IMH

Before we rush into things, remember that cockpitvisit was hoping to get an update ready for "possibly February". That target date has obviously slipped, but if there is a realistic chance of it being ready in the next few weeks then maybe that release should be the starting point for future efforts.

So, two friendly questions for cockpitvisit:

• Do you think you're going to have the time to get the data updated in the near future?
  
• Would you agree that it makes sense to either transfer or share the workload and responsibility for future updates, either temporarily or permanently?

Posts in this thread show that there's an enormous amount of goodwill among users, together with a wish to support the Airline Route Mapper with time and/or money. It would be nice if that could happen.

lewinr

Yes, I can see a wiki (or maybe better a google docs spreadsheet) as a good collaborative tool for correcting minor problems with the routes, airports or alliances.

But I don't think it is a realistic long-term solution for maintaining the data... over time there will just be too many changes. It just doesn't make sense to maintain it by hand.

We need to get the data from a GDS...

gt_croz

I've been using this great app for years. It's an essential tool in the travel hacking toolbox. As a linux user, I've had to run the desktop app using an emulator, so as an experiment I wrote a web app that's backed by the same data.

Since it uses the same data source, it will be just as out of date. Also, it has less bells and whistles than the app that cockpitvisit wrote. However, it might be of benefit to people who can't easily run windows apps.

http://airports.croz.us/

It's got bugs, and it's ugly in places. There's a feedback link if you've got any thoughts.

AHO

Thanks for this!
However, I cannot see any routes when I choose one airport or just one alliance.
This is my primary use for the tools, so it would be great if your tool can do it too.

gt_croz

The routes should become visible when you click on the airport you're interested in.

AHO

It works on Chrome but not on Opera 12 (my main web browser).

gxclark

If you can get the data from a GDS, please share it. There are a number of other options, I'll just list a few.

1) The USDOT makes a large amount of data available on aviation, including the routes flown into and out of the US. See this site.

Other governments do not do the same, although I will try to get some as a researcher.

2) The IATA website has a feature called "matchmaker", which is open to the public, but intended to pressure the airlines into using the new electronic air way bill (e-AWB) for cargo operations. See link. On the custom report page, under airline, you can query for airport to airport routes. Unfortunately, this does not have equipment details ...

I stand ready to assist on integrating and enriching this data.

Regards,
Geof

tys90

I subscribe to this thread but somehow I missed this post, sorry about that. I had actually made all the manual updates as I mentioned in my post but then cockpitvisit came back to life shortly after saying there was an update coming and I stopped updating my own personal version.

However, it looks like that never happened. I still use this program occasionally and find it very useful. I also wish to have more easily updated routing too.

The google form I made and linked in my post actually worked out fairly well for submitting route/airline/equipment changes. If we want to start that back up, I may switch the zip file to a dropbox folder and give some people permissions to it so it's not just relying on me to update it. Like I said, updating the data in the file is extremely easy, it's just a table.

TravelinSperry

I love openflights.org and they claim to use airlineroutemapper for their database. But this database is missing many airlines and routes. For example, http://dniproavia.com/en/ is not listed. Where/how/who would we chat with to get the database updated?

jpatokal

The mysterious cockpitvisit, right here on this very forum. But it's a time-consuming hobby project and they work on it when they have time for it.

kaarlows

Great initiative Croz! ^
I'm a Mac and Linux user myself, and found your website based on the tool very helpful.

LuckyLuke

There is also another web-based tool, usig the ARM database. It is called Flajts, and is found here:http://www.flajts.com/. Flajts works on Chrome, Opera, IE and Firefox. It also lacks some bells and whistles, but adds at least one: Quickly find 2- and 3-way routes between two airports.

Flajts is a hobby project, developed by me. Currently no development is going on, but feedback is welcome, either in the Flyertalk thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...ardflight.html, or via the contact form in the web application. Last update was July 5, 2014.

TravelinSperry

It's nice but it is missing routes too. For example, Belavia flies from Minsk (MSQ) to Belgrade (BEG) 2x per week. Others miss this route too (e.g., www.kayak.com/direct). However some catch it - like OAG http://www.oag.com/Travel-Tools/Where-Can-Fly-Direct

Still can't find one mapping project that I can trust... and looking at Wikipedia is too hard.

What exactly is the ARM database?

LuckyLuke

ARM= Airline Route Mapper
The ARM database is downloaded together with the application.
Routes missing in the Airline Route Mapper application will be missed in all other applications using this database (which is free).

There are probably commercial databases which are kept up-to-date on a daily basis, but at a (high?) cost.

siara91

is there some database update released?