How to Use the Pacific Aviation Database

Kevin Jacomb

This Wiki / User Manual helps you to get the most information from the database.

It steps through each of the database screens in order and explains the information shown, how to access it and any inputs that are required from you.

The Wiki goes through each of the main screens in the order below then adds information on additional resources, abbreviations, user and editor aspects. These are hyperlinked to the relevant section.

    1. Searches
    2. Registers
    3. Multi Criteria Search
    4. Logging / Statistics
    5. Diagnostics and Maintenance
    6. Code Look-ups
    7. Additional Resources
    8. Abbreviations
    9. Computer Set-Up
    10. User Issues
    11. Editing
    12. Editing – Tips & Points to Note


    Tips: – Where this icon is shown    press it for more information on the feature.
               – Consult  8. Abbreviations when needed.

     

    Note that the screenshots may also show extra lines and facilities that are only used by Editors to input new and updated information.

    1. Searches

    You have the option of using the TAB key or selecting GO to run a search.

    Note that you can use wildcards (? or *) in Current/Historic Reg and Con No searches.
         ? is for a single wildcard character, ?? for two etc. For example G-ABC? will fetch G-ABCA, G-ABCB, etc.  
         * is for single or multiple wildcard characters e.g. G-AB* will fetch all from G-ABAA to G-ABZZ.

    1.1      Current Reg
    Search by the Current Registration.
    If it is found, the top line is displayed

    This shows the Registration, Type, Construction Number (C/N), Operator and Hex (Hexadecimal) Code.
    Note that the Operator, not the owner, is shown – these can differ e.g. many airliners are owned by leasing companies, some airline services are flown by other companies on their behalf.
    The Hex code is the code used by tracking systems and which uniquely identifies a registration. This will change if the aircraft’s registration is changed.
    Two codes are given – F and R.
    F signifies that you have logged the airframe.
    R signifies that you have logged it under its current (now) registration. Therefore, if only F is shown, you logged the airframe under a previous registration.

    An extremely useful visual indication of F and R is shown by the whole line being highlighted in green if you have seen the aircraft with its current registration on, or in yellow if you have only seen it with a previous registration on.

     
    The number of Frames and number of them logged is also shown – this is useful where the registration has been applied across a number of different aircraft.

    [An additional, ‘Edit’, column/link is included on database Editors’ screen.]

    If you can’t find a registration,

    • Check that the registration is in the correct format. Beware registrations with or without hyphens: these can cause problems for Latin American countries and military serials.

    • Try searching on part of the registration using the ? and * characters. The airframe is probably in the database but without the partial or full registration. Note that when an aircraft is exported, initially only the country it is exported to is often known so an Editor will only input the country prefix. Once the full registration is available, this is updated.

    • Do a search on the c/n if you know what it is

    • Request an aircraft update for a new registration, or a new aircraft addition on the Forum at    pacificforum@googlegroups.com stating in the message title which of these it is together with the registration and aircraft type    so that the appropriate Editor will pick it up and action it. In the message main text, please give as much information as you can and    the information source.


    BAPC Numbers
    Aircraft with BAPC (British Aviation Preservation Council) numbers – the BAPC is now known as Aviation Heritage UK or AHUK – are entered in the format ‘BAPC.123’ for consistency. The rule adopted is that they are listed under their BAPC number, except where a frame still carries a current civil registration, this is used and the BAPC number is shown under ‘Other Marks’.



    The Reg is underlined (hyperlinked). If you click on this the basic aircraft information page is presented. This is discussed below.

    BASIC SCREEN

     

    1.1.1 Some Points to Note

    • CN
      Construction Number (c/n) or Manufacturer’s Serial Number (MSN) – the unique identifier number for the aircraft carried from factory build through its operational life to eventual scrappage.
    • Line No.
      The order in which an aircraft is built on the production line e.g. 37 denotes the 37th aircraft built of the specific model. Note, however, that the order in which a specific aircraft is built can be changed while retaining its Line No. e.g. a military aircraft is given priority for a customer with an acute operational need.
    • FF
      First Flight date.
    • DD
      Delivery Date
    • Reg’d
      Current Registration date with current owner/operator.
    • Based at
      If given, the aircraft’s base together with its 3-letter IATA code and 4-letter ICAO code e.g. Heathrow LHR EGLL
    • Status
      This includes:
          Active
          B/u  (Broken up)
          DBR  (Damaged Beyond Repair)    
          Derelict
          GIA  (Ground Instructional Airframe) 
          Not Completed
          On Order
          Parting Out
          Pending Delivery
          Preserved Airworthy
          Preserved Non-Flying
          Refurbish
          Restoration
          Status Unsure
          Stored
          To be scrapped
           W/o  (Written-off)
          War Loss
          Withdrawn
    • Op Note
      A note on the Operator added by an Editor.
    • Hex
      The Hexadecimal (6 character) unique code carried by an aircraft for ModeS / ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast) identification on aircraft tracking systems. Trackers such as SBS-1 and Radarbox onwards use an external database to decode the Hex code into a current registration.
    • Selcal
      The SelCal (Selective Calling) code is that carried by an aircraft for communications on HF (high frequency) wavelengths for very long range. Typically this is used by aircraft as they cross the Atlantic and are outside direct line-of-sight communications and radar range. This is being gradually being replaced by satellite navigation.
    • ID
      A unique identifier number for each aircraft in the database. (Only of use for Editors)
    • Other Reg (was ‘False Reg’)
      A registration carried on the aircraft which is not a true registration ever carried by it. Typically where a historic aircraft is painted to represent a famous aircraft or that of a famous pilot.
    • Scroll right for unit details, etc >>>>
      Check with the slider whether there is additional information given to the right on Note, Unit, Code, Aircraft Name.
    • Personal Notes
      You can number in ‘Sort’ any notes you add under ‘Note’. A Note is limited to 50 characters. Scroll within the Note to read it all. Scroll up/down to move between Notes.
    • Add New Logging
      On the right hand side of the Loggings table, in the dark blue box is ‘Add New Logging’. Click on that and a screen opens so you can log the aircraft. Add as many details as you wish.
    • Note that after you have added a logging with the ‘Save to Log’ button on the input list above, in the Loggings table you can manually change any data on a loggings line e.g. Operator, MDPO, Notes. You are no longer constrained by a drop-down list – you can overwrite the contents of the dropdowns for the purpose of loggings if you wish.
    • Scroll right for more details >>>>
      Check with the slider whether there is additional information given to the right on MDPO (Made, Dropped, Paintscrape, Outstanding), Code, Unit, Aircraft, Notes associated with each logging.
    • MDPO
      When you log a registration for the FIRST TIME, in the column MDPO it will mark M (Made)
      When you log that registration against the same frame for a second or subsequent time, it marks it D (Drop)
      If you then log a different registration against the same frame, it marks it P (PaintScrape)
      If you log something that is not in the Database, it marks it O (Outstanding)
    • Add Flight
      On the right hand side of the Flights table, in the dark blue box is ‘Add Flight’. Click on that and a screen opens so you can log the aircraft. Flight time can be manually input (without entering start/finish times) or calculated. UTC times allow the automatic calculation of flight time

    If the registration is not found to be current, the following dialogue box appears.

    Select the appropriate option.

     

    Try Search Historic Regs (Registrations) to see if it has been reregistered.
    Note that if you have logged it with any of its registrations then it will show the F code and be highlighted in yellow, or in green if you have logged it in its current (now) registration and it will also show the R code – it may at first seem odd to see a historic registration that you haven’t seen highlighted, but it is logical.

    If the aircraft to be logged is neither current nor historic, it is new and can be added by selecting Add to log as outstanding.

    1.2      Historic Reg
    Search by a registration that you know to be no longer current.

    1.3      Other Reg
    Search by a registration that you know to be a false one carried. Often on a vintage aircraft representing a specific aircraft from history.

    1.4      Con No
    Search by a manufacturer’s/builder’s unique construction number. Sometimes an aircraft may have more than one e.g. a Light Aircraft Association project number plus the home-builder’s own personal number.

    1.5      Hex Code
    Search by a hex code seen on radar screens using tracking software.

    1.6      Military Code
    Search by a military code.

    1.7      Military Unit
    Search by a specific military unit operating an aircraft.

    1.8      Record ID
    Search by a specific Record ID entry in the database. Likely to be a infrequent search by an Editor.

    1.9      Operators
    Search by a current (now) operator. If not found then try a search on Historic Operators.

    F = Frame seen
    R= Registration logged

    Listing Required Frames/Registrations
    To get a listing of just the aircraft that you need:

    If you right-click on the ‘F’ and select ‘Filter Excluding Selection’ you will see all your ‘requireds’.

    Alternatively you can right-click on a blank in the same column and select ‘Filter By Selection’ to get the same result

    1.10    Historic Operators
    Search by a historic operator. If not found then try a search on current (now) Operators.

    1.11    Production List

    Search by manufacturer and type to get a production listing which you can reorder by Reg(istration), Type, construction number (C/N) or operator. Click on a Reg to bring up an aircraft’s basic screen of information.

    One problem is that you need to know the manufacturer that has been used in this database. Originally it was the designer who then manufactured his aircraft. However, over time, manufacturers have been taken over by new people and organisations, and renamed accordingly. Types have been developed from the original types and may retain the type name or be given an entirely new name. Thus it is often not obvious how a type is named.

    • In general, aircraft are entered against the original designer/manufacturer.
    • Replicas, look-alikes, developments (legitimate or otherwise) produced by other companies or individuals are either entered against the original type that they are based on (e.g. Super Cub replicas, look-alikes – ‘clones’) or have their own listings: American Legend, Cub Crafters, Javron and Backcountry all have their own listings.
    • Some with their own listing may be added to the ‘family’ of the original type so a search on ‘Family’ will show them all.
      Taking the Piper Aircraft PA-18 as an example, a ‘Production List’ search shows the decision box



      Choosing ‘Specific Production List’ will list all Piper Aircraft PA-18s but not the PA-18 ‘clones’.
      Choosing ‘Family Production List’ will list all Piper Aircraft PA-18s and include the PA-18 ‘clones’.
    • For many smaller, less well-known, aircraft types, references to the type may not mention the original designer/manufacturer
    • Where the punctuation is unexpected e.g. I.C.P. – not ICP, it can confuse.

    The (Microsoft) routine below provides an easy way to check if a potentially new aircraft type is already in the database.

    •    In LOGGING/STATISTICS select ‘Show Stats’
    •    Click anywhere in the 7th column (the column with the zeros in)
    •    ‘ctrl’ + ‘A’     (selects all data)
    •    ‘ctrl’ + ‘C’     (copies all the data to the clipboard)
    •    Open a new blank Excel spreadsheet
    •    Click in the first cell (A1)
    •    ‘ctrl’ + ‘V’    (inserts the data from the clipboard)

    •    Select Excel’s search icon (binoculars)
    •    ‘Find…’
    •    In ‘Find what:’, Insert part of the type’s name that you are interested in e.g. MXP (or mxp)  
          [choose an obvious part of the name to yield a range of results to choose from]
    •    Select ‘Find All’
    •    Results are listed at the bottom of the dialogue box
    •    Check the results to see how the type is named in the database
    •    If not listed, then request a new type on the Pacforum Google group

    1.12    Emergency Services

    Search by country and emergency service – typically Police, air ambulance, coast guard.

    1.13    Location Search

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is image-7.png
    Put your search term in the top box. For either Museums/W&Rs or Airfield searches, select the left-most dropdown icon and select the required country from the list. Then select the right-most dropdown icon and select the required location from the list. Press GO.

    1.14    Museums / W&Rs

    W&Rs mean Wrecks & Relics.

    1.15    Airfields

    Airfield names are given in the form:  Name (ICAO code) (IATA code) (Country Prefix) (County/State).

    Note that airfield names are ICAO, IATA or equivalents. Many US/Canadian identifiers aren’t ICAO/IATA as such.

    The airfield names for the UK and Ireland are those used by LAAS International. 

    Selecting an airfield takes you to the airfield page with a list of reported residents. Note that many residents may be missing as there is no official requirement for owners to declare where their aircraft are based. Residents are very prone to change.

    Selecting ‘Airfield Report’ allows you to download a ‘PDF’ report of the page or to ‘Print’ the report.

    Airfield Mapping
    Selecting ‘Airfield Report’, then selecting the multicoloured teardrop Google Maps icon under the ICAO field,

    displays the airfield in Google Maps for airfields with co-ordinates shown in the Location field. These include, so far, the UK, Ireland, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, together with huge numbers of American, Australian, Canadian and New Zealand airfields including many agricultural operations. Also some more obscure countries like Djibouti, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, French overseas territories, etc, etc

    1.16    Reservations

    This gives a list of all aircraft known to have a reserved registration planned. You can sort it by clicking on the button for Reg(istration), Type, C/N or Operator. Note that not all reservations are eventually taken up. If one is not (sometimes referred to as ‘NTU (Not Taken Up)’) the reservation is excluded from the database.

    1.17    Group Notes

    Editors may add extra information about an aircraft as a Group Note. Type in the box keywords which you wish to search on for a possible list. You can sort it by clicking on the button for Reg(istration), Type, C/N or Note.
    An example is to search on ‘TT’ which will show a list of many retired aircraft for which TT (total time in hours) and TC (Total Cycles – take-off & landing pairs) are available.

    2. REGISTERS

    2.1      Civil Current

    Use the drop-down menu to choose a country for a list of the Current civil register. You can sort it by clicking on the button for Reg(istration), Type, C/N or Operator. It shows at the top the number of airframes in the register and how many you have Logged.

    2.2      Civil Historic

    Use the drop-down menu to choose a country for a list of the Historic civil register. This covers aircraft that are no longer on the current register. Note, however, that a registration will be repeated for each separate operator or where a type has changed. If ‘Private’ or ‘Corporate’ are repeated, they will correspond to different time periods. You can sort it by clicking on the button for Reg(istration), Type, C/N or Operator. It shows at the top the number of airframes in the register and how many you have Logged.

    2.3      Civil (Combined)

    Use the drop-down menu to choose a country for a list of the combined Current and Historic civil register. Note, however, that a registration will be repeated for each separate operator or where a type has changed. If ‘Private’ or ‘Corporate’ are repeated, they will correspond to different time periods.You can sort it by clicking on the button for Reg(istration), Type, C/N or Operator. It shows at the top the number of airframes in the register and how many you have Logged.

    2.4      Military Current

    Use the drop-down menu to choose a country for a list of the Current military register. You can sort it by clicking on the button for Reg(istration), Type, C/N or Operator. It shows at the top the number of airframes in the register and how many you have Logged.

    2.5      Military Historic

    Use the drop-down menu to choose a country for a list of the Historic military register. This covers aircraft that are no longer on the current register. Note, however, that a registration will be repeated for each separate operator or where a type has changed. You can sort it by clicking on the button for Reg(istration), Type, C/N or Operator. It shows at the top the number of airframes in the register and how many you have Logged.

    2.6      Military Combined

    Use the drop-down menu to choose a country for a list of the combined Current and Historic military register. Note, however, that a registration will be repeated for each separate operator or where a type has changed. You can sort it by clicking on the button for Reg(istration), Type, C/N or Operator. It shows at the top the number of airframes in the register and how many you have Logged.

    2.7      Stored
    Use the drop-down menu to choose a Country and Location for a list of aircraft that are currently stored there. You can sort it by clicking on the button for Reg(istration), Type, C/N or Operator. It shows at the top the number of airframes stored there and how many you have Logged.

    3. MULTI CRITERIA SEARCH

    Select as many criteria as you need in order to isolate a listing of the aircraft you are interested in.

    4. LOGGING / STATISTICS

    Note that regional settings for date should be dd/mm/yy or dd-mm-yy. The stats don’t seem to work if the year is represented as yyyy

    4.1  Autolog

    If you type the same aircraft in twice, click on the grey box at the beginning of the input line, it will turn black, then press delete on your keyboard. If you do leave them both in, the system will only enter the aircraft once – this is reassuring when you input a long list of sightings where you have read off the same aircraft multiple times but did not have time to check them through.

    4.2  Dynamic Logbook

    Here you can view your loggings for any selected location and time period.



    If you can’t find the registration in the database,

  • Press the    icon for a full explanation of the screen.

    To delete entries in the dynamic logbook, highlight the aircraft’s line of data by clicking the 1st column of the data then press the ‘delete’ key on your keyboard


    4.3  My Full Log

    Your full set of loggings are shown in spreadsheet form. Use the filters as you wish to select your required records.

    These can be exported to Excel for further analysis. See Export Loggings to Excel

    4.4  Import Loggings

    In the LOGGING / STATISTICS area, click on ‘Import Loggings’

    When the ‘Import Loggings’ screen opens, select all by clicking in the grey square at the top left (Or press Ctrl-A).

    Paste your records into the grid

    Registration / Aircraft / CN / Operator / Where / When / Notes

    Registration, Where and When are mandatory fields and the others may be left blank. However the more fields you can complete, the easier it will be to accurately tie up the frame later on.

    EXAMPLE ONE

    When you have pasted your records into the grid, close the form and open the ‘Dynamic Logbook’

    You will see your loggings in the two boxes at the bottom of the screen…

    The top box is records that can be tied up to a current registration. If you are happy the tie-up is correct, select the record in the little square at the left of the record and double-click the red ‘log’ button for that record.

    The bottom box is records that can be tied up against a historic registration. In the example above the frame ties against 4 historic records. This is because the frame has had four ownership changes over its life. If happy that this the frame then select the record in the little square at the left of the record and double-click any one of the four ‘LOG’ buttons.

    When you logged all the records you can open ‘My Full Log’

    All the current tie ups have been logged with current information, but the historic logging may not be the operator you intended. You can change this manually

    EXAMPLE TWO

    A solution to a User issue is detailed by selecting the link here Import Loggings – Reply to Query.  It also illustrates how to manually change a historic logging where the operator is not the one you want.

    4.5  Log Book Stats

    4.6  Flight Log
    Shows your Flight Log. Right-clicking a column allows useful filtering and sorting.

    4.7  Build Stats

    Pressing this will update the statistics for each aircraft type as the database is updated. ‘Counting and Listing Records!’ is shown, press ‘OK’ and wait a few seconds until ‘Counting and Listing Completed!’ is shown, press ‘OK’. It is recommended that you do this after each batch of updates is run in.

    4.8  Show Stats

    Lists Types with the number of airframes of that type in the database. Clicking a type opens its Production List.

    5. DIAGNOSTICS AND MAINTENANCE

    5.1  Days since… Backup     … Compact

    ‘Compacting’ reduces the physical size of the database by removing any excess space created by deleting and modifying data.  The more additions, deletions and modifications made to a database, the more often it should be compacted. You should compact at least once a month. Check the ‘Days since…’ box regularly.

    To remind you to backup your loggings and compact regularly, the ‘Backup’ and ‘Compact’ fields are green by default. After 21 days (3 weeks) they change to amber, and after 29 (roughly a month) they turn red

    5.2  Backup Location

    This is the folder in which your logging data is stored. The current file is ‘privatelogs.mdb’, earlier ones are called ‘(number)_PRIVATELOGS.MDB)’. You should regularly copy the current file to a backup location e.g. an external drive, USB stick etc as a protection in case your computer fails in any way.

    5.3  Backup Loggings

    This creates a backup of your loggings in the Backup Location. Press ‘OK’ when the box below displays.

    It is recommended that you do this after you have added new loggings. Don’t keep dozens of backups in your backups folder. If your hard disk fails then your loggings AND your backups are gone. Consider backing up online, or at least invest in an external hard drive.
    Note that your loggings are independent of the database and, should you stop using the database, your personal loggings data is safe and available.

    5.3.1 Process
    In order to do a backup, all the tables in the loggings database are disconnected from the front end to allow the loggings database to be copied. When the backup has been created the tables are reconnected to the front end. The backup number to be created is determined by the MsSysIni file along with the location where the backup is to be created.

    5.3.2 What can go wrong?
    If a file exists in the backup folder with the same number as the new backup being created then the process stops dead and the loggings tables are left disconnected. If the backup location specified does not exist then the same thing will happen.  Result in both cases: the front end is destroyed.

    5.3.3 What can I do about it?
    Make sure your specified backup location actually exists, and if it does keep it tidy. There is no reason to keep more than a handful of backups. If you must keep dozens of them then periodically move them out of the backup folder and archive them safely out of the way. GOOD HOUSEKEEPING IS YOUR FRIEND.

    5.4  Compact Database

    This compacts the database to reduce its size. When you do this, heed all the warnings in the message box. When you are happy, press the ‘Continue >>>>>>>>>’ button.

    You can compact to your heart’s content as many times a day as you want, but after the first compact there is nothing more to remove, so you may as well relax and compact again in about 30 or so days.

    5.4.1 Process
    Every time you compact the dataset a backup of your loggings is taken first, so all of the above applies. The compacting process builds a copy of the dataset with a new name. When the new database is completed, the original is deleted and the new database takes the dataset.mdb name. By this time it is 20% or so lighter because all of the gubbins that accumulates in databases over time has been removed. The compact process unlinks ALL tables from the front end for the duration of the process. It then relinks them at the end.

    5.4.2 What can go wrong?
    If the compact process is interrupted in any way then it will not relink any tables and will be destroyed, even more so than the above example.

    5.4.3 What can I do about it?
    Be patient, the compact can take up to 30 minutes on a slow computer. Do not allow the compact routine to be interrupted. Keep a tidy DataAir folder with all unnecessary files, old database backups, old updates, etc either deleted, or moved out of the operating folder to a safe place of your choosing.  GOOD HOUSEKEEPING IS YOUR FRIEND.

    5.5  Version Number

    This is the Version Number of the database structure.

    5.6  Number of frames in DT Set

    This is the number of individual airframes in the database. These are stored in the file ‘dtset.mdb’ – this file should never be explored in case it gets corrupted.

    5.7  Number of previous histories

    This is the number of previous registrations in the database. Where we have a frame that shows, say, four lines of past history for the same registration, these count as four in the number of previous histories.

    5.8  Number of operators

    This is the number of individual operators of aircraft in the database, both current and historic.

    6. CODE LOOK-UPS>

     

    6.1  Operator       (IATA / ICAO)

    To look-up an Operator with a 2 character code e.g. ‘BA’, click ‘IATA (2 character)’ A box comes up asking you to ‘Enter two character IATA code’. Do this, ‘OK’ it then a ‘Results’ box comes up showing Operator, IATA and ICAO codes and Status.

    Clicking on the Operator – here ‘British Airways’ – brings up an Operator Details panel with any background details that have been entered into the database.

    Similar process for a 3 character ICAO code e.g. ‘BAW’.

    6.2  Airfield          (IATA / ICAO)

    To look-up an Airfield with a 3 character code e.g. ‘LHR’, click ‘IATA (3 character)’ A box comes up asking you to ‘Enter three character IATA (or other) code’. Do this, ‘OK’ it then an ‘Airfield Checklist’ box comes up with (where available) Country, County / State, Location (latitude, longitude) and Airfield Residents. Where Location is filled in, a Google Map showing the airfield can be shown by clicking the icon

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is image-21.png

    Similar process for a 4 character ICAO code e.g. ‘EGLL’.
    Options to save as a PDF file or to Print are provided.

    6.3  Aircraft          (ICAO)

    To look-up an Aircraft ICAO code, click ‘ICAO’. A box comes up asking you to ‘Enter Aircraft ICAO code’. Do this, e.g. PA32, ‘OK’ it then a ‘Results’ box comes up with

    Aircraft ICAO codes can be 2, 3 or 4 characters.

     

     

     

    7. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

    The Group also provides you with access and free use of a number of additional resources:

    • Facebook Page
    • Flickr Photo Pages
    • Planeplotter linked to the Database and your Loggings
    • Direct, simple Autologging in Planeplotter

    7.1 Facebook Page

    We are relaunching our Facebook page in 2021.

    This can be found at https://www.facebook.com/groups/Pacificaviation

    7.2 Flickr Photo Pages

    This can be found at https://www.flickr.com/groups/1322575@N21/?rb=1

     

    The manual for the next two resources can be found at

    /wp-content/uploads/2021/04/PACModeS2020_Manual.pdf

    7.3 Planeplotter linked to the Database and your Loggings

    Leon Loberman has written a program (PacModeS2020) which uses your log file in a batch process to create a basestation.sqb database that can be used by Planeplotter. In particular, frames that have already been logged can be identified on the Planeplotter screen.

    This batch process should be run after each set of updates to maintain the currency of the data. It takes about a minute to run on a decent spec Windows 10 machine.

    7.4 Direct, simple Autologging in Planeplotter

    Leon Loberman has written a second program (PacModeSLogging) which lets you log an airframe by simply selecting it from a dropdown list of aircraft that Planeplotter has picked up in your selected area on-screen.

     

    8. ABBREVIATIONS

    Selected Abbreviations used in the Database and/or often associated with aircraft records are given below.

    AESAir Electronics School
    AHUKAviation Heritage UK
    B/uBroken Up
    BAPCBritish Aviation Preservation Council
    CAACivil Aviation Authority (UK)
    c/n, C/N, CN, Con No Construction Number
    c/sColour Scheme
    CanxCancelled
    Civ Civil
    DB Database
    DBRDamaged Beyond economic Repair
    DDDelivery Date
    FFFirst Flight date
    GIAGround Instructional Airframe
    HEX, HexHexadecimal code (aircraft code used with ADS-B tracking for identification)
    IATA International Air Transport Association
    ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization
    ID Identity
    MDPOMade Dropped Paintscrape Outstanding
    Mil Military
    MSN, msn Manufacturer's Serial Number (same as Construction Number)
    Op Operator (as in Op Note)
    opbOperated By
    opfOperated For
    PWFU Permanently Withdrawn From Use
    Reg Registration
    SelCal Selective Calling (callsign for HF communications)
    t/oTrustee Of
    TCTotal Cycles (cycle = take-off & landing i.e. flights)
    trTrading as
    TTTotal Time (flight hours)
    TWFU Temporarily Withdrawn From Use
    W/O, w/o Write-off (destroyed, beyond economic repair)
    W&Rs Wrecks & Relics

    9. COMPUTER SET-UP

    9.1 Access Runtime

    We can install Access Runtime to run the database so that a User doesn’t have to own a copy of Access.
    A small registry change has to be made to declare the DataAir folder as a trusted location, and that’s it.
    Updates have to be run in from a subfolder of c:\DataAir – it is recommended that this is c:\DataAir\Updates

    9.2 Setting the PAC Icon and sending it to the Taskbar

    To set the PAC icon onto the Taskbar for easy launch if it isn’t easy to do:

    • From the DataAir folder right click on the RunDataAir2.accdb file.
    • Select Send to >    then  Desktop (create shortcut)
    • Right click on the RunDataAir2.accdb  shortcut on the desktop and select Properties

      Changing the Icon
    • Select the Change Icon… button
    • Browse… for the PAC icon where you have downloaded it, select it and press OK

      Sending the Icon to the Taskbar
    • Add the word explorer and a space before the Target address
    • Click Apply and OK
    • Now right click on the new Icon on the desktop and select Pin to taskbar   (or Pin to Start if you prefer to launch the database from there).

    This procedure applies generally.

    9.3 Short Date

    Short date should be set to dd-mm-yy

    9.4 Files you should Have

    Your main C:/DataAir folder should contain the following files:

    • dtset.mdb
    • RunDataAir2.accdb
    • RunDataAir2.ico
    • template.mdb
    • obs.mdb

      plus two sub folders:

    • SysDA 
    • My Logs.

    You also need to create a backup folder C:/DataAirBackup. This contains the loggings back ups but keep the number of files kept in here to around 20.

    9.5 Running-in Updates

    The recommended way to process the regular weekly updates is as follows…

    • Make sure your database is closed
    • Download the zipped Updates files from the Updates email into your Downloads folder*
    • Go to the Downloads folder. Select all the downloaded updates and extract them to the Updates folder* in the C:\DataAir\ folder
    • Double-click on each of the extracted files in turn to run them into your database
    • When you have finished all of them, open your database to confirm they have all run in correctly
    • When you are happy they have all been run in correctly it is safe to remove them to the recycle bin, or elsewhere if you wish to keep them.

    💡 TIP! Create a shortcut on your Desktop to the C:\DataAir\Updates\ folder so that you can easily and quickly get there.

    * The Updates folder is recommended, because any database files should always be run from a ‘Trusted Location’, and the C:\DataAir and its subfolders is such a trusted location.
    If your C:\DataAir folder is not set as a trusted folder then do this:
    – Open Access
    – Select Options
    – Select Trust Center

    • Select Trust Center Settings… button
    • Select Trusted Locations
    • If ‘C:\DataAir\’ is in the list, highlight it, in any case…
    • Select Add new location…
    • add C:\DataAir\ if it is missing
    • Tick ‘Subfolders of this location are also trusted’
    • Come out of Access via successive ‘OK’s

    10. USER ISSUES

    10.1  How can I get a Printout of a page?

    Sometimes there may not be a specific button to get a printout of a page, or you may want to create a tailored printout.

    There is a way to do this that makes use of the basic Microsoft ‘Select All’ – ‘Copy’ – ‘Paste’ commands.

    As an example to illustrate the process, if you wish to list aircraft needed at Newark Museum, these are the full step by step instructions:

    1. Select ‘Museums / W&Rs’ at the bottom of the left-hand green column of the main menu
    2. Select ‘G’ and then ‘Newark:- Newark Air Museum’ from the drop-downs (down arrows)
    3. Press ‘Go’
      Museum listing appears
    4. Right-click on any  ‘F’ appearing in the 6th column across
      (Note the Two codes given – F and R.
      F signifies that you have logged the airframe.
      R signifies that you have logged it under its current (now) registration. Therefore, if only F is shown, you logged the airframe under a previous registration.
      If you want to just show aircraft that you haven’t seen with their current registration,  right-click any ‘R’)
    5. Left-click ‘Filter Excluding Selection’ in the menu that opens – this will then exclude any airframe you have seen by excluding any aircraft with an ‘F’ against it
      A reduced Museum listing appears showing the aircraft you need
    6. Left-click any value outside Column 1 i.e. Type, C/N, Operator, Hex (values not hyperlinked)
    7. Click “ctrl” + “A” (this selects all the data.   Note that nothing seems to happen in Steps 7 & 8 but 9 shows they worked)
    8. Click “ctrl” +”C” (this copies it to the clipboard)
    9. Open a blank Excel sheet and put cursor in top left box and press “ctrl” + “V” (this inserts the data)
    10. Delete any Columns that you don’t need and reformat the required data as you wish

    Sometimes you may have to select an empty cell before activating “ctrl” + “A”.

  •  

     

    11. EDITING

    11.1  Add New Record

    Before adding a new record, do a search on the c/n to ensure that the airframe is not already in the database under a previous registration.

    11.2  Add New Operator

    Fill out as much information as possible.

    Note that the Operator is not necessarily the owner, which is often a leasing company for an airliner and which may sell the aircvraft on to another organisation while an airline is operating it.

    Often a company trades under a different name e.g. the G-INFO website notes for G-BXOK: ‘FB HELISERVICES LTD Trading as: DRAKEN EUROPE’. Enter the trading name as this will normally be better known. If in doubt, add a note in the ‘Op Note’ field.

     

    Sometimes an individual person is recorded in a register (e.g. G-INFO website) as being a Trustee of a group of joint-owners e.g. “J.Smith t/o G-ABCD Group”. Enter the group/syndicate name i.e. “G-ABCD Group” if it is a significant/notable group, else ‘Private’.  In this case, “t/o” means “Trustee Of”.

    For reasons of data protection, individual people should not be uniquely identified. Since about 2020, individuals have been noted as ‘Private’ and small, generally unknown companies as ‘Corporate’.
    Notable individuals may occasionally be noted with one initial e.g. J.Smith – these may be celebrities or major operators of aircraft fleets or of an airfield.
    Major, more well-known companies are noted with their full names.

    11.3  Update Review

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is image-15-1024x548.png

    This lists your updates. After about 50 changes, say, send your updates to Steve Hambleton
    – choose Create Update, go to C:\DataAir where you will find a new update file such as 123ABoutupdate.mdb (123 =
    next update number, AB = your initials).
    – right click the filename and select Send to >
    – then Compressed (zipped) folder (this saves your update as a zipped file in C:\DataAir)
    – go to C:\DataAir
    – highlight 123ABoutupdate.zip
    – right click the filename and select Send to >
    – select Mail recipient
    – open your email program
    – send the filled-out email to Steve Hambleton at c17moose@googlemail.com

    11.4  Duplicate Civil Regs

    This lists airframes with duplicated civil registrations with your input airframes highlighted. Identify how the duplicate arose and try to resolve it. It is often that a registration has been reissued after sale abroad and all that is needed is to update the ‘Use’ value e.g. for a second use set ‘Use’ to ‘2’.

    11.5  Possible Duplicate Frames

    This lists airframes with potential duplicate registration or c/n. Identify how the duplicate could arise and try to resolve it.

    11.6  Check DB for Orphans

    Lists historic records that are not associated to a current airframe. It is safe to delete them but it would be wise to check that the entry exists against the correct frame before doing so.

    11.7  Duplicate Hex Codes

    If ‘Hex duplicates with my name on them’ shows a number, press Duplicate Hex Codes for a list to be resolved. Click the registration to go to the record for editing. Often caused by multiple use of test registrations by manufacturers or reissue of a registration by certain countries necessitating amending the ‘Use’ value..

    11.8  Cancelled without History

    Lists cancelled/stored airframes without histories – no registration is given.

    11.9  Data Cleansing

    • Defunct Ops (Operators)
      Any Defunct Operators that fall under your remit will be highlighted.
      Tread carefully though, as it’s not all straightforward. Some (a few) operators are showing as defunct because they have been entered incorrectly

    12. EDITING – TIPS & POINTS TO NOTE

  • 12.1  Tips

    Where this icon is shown, press it for more information on the feature.

    Tab
    One excellent feature to speed up editing is to use the Tab key to quickly move to the next required input field.
    Wherever you seem to be stuck, try tab. It will usually take you to the next step

    Hex
    Place the cursor in the Year field of the date and press Tab. Otherwise the cursor may not be at the start of the Hex field and you have to move it to left-align.

    Copy Down
    On certain tables Ctrl + ‘ is a useful shortcut to copy down the contents of the cell above it.

    Read the Notes on the ‘Edit Aircraft Details’ Screen
    Familiarise yourself with the notes given on thes main editing screen by hovering the cursor  above titles and dropdown icons for any explanatory notes.

    12.2  Points to Note    (for editing the ‘Edit Aircraft Details’ Screen)

  • Is it a New Aircraft?
    Check a potentially new aircraft by searching firstly on its c/n and thus avoid creating duplications.

  • Unlisted Model
    For types which are scarce and will be low priority for adding to the database as specific types, enter them as Unlisted Model – add c/n etc as fully as possible and put the Type name at the start of the Group Notes. That way, if you search Group Notes, just enter OK at the ‘Enter Parameter Value’ message box leaving the box empty, sort the resulting list by Type and scroll down for Unlisted Model, you can see which types are often occurring and therefore are worth requesting their addition as specific, significant types.

  • Use
    This the number of times the registration has been used on a different airframe e.g. if ‘2’, it is the second airframe to carry that registration.

  • Registration Date
    Note that this is the date that the current registration/owner/operator combination was registered. If the registration stays the same but the aircraft passes to a new owner/operator then it becomes the date it passed to the new owner/operator. NOTE: It is NOT the first date that the same registration was carried by a series of owners in continuous succession – it will change when the owner/operator changes. This ensures that loggings can reflect the correct owner/operator when seen.
    Please amend any records that do not adhere to this guidance.

    Country
    The country of registration, not the nationality of the owner/operator.

  • TC
    Total Cycles (cycle = take-off & landing i.e. flights)

  • TT
    Total Time (flight hours)

  • Order & Sequence Numbers
    The Order and Sequence numbers against each Operator can be understood by examining the following example.

    OrderSequenceRegistrationOperator
    11G-ABCDAlpha Airways
    12G-ABCDBravo Airlines
    13G-ABCDAlpha Airways
    21N1234Yankee Airlines
    22N1234American Falcon
    31N67890Capital Airways
    32N67890United Air
    41G-ABCDAlpha Airways
    42G-ABCDBravo Airlines
    43G-ABCDAlpha Airways

    Note that the Order relates to the order in which each new registration is carried, and the Sequence relates to the sequence of each Operator for any registration or later re-use of a registration.

    Reregister
    Used where an aircraft is reregistered with a different registration. This is normally when it moves to a new country’s register or gains a new personalised registration.

    Operator Change
    Used when a new operator takes over but keeps the existing registration.

  • Editing an Operator’s Details
    Note that you can only edit an operator’s details via the ‘View Operator’ button in this Editing screen – You cannot edit them by double-clicking an Operator on the ‘Aircraft Details’ screen.

    Cancel
    If cancelled by the CAA or equivalent, cancel and leave status as ‘Status Unsure’.

    If PWFU (Permanently Withdrawn From Use) add ‘ – PWFU’ after the ‘Cancelled from register’ filled-in text, change Status from ‘Status Unsure’ to ‘Withdrawn’ and Final Fate from ‘Fate unknown’ to ‘Withdrawn’.

    Subsequent Restoration
    If a ‘cancelled by issuing authority’ record subsequently gets updated with a registration restoration (Reregister), the cancelled record doesn’t then appear in the history table. 

    You should not record a cancellation in the operator history. That is just for recording the operators, squadron changes, variant changes etc. not status like ‘cancelled’.

    The difference in the ‘from’ and ‘to’ dates would indicate if there was a gap between cancellation and reregistration.

    If you really think it is important to record that a frame had been cancelled at some stage then you could make a note at the end of the history line for the last operator e.g. “Cancelled by CAA 10-12-22” or in the Group Notes.

    As for the final fate, it means that and it should not be present on an active frame. Now there is the ability to record accidents there is no need to have a final fate on an active record. Consequently it should be deleted.

    Write Off (W/O, w/o)
    Refers to an aircraft that has been destroyed or is beyond economic repair. There will be two dates associated with this – the date of the accident and the date that the Country Authority (e.g. the CAA) actually formally records the deregistration of the aircraft. These can be months, even years, apart. The accident date is used with the w/o details. The cancellation date can usefully be noted as a Group Note. If the accident date is not known, add a note that the date given is the cancellation date.

    Not Taken Up (NTU)
    NTU registrations are omitted from the database.

    Manufacturer / Initial Operator
    When new GA frames are entered into the database and the operator is set to the manufacturer, unless the registration changes, the aircraft appears to belong to the manufacturer for the rest of its life. This is clearly not the case and when it is delivered to the customer it will become ‘Private’, or in the case of larger types ‘Corporate’.

    Therefore, all new GA entries should be entered as Private (or Corporate) from the start.

    This will include Cessnas, Pipers, Beechcrafts, Mooneys, Cirrus, etc, etc

    Owner or Trading Name
    Where aircraft  are registered to an owner who trades under a different name, the trading name should be used as the operator e.g. UK Flying Clubs Ltd who trade as Blackbushe Flying Group. The trading name is likely to be more widely known than that of the actual owner.

    Bases
    Check that when selecting a base that you have the correct country as many airfields have the same primary name e.g. Aberdeen, Perth.

    Accidents
    Add accident information in the ACCIDENTS box. If badly damaged, change status to ‘Status Unsure’.

    UPD Flag


    This is a system-supplied flag which indicates if that part of the record has changed. (It is a different table to the main detail.)
    N = New,  A = Unchanged, U = Updated