How Does it Work?

Launch AutoMETAR before you start FLY! Click on 'Get Metar' and, if you are connected to the Internet, AutoMETAR will being the process of downloading METAR data from the NOAA onto your computer. In FLY!, use the Import METAR feature on the environment screen to import the METAR file called 'CurrentMETAR.txt' This should import real world METAR (weather) data for the US into your FLY flight.

Will it cause performance problems for FLY??

No, not really. Of course having another program running simultaneously won't cause FLY! to run any faster, in practice the performance hit is truly minimal. That said, if you have an underpowered syystem to begin with, well, what can we say...

I get an 'access violation' during the install

Click on "ignore." This is not a problem, just an annoyance on some systems.

Fly Tells me "Error Importing METAR Data"

This is a Fly! problem, not an AutoMETAR problem. Fly! has difficulties with certain real-world METARs. Hopefully the Fly! team will address this through Patches of the product. Incidentally, you HAVE patched you Fly! to the latest version, right? If not, go to the Fly web site.

Why is it slow?

NOAA METAR files are large--around 200k each. This can make the download slow if you are on a slow line. Additionally, the NOAA's web site tends to be quite slow during peak periods.

That said, I'm on a fast connection, and AutoMETAR routinely does its work within three seconds.

When are METAR files updated?

NOAA METAR files are updated at least every hour on or about the forty-five minute mark. Unfortunately, as of this moment, FLY! has no mechanism that we know of to update METAR data while inflight except by going to the environment screen and clicking Import METAR.. Nevertheless, AUTOMetar gets the latest METAR and sticks it into CurrentMETAR.txt every 15 minutes or so. Therefore, if, periodically during your flight you go into the ENVIRONMENT screen and import CurrentMETAR.txt again, you should have the latest weather.

Can I use AutoMETAR data for real-world flight planning?

NO! The NOAA discourages this, and we at Dauntless Software also discourage this. Internet delivery of weather information is just not reliable enough yet.

FLY! did not display the METAR data correctly.

Sorry--we're not the ones to call on this. AutoMETAR simply passes along the data. The good folks at TRI are responsible for what is done with it. TRI's weather engine is quite powerful--but certainly it can't interpret every possible METAR.

Can I place the downloaded file on my web site?

A major reason we created AutoMETAR is to attract visitors to dauntless-soft.com. As such, we must insist that you:

• do NOT link directly to the file (you MAY link directly to http://www.dauntless-soft.com, and MAY link to http://www.dauntless-soft.com/PRODUCTS/Freebies/AutoMETAR, but only if you also link to http://www.dauntless-soft.com).
• do NOT copy the file itself and offer it for download from another site. If you place AutoMETAR on a public web site, CD-ROM, or other such distribution outlet, we most likely WILL seek damages in excess of $100 per copy downloaded. Exceptions may be made on a case by case basis to organizations asking permission via [email protected].

Happy FLYing!