How to: using the charts
Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2019 3:01 pm
I've seen quite a few comments about not being able to use the charts function. I understand there are no directions how to do it so here is a short tutorial. No it is not Navigraph but it DOES work.
Finding the "Milviz charts manager":
1.The quickest way to locate the program you will use to load the charts is to right click the MVAMS icon on your desktop and pick "open file location".
2. In this MVAMS folder you will have a "utilities" folder in the folder is a program named "ChartsManager.exe"
3. Right click , hold and drag to desktop when you release RMB choose the "create shortcut here" so you have a program shortcut for future use
Getting usable charts into the program:
1. You will need .jpg files of airport diagrams , approaches etc. I use flightaware.com Here you can type in any airport ICAO code in the search box and on the subsequent page you have a tab for "IFR plates" The files you will download from here are all .PDF so you will have to convert them to .jpg
2. Download whatever plates you plan to use for your flight
3. Go to the Microsoft store from your start button . There are 2 free programs you can use to convert the .pdf to .jpg I tried two they both work ok. 1st one is called "pdf to jpg" the 2nd is called "Any PDF to JPG"
4. Convert your downloads. Rename if necessary I recomend naming them exactly the same name as flight aware used.
Using the charts:
1. Open the charts manager
2. Add an airport, add a diagram etc one the airport is added you can add the approach plate or whatever else you have converted. It's fairly straight forward so I'm not going into great detail on this part.
Once you are in P3D and loaded into the aircraft, fill out your flight plan as normal, below the FMC are the buttons to access the charts , press chart and a menu on middle display will show your departure and arrival airports. When you are on this screen you can either use the little joystick on the 2d FMC by clicking the arrows and the "push select button" OR you can use the arrow keys and enter on your keyboard (with the chart active it temporarily takes over those keys)
Press the ESC button below the FMC to close the chart. The ZOOM and rotate functions don't work but IMO what is displayed is fine.
Finding the "Milviz charts manager":
1.The quickest way to locate the program you will use to load the charts is to right click the MVAMS icon on your desktop and pick "open file location".
2. In this MVAMS folder you will have a "utilities" folder in the folder is a program named "ChartsManager.exe"
3. Right click , hold and drag to desktop when you release RMB choose the "create shortcut here" so you have a program shortcut for future use
Getting usable charts into the program:
1. You will need .jpg files of airport diagrams , approaches etc. I use flightaware.com Here you can type in any airport ICAO code in the search box and on the subsequent page you have a tab for "IFR plates" The files you will download from here are all .PDF so you will have to convert them to .jpg
2. Download whatever plates you plan to use for your flight
3. Go to the Microsoft store from your start button . There are 2 free programs you can use to convert the .pdf to .jpg I tried two they both work ok. 1st one is called "pdf to jpg" the 2nd is called "Any PDF to JPG"
4. Convert your downloads. Rename if necessary I recomend naming them exactly the same name as flight aware used.
Using the charts:
1. Open the charts manager
2. Add an airport, add a diagram etc one the airport is added you can add the approach plate or whatever else you have converted. It's fairly straight forward so I'm not going into great detail on this part.
Once you are in P3D and loaded into the aircraft, fill out your flight plan as normal, below the FMC are the buttons to access the charts , press chart and a menu on middle display will show your departure and arrival airports. When you are on this screen you can either use the little joystick on the 2d FMC by clicking the arrows and the "push select button" OR you can use the arrow keys and enter on your keyboard (with the chart active it temporarily takes over those keys)
Press the ESC button below the FMC to close the chart. The ZOOM and rotate functions don't work but IMO what is displayed is fine.