CoPilot v2.0

by Louis J. Betti (21 December 1998)

CoPilot's main window, with a chart zoomed in on my old stomping ground of Teterboro airport. La Guardia is to the right, and all fixes, navaids, and airways are being displayed.

very time I use CoPilot 2.0, I become more and more impressed with this latest version of Abacus Publishing's venerable flight planner. Indeed, Copilot 1.1 was the first add-on I ever purchased for FS98, and a wise purchase it was. Oh, how I wish I had something like this (FAA approved, of course) back when I had my Piper Dakota.

For those still using 1.1, not much has changed except for the improved GPS unit, which now works in 3D, and can appear as a permanent gauge or in a separate window. In addition, numerous types of fixes and "radials" (airways actually) have been added to the database. Otherwise, CoPilot 2.0 remains the same great must-have program it always was.

Alright, that's the end of the review for those using earlier versions!

Now, for those using the freeware / shareware approach to flight planning, let's have a look at what I feel is probably the best flight planner for FS98.

The ILS approach plate for TEB, along with the airport diagram. Both are partially shown. I added the arrow with notation on the airport diagram!
Arnie Lee's Abacus Publishing gives us a one-two punch, with their popular ASD scenery design program, and CoPilot, which can read those scenery BGLs and produce useful flight charts, in addition to a data base that allows you to print approach plates and airport diagrams as well. Add to that automated and manual flight planning, coupling to a GPS unit, and the only item left missing is an adventure planner. Ahem...perhaps the folks at Abacus might want to have a chat with the folks at AETI (Pro Flight 98)!

While an easy program to use, CoPilot comes with an extensive near one hundred page instruction book, and I suggest reading it first. The install from CD-ROM is fairly typical, just don't lose the card that contains the serial number and ID number, as you will need to enter both during the install. In addition, you will also need to set the path to FS98 and install the GPS unit. It's all straight forward, just carefully follow the instructions.

The key to CoPilot is the scenery library within FS98, along with its own database. As I stated previously, CoPilot reads the scenery's files in order to place navaids, airports, etc. This enables CoPilot to use 3rd party scenery in addition to the MS default scenery.

If, so far, this sounds like something you could get for free, well...let me continue.

CoPilot's new GPS is a beauty, and couples to both your flight plan and the autopilot. For those who fly in 2D, have video cards that can support 3D windows, or run Windows 98 with two monitors (that will soon be me!) you can also use Copilot as a moving map display. The very same map you use to plan your flight with will also display your track while in flight.

Just a small part of a CoPilot trans-Atlantic flight plan, the destination is London Heathrow.
It is out of the scope of this review to explain all the details of working with scenery files and maps within CoPilot, except to say that once you open your selected scenery file within CoPilot, and select various display options, you will be greeted with a very nice chart upon which to plan your flight. You can plan your flight manually by setting waypoints wherever you please, or use the "Quick Plan" feature, setting departure and destination airports, and let CoPilot do the rest. When finished, view the flight plan CoPilot has created, modify it if you wish, save it, and print it out. Modifying the flight plan is simply a matter of closing the flight plan window, returning to the chart to make changes, and then viewing the revised flight plan to see the result.

Speaking of the charts CoPilot creates, simply right click on an airport's symbol and you will have the option to view and print out a diagram of the field. Click on a runway on that diagram, and you'll have the option of viewing and printing the approach plate for that runway. Unlike the real world, the diagrams and plates normally print on letter size paper--nice and big! Of course you can also print out your charts too, in almost any size ratio you would like. If you have good eyesight, you can squeeze an entire 200 nm plan on to one sheet of paper, or make everything jumbo sized, and spread it out on to five. For enhanced clarity, navaid and airport "labels" can be moved around. Flying an airliner? Well, why clutter up the chart with airports you could never land at? Just select "airport options" and choose to display only those airports with runways of over 7500'. NDBs getting in your way? You can make those disappear too. The same applies to airways and fixes. True customization of your chart is available within CoPilot.

The faux liquid crystal display GPS.
Recently I installed the beautiful scenery of Norway 98, but was immediately thwarted in my attempts to use it, as it contained more airports and navaids than exist in FS98. In addition, there was no map to display them on. No problem with CoPilot. I looked in the online help, and was directed to the URL for the Coast Line Extractor. There, I downloaded a map for Norway, and following CoPilot's instructions created a chart for the new scenery. Once saved, it's now only two clicks away. I did the same for Chris Wilkes' Tahiti scenery. Again, 3rd party scenery is no problem for CoPilot.

The new GPS is easy to use, and once coupled to the autopilot will take you right to your destination (just remember to land, it's not an FMC). Beware, however, FS98 does not have variable bank rates in the autopilot, so when the GPS signals the autopilot to turn to the next waypoint, just be sure they're not conducting meal service back in the cabin! A separate utility is used to easily install the GPS in a window on any or all of your panels. If you wish the GPS to be a permanent gauge, you will need to modify the panel configuration file yourself.

There were some issues concerning this new GPS upon its release; one concerning the operation of the GPS, and the other concerning the GPS filling the entire window when installed in a separate window. The former was solved almost immediately via release of a new GPS gauge. As to the latter, I solved it myself by changing the ident of the panel window the GPS is in to from its default of "0" to "1". This works for me every time, and this fix is now published at the Abacus web site, which also contains an extensive FAQ section, and the "CoPilot Flyer" newsletter.

Abacus is known for their product support, and the company is truly a class act. If you have a problem, just give a call, and Adam will come to the rescue, and my e-mails to Arnie Lee are always promptly answered. From software performance, to after-the-sale support, CoPilot is money well spent. Whereas some flight sim add-ons I have purchased enjoy occasional use, CoPilot remains a staple. I literally have a two-inch ring binder full of plates, diagrams, and charts produced by CoPilot. Now, imagine the cost of purchasing that material from Jeppesen!

Louis Betti
loubetti@earthlink.net

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