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Roadmap for my Project

Given that for my project I have chosen the package Virtual Airline Manager references will be made regarding the tables and data of that package.  However the roadmap can apply in theory to any software for a Virtual Airline.

Firstly with any software package you need to install it and get some understanding of how it works so that what you create in a refined process is suitable for use.  The same applies if the Virtual Airline already has been built with software other than a package.

Once I am happy with the basic installation of Virtual Airline Manager , it does come with some data but since you are starting out to build a new airline many tables are empty and those that have data in would apply to any airline created.  Well thats the theory I guess but in reality is the supplied data what I really want .

The main data that is supplied in Virtual Airline Manager  is for Airports and their associated runways and local navigation aids.

Because this is an installation with no knowledge of what the user is trying to build it contains a huge number of records perhaps far in excess of what you are wanting to build.

My project is to build a virtual airline that is fictional called Afrika and have the 20 most important airports in Africa as my main airports.

That sounds very simple and Virtual Airline Manager has the capability of being able to provide me with this.

My airline is a passenger and cargo airline and does not fly General Aviation Aircraft so I need to know and use airports that meet the following criteria.

[1] they must have an ICAO code as this is needed for flying with FMC , the ICAO code is a 4 character identifier for each airport for example OR Tambo International Airport in South Africa has the code of FAOR.
[2] they must also have an IATA code as this is what passengers see at the airport or in timetables thus it meets my criteria as an airline .  Again the OR Tambo airport as an example has the IATA code of JNB.

What did I find in the supplied airports of Virtual Airline Manager ?

The airport data does not seem to be current , yes probably many airports are completely correct and valid for use any others are out of date etc.

My test for data is my OR Tambo airport as this has changed ICAO code during the past few years as well as its name it used to be called Jan Smuts and had ICAO code of FAJS.

Well Virtual Airlines Manager has this airport still as FAJS and after further checks on other known ICAO changes I found that it would be better to create a more useful table of airports and as such my project was born.

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