Google Earth Flight Path Visualization

waaaay too much effort involved. tried a few combos, couldn't get one to work. tried your default one and it took way too long, never even loaded. too bad cause I'm interested to see what it might look like.
 
I was able to view your file. This could be of some benefit to either new pilots or someone who is flying to a new area and wants to get a feel for the ground reference points, or view in general.

The coding makes my head spin, but I'm an old fart. May be much less of a challenge for younger, computer savvy pilots.

The end result is quite cool and I applaud your effort.
 
Yes, I know. I checked the logfile, and there were several people who tried run the script within a small window of time after I posted it, so it got bogged down. I should have expected it. It should run within 10 seconds, under normal circumstances. If you want to see what the final view looks like, just download one of these files, and load it into google earth:

http://sarangan.org/tmp/1536715571_flight.kmz
http://sarangan.org/tmp/1536715632_flight.kmz
http://sarangan.org/tmp/1536715739_flight.kmz
 
I put the kmz files on the site for each example, so you can directly download it without having to run the script. Hopefully that will give you some idea of what it does.

My ultimate plan is to develop this into some type of training tool (for VFR or IFR) to help visualize the terrain during planning stages.

I realize that specifying the route is not straightforward, but I couldn't think of any other way to do it simpler than this. If anyone code-savvy could suggest an alternative, I am open to it. BTW, this is written in python.
 
Very nice concept and fantastic idea. This might have saved the life of the Money pilot who crashed at KPAO Palo Alto last week.

For POA people kicking or criticizing Sarangan's effort, he not publishing a finished product but showing an initial effort... and it good.

Sarangan, Keep working on it. Your Proof of concept demonstrates the power of this as a tool and your idea.
 
NordicDave said:
Very nice concept and fantastic idea. This might have saved the life of the Money pilot who crashed at KPAO Palo Alto last week.

For POA people kicking or criticizing Sarangan's effort, he not publishing a finished product but showing an initial effort... and it good. ...
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1) not a single person 'kicked' or criticized, it's called constructive feedback, and I would hope if I put the effort into something like this people would give me feedback as well, and 2) google earth is not new and was available to the mooney pilot.
 
Back on the sixties ,early seventies,you could by a book ,with pictures of the airport from the air,with ground references and runways.
 
eman1200 said:
1) not a single person 'kicked' or criticized, it's called constructive feedback, and I would hope if I put the effort into something like this people would give me feedback as well, and 2) google earth is not new and was available to the mooney pilot.
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Actually I had an extensive post about using Google Earth in the Money crash thread. It's a great go to tool and I use it myself before flying to new airports to learn the VFR checkpoints and visuals at my target altitude.

I really like the OP's effort in experimenting with a fly over animation. I was not targeting you in my comments, but can see how it would appear that way.
 
NordicDave said:
Actually I had an extensive post about using Google Earth in the Money crash thread. It's a great go to tool and I use it myself before flying to new airports to learn the VFR checkpoints and visuals at my target altitude.

I really like the OP's effort in experimenting with a fly over animation. I was not targeting you in my comments, but can see how it would appear that way.
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no worries, my good man.
 
Not ready for prime time. KISS Tried to run demo. I possess the attention span of a gnat anyhow. No joy. Not interested. Thanks.
 
Thanks for the feedback.

Google Earth may have been available for a long time, but what surprised me was that there wasn't yet an app that can create flight paths. It is not the same as moving the view with your mouse. You can't visualize a 3-deg glidepath, or what a turn radius inside a canyon looks like.

I am a big believer in using everything possible to armchair fly prior to a real flight. I used to fly in these mountain airports back in the 90's, and I wish I had these resources back then. Flight sims are great, but we are not always interested in the 'flying' part of the a sim. If you just want to see the terrain without having to fire up a simulator and joystick, Google Earth is great. Besides, these are based on real satellite imagery with 3D reconstruction, and is far better than anything on a sim.

I also put some of the screen captures of the flight paths on youtube (with links next to the examples), for those not inclined on typing routes on a keyboard.

I was just interested in trying something new. I am not peddling any product or service, nor am I entrepreneurial, so the comment about it being not ready for prime time was out of left field.
 
sarangan said:
I wanted to share a program I wrote to create flight paths on google earth for visualization purposes. It turned out quite well, if I say so myself. Please give it a try and give me your feedback. The URL is http://sarangan.org/aviation/google-earth-flight-path-visualization/
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Excellent job. I've looked for something like this for years, and even tried to create one myself, without success. All it really needs to be easy to use is a way to create the script using a dialog box. As far as Google Earth Flight Visualizers are concerned, you're at the "DOS" stage; soon, I expect you'll improve it to the "GUI" stage.
 
I just use the flight sim in Google Earth and fly where I want to go. I use it when going to a new area or airport.
 
stsflyer said:
I just use the flight sim in Google Earth and fly where I want to go. I use it when going to a new area or airport.
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I tried that too, many times. But I could never get it to work. The plane was not controllable. It would just spin and eventually crash. Were you able to get it to work, without difficulty? And if you were able to get to work, and use some special technique you've developed, please share it.
 
Lon33 said:
I tried that too, many times. But I could never get it to work. The plane was not controllable. It would just spin and eventually crash. Were you able to get it to work, without difficulty? And if you were able to get to work, and use some special technique you've developed, please share it.
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In the help file are the keyboard shortcuts. I fly using the mouse. I start looking straight down at an eye altitude of about 8000’. Enter flight sim, chose SR22, click "start flight". Left click the mouse to activate "mouse as yoke" and slide back to level off. HUD display will be on screen. Use keyboard to set throttle, flaps. Fly around wherever you want. When I get up to the PC I’ll post flap, throttle, and brakes shortcuts.

edit:

F = Add flaps
Shift + F = Retract flaps
Page up = Increase throttle
Page down = Decrease throttle
. = right brake
, =left brake
 
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Thanks for this. I'll try it. When I've tried to use the Google Earth Flight Sim, I've started at ground level, and had the plane go out of control during the climb. I'll bet your technique makes all the difference.
 
Lon33 said:
Thanks for this. I'll try it. When I've tried to use the Google Earth Flight Sim, I've started at ground level, and had the plane go out of control during the climb. I'll bet your technique makes all the difference.
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Make sure you left click to activate the mouse as your yoke. That may be your issue.
 
sarangan said:
Thanks for the feedback.

I also put some of the screen captures of the flight paths on youtube (with links next to the examples), for those not inclined on typing routes on a keyboard.

I was just interested in trying something new. I am not peddling any product or service, nor am I entrepreneurial, so the comment about it being not ready for prime time was out of left field.
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I don't have Google Earth on my system so thanks for the vids; I understand what you're trying to do!
You might want to hook up with the good folks at CloudAhoy. That provides amazing post-flight debriefs including 'in cockpit' views of your flight (disclaimer: I'm not associated with CA but I do pay them money for their product and use it after every flight). What you're doing seems to me to be a logical extension of their product. Who knows where that conversation might lead?

If you opt not to go the CA route, my 'end user' perspective is that you'd want to figure out how to build a flight path via point and click. I have no idea if the Google Earth, either stock or their flight simulator mode, provides any method to capture location via mouse or if there is some other mapping app that would give you what you're looking for but it might be worth a look.

NICE work. Kudos!
 
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