Flight Plan Translation
John Bell Mission+ Tools
Weather Report
MEL Extract from iCrew
AE Analysis
My thoughts on the EFF (Electronic Flight Folder)
Calculators
IR Cloud Tops
Pairing Summaries
PBS and Scheduling Tools
Rotation Format Translator
Flash Cards
ForeFlight KML stuff
Rowing regatta
Delta uses a version of this in iCrew and MiCrew labeled the "html" flight plan. My version has a couple of more bells and whistles, but it is not approved. Additionally, Delta's version is easier to create.
contentsIt looks like Mission+ will initially be missing a break calculator, crosswind calculator, and conversion calculator. I have created a page that is available offline that provides these items.
contentshttps://johnbellweatherreport.azurewebsites.net/WeatherReport.aspx
This page takes the METAR and TAF tables from AviationWeather.gov and combines them into one report. NOAA did the heavy lifting, but this combines things into one report that is available offline once you have loaded it.
contentshttps://www.johnfbell.com/Extract_MEL_from_iCrew.html
This page takes the ship routing from iCrew as the input and then extracts the adding and removal of MELs from the text.
contentscontentsOther sources of staffing analysis:
I often offer some analysis on the latest AE. During the COVID crisis, I have also offered some analysis of things like the VEOP. While I am happy that these Excel files are popular, I also want you to know of some other sources.
Delta's Crew Resources and Scheduling page.
The reason that I bring this up is that Delta has started to publish the various lists in Excel. This is a big improvement. The powerful feature is that you can click on the icon in the header for a column and use filters.
I am not involved with this. I think that it has been partially updated to reflect the VEOP. I have not spent much time. The fact that it does not show that you can now hold certain categories may not be a fault of the Dashboard. If pilots have retired from a category, it is generally an educated guess as to whether you will be able to hold the category when the staffing is replenished to compensate.
Curly has updated his site to include the VEOP information.
Projected category for May 20, 2022 award
The projected category list has moved in DeltaNet. It is now published under Advanced Entitlements in the Supporting Documents section. I have taken the Word document and exported it into Excel. I haven't added anything fancy. I might do that later, but the filters add a lot of functionality. For example, you can filter for all categories containing "330A". This will give you the total to the right side of the header. You can then add a filter to only show seniority numbers less than your seniority number.
Excel
1. While you cannot interact with this link, you can downlaod the Excel file and it establishes authorization to use the interactive version in the next link.
2. Use this link to interact online with the data. This will not work until you have established authorization with the previous link.
Version with macros
I used an Excel macro to extract the data. Macros do not work in the online version. However, if you want to play with this version, you are welcome to do so. If you are an experienced programmer, please realize that this code is quick and dirty in order to get an answer and is not very elegant.
AE Analysis for May 20, 2022 award
This analysis was done quickly on 5/20/2022 while on a layover. If you find problems, I can fix them Saturday (5/21) night.
PDF version which lists who is leaving and who is entering each category:
Excel
1. While you cannot interact with this link, you can downlaod the Excel file and it establishes authorization to use the interactive version in the next link.
2. Use this link to interact online with the data. This will not work until you have established authorization with the previous link.
iPad notes:
To use this on your iPad within Safari (the browser)
1. Tap the highlighted cell to enter your employee number. This just selects the cell.
2. Do a quick double tap to allow entry into the cell. This is a little tricky to get just right. The keyboard will pop up when you have done this correctly.
3. Enter your 6-digit employee number.
To use this within Excel for iOS (the browser)
There is a version of Excel for the iPad. It is a little quirky, but hopefully this will help you if you want to give it a try. You will need Excel for the iPad from the app store link.
In order to interact with Excel on your iPad, you will need to activate it. If you already have one, you can use your Office 365 account. However, you may be able to activate it with your Delta e-mail and sign in if you do not have an Office 365 account or do not want any personal items on your iPad.
When you open the file, there will be a bar at the top that will say that it is Read Only. There is an option to Save a Copy in the right side of the warning. You should be able to interact with the saved copy.
Delta is looking at replacing the html flight plan with an app called the eCBP (electronic Crew Briefing Package). I am fully in support of the eCBP if it is done well. I think Delta needs a professionally developed and supported product. I think that the html flight plan represents a good prototype and proof of concept. I put together a document to explain some of the features of the html flight plan and some of my thoughts on the eCBP.
Link to the document (requires Delta sign in)
contentsThis is an experimental page with some calculators to help with some fuel calculations.
I add ISA deviation to my version of the html flight plan. The iCrew/MiCrew version of the html flight plan does not have this. This page allows you to copy the winds section of the Delta version of the html flight plan and add the ISA deviation.
I have several tools/calculators that are simply web pages with JavaScript. These could be used in a document library such as Content Locker.
If you just want to use the tools, go here: John Bell Tools
If you want to load some of the files into Content Locker to demonstrate the concept, go here: JavaScript calculator demo.
contentsDelta has Cloud Tops in the iOS version of the weather viewer. I think this is a big deal that not a lot of pilots know about. This is especially a big deal where there is no radar coverage. I have brief overview:
contentsNote that the above link will require you to sign into Deltanet and the files are not available publicly. While I am flattered by the fact that many people find these useful, I would highly encourage that you learn about the analysis tool in the PBS Web App. More details are available in the PBS Gouge or the YouTube videos produced by the PBS Committee. Both are linked from http://pbshelp.info/delta
. contentsWhile not a full PBS manual, I have put together some of the things that I wish more pilots knew about using PBS.
John Bell's guide to PBS John Bell's guide to PBS for EasyBid Users
contentsFAR 117 calculator in Excel.
This uses a copy and paste of the pairings from iCrew to calculate some of the FAR 117 cumulative parameters. This depends on macros, so you must download the file to a computer and run it in Excel. If the file opens in your browser, use File -> Save As from the online version to download the file.
FAR 117 calculator in ExcelReserve Pay Calculator:
HTML version of the Reserve Pay Calculator optimized for the iPad. note: This should work on any computer.
PBS Reserve Pay Excel Spreadsheet
Online version of the Reserve Pay Excel Spreadsheet
Reserve Line Simulator
This is a tool that allows you to switch days from X to R and see how many work days you have used in a row, X day blocks, etc. This was created to help answer e-mails with reserve questions. This may not cover every scenario and is offered on a use at your own risk basis.
PBS reserve line simulator in Excel
Online version of PBS Reserve simulatoriPad notes:
- If you have Office 365 with Excel on your iPad: Use the normal link. Use the square with an arrow comming out icon near the URL window to send the file to Excel.
- If you do not have OneDrive or Office 365: Use the "online" link. This should work in Safari. However, selecting cells with pull down menus such as the month can be problematic. I find the trick is to do a double tap, but continue to hold your finger down on the second tap until the menu appears.
- If you have OneDrive installed, but do not have Office 365: I have not found a good solution other than to find another device or computer.
Leg Extract from iCrew Rotations
This allows you to paste an iCrew rotation and then will extract the basic items such as block time. The initial purpose was to allow line check airman to track their line check time by filtering for "L" legs, but it can be used for total block.Important note: Excel "thinks" in days. For example, even if Excel shows 72:00, it is "thinking" 3 days. If you want to make any pay calculations based on the totals, multiply by 24.iCrew Legs Import spreadsheet
Summary:contentsI find that civilians such as family members have a hard time reading the rotation. This is a quick way to extract the legs and hotel information into a readable format with local times. You can then e-mail or otherwise share your rotation.
I have some other functions for the pilot version:
- Translate into printable format: This cleans up the rotation for printing. I used to like to print a copy of the pairing and put it in my front pocket. I now mostly use MiCrew, but this is for those of you who are old school.
- Extract legs: This extracts the legs. iCrew now offers similar functionality, but I already have this programmed so I am leaving it up.
- AeroWeather Pro link: This creates a group in AeroWeather Pro (you must have the pro version) consisting of the airports in the rotation.
- Aviationweather.gov link:
Aviationweather.gov has a cool feature called a TAF table which lists the TAF by columns. This takes the the airports in the rotation and makes a TAF table.Create e-mails from the rotation
This allows you to take a rotation or multiple rotations and create a list of the Delta e-mails from the employee numbers. This is designed so that you can e-mail a crew.
I have an Excel workbook that allows you to create flash cards in an html format. I have an example below of for 777 Memory and Limitations. I also have an example as well as a blank version of the Excel file so that you can create your own.
Version of Workbook with 777 questions as an example. (note that this may not be the most current version of the workbook)
contentsClicking on one of the links for the files below will cause Safari to prompt you to download the file to your iPad. After downloading, open the file from the Files app. After opening these files, use the share icon (box with an arrow coming out) to share with ForeFlight. Once imported into ForeFlight, you can use these as an overlay in the map display.
The basic version is to add a rough lat long grid to the globe view. I have lines parralels for arctic circle, equator, as well as 30 and 60 degrees. I have longitude lines in 30 degree increments.
The more detailed version gives a 1 degree lat lon grid. This is not for viewing, but to facilitate using the ForeFlight annotation tool to draw things like turbulence reports. I have added thicker lines at 5, 10, and 30 degree increments. You can turn the layer on to draw and then turn it off after you have drawn the area. ForeFlight video tutorial on annotating the map.
The purpose in this project is to give a way of drawing turbulence areas when WiFi is unavailable to populate the Flight Weather Viewer. If you do not have the ForeFlight link from using my page to translate the flight plan, you can still import the route from the official html flight plan. Type in the origin, space, paste the route from the Jepp FD Routing in the Route Extract section, space, type in the destination.
This is an Excel spreadsheet that allows you to take a list of waypoints and turn them into a kml file that can be imported into ForeFlight.
contentsI bought a Waverunner FX to replace my old SeaDoo with the intent of doing some cruising on the intercoastal waterway near Cocoa, FL. The Waverunner shows average gas mileage which seemed to stick at just a little over 6 mpg, but I wanted a little more detail, so I did a quick webpage to gather the data. I assumed the fuel flow that displayed off of the engine computer was accurate. I used the GPS from my cellular iPad mini instead of relying on the speed from the instrument display since Yamaha uses a waterwheel to measure the speed.
The page was quick, crude, and finicky. However, you are welcome to use it: MPGcalc.html
Here are the results as well as a comparison to my Boston Whaler: Link to Excel spreadsheet on One Drive.
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