your FREP. If your flight number is incorrect, you will need to edit the FREP.
2. SIM ACARS has no way to mark a flight as a GFI flight. If you want to check the GFI Flight box (and receive the 50% bonus hours) you will need to edit the FREP.
3. SIM ACARS reports everything based on computer time, not simulator time. You need to edit your FREP to correct the pushback and shutdown times to the time in your simulator.

Bug Reporting
This is a Beta release, so we expect some bugs. If you encounter a bug or any other issue, please report it in this thread in the Technical Forum.
Please include this information to help assist in fixing the bug:
1. Date and time of your error, in local time and time zone, or ZULU time
2. Action you were trying to take (installation, configuration, connection, flight setup, send report, etc.)
3. Error that occurred or error message you saw (please try to post a screenshot of the error).
4. If the error occurred during connection, pleas post a screenshot of the SIM ACARS Virtual Airlines Setting page, REMEMBER TO EDIT THE PICTURE TO OBSCURE YOUR PASSWORD!
5. If the error occurred while trying to send your report, please include the departure ICAO, arrival ICAO, and flight number in your bug report

[Robert Shepherd]

How is this going? Can our old FSACARS still be used? .. I'm getting ready to to plan a flight for the first time in a few years! Jeez I've been out of it..

[Wayne Pierce]

Robert? Whom are you? How is the Stew ?

The FSACARS still works and it is the preferred method of filing you FREPS. Sim ACARS had a date problem Mike could not correct on our end.

Wayne

[Robert Shepherd]

Thank you Wayne!

Stew is good.. She's discovered the whole Cricut vinyl cutting world and is fast becoming her #1 hobby! - And I now have more time to fly! Haha...

I'll stick with FSACARS then.. Side note: Can I send a FREP in if I'm in retired status? Also what happened to KPSP?

Thanks!

[Wayne Pierce]

This is off the topic for the original post .

But, KPSP was booted out. If your retired and want to fly and report I believe you need to come back to a HUB. Then you will need to follow the reporting in dates again. For you it would be one each 90 days.

[Robert Shepherd]

Roger that...

I'm sending in a request to come out of retirement and return to JKF now...

[Harold Henderson]

Robert, come join us at KPHX. You'll find a few familiar names there, and the HM is a push-over.

[Rey Ramon]

So which is the preferred filing that works with MSFS2020? FSACARS or Sim ACARS?

[Michael Blakely]

So which is the preferred filing that works with MSFS2020? FSACARS or Sim ACARS?

Ray, It's the user's choice. There is no preference at the VA or Hub Manager level.

Some users find SIM ACARS more stable and easier to use than FSACARS.
However, as noted in the top of this thread,

Known Issues:
Incorrect pushback and shutdown times: SIM ACARS reports everything based on computer time, not simulator time. This is coded in the client, and we have no access to the client source code, so we can't change it. This means any SIM ACARS FREP will need to be edited by the pilot to correct the departure and arrival times from computer time to sim time. This can be done on our Edit FREP page.

[Harold Henderson]

So which is the preferred filing that works with MSFS2020? FSACARS or Sim ACARS?

Rey, you may already have picked this up, but using FSACARS in MSFS 2020 will require FSUIPC7 connected to the sim before you load FSACARS.

[Rey Ramon]

Hadn't chosen yet. Think i'll give FSACARs a try this weekend.

[Michael Blakely]

Support for SIMACARS has ended. The developer is no longer maintaining the client and the client no longer supports the secure web access (https) we are using on aavirtual.com
FSACARS is still operational.