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8/13/2019 6:17 AM
 

Can someone please explain to me what is going on in the following two clips regarding downloading updates from iFly...?

1: DOWNLOAD FROM IFLY SERVER: https://youtu.be/_DTuIUHuNVM

2: SPEEDTEST FROM SPRINT SERVER DALLAS: https://youtu.be/tspDzbLk3BM

 
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8/13/2019 10:55 PM
 

1) Download speeds vary based on lots of factors.  Not every site you visit will feed you data as fast as a site you run a speedtest on.

2) The Aviation databases are the slowest component of an iFly data download.  They're a jilliion little files that are inefficient to transfer.  Get past that part and into the sectionals / airport diagrams / charts / etc. and the transfers become far more efficient, which translates to higher throughput speeds.  

3) Download time can be significantly reduced if you only download the geographic areas you're really using.  It's very easy to add more areas as needed, when needed.  I hardly ever find myself flying around Texas, then suddenly realizing mid-flight that I need Oregon data, for instance.  I'm pretty sure I'll be on the ground again and have time to download those data before I really need them.

 
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8/14/2019 7:17 AM
 
Cobra wrote:

1) Download speeds vary based on lots of factors.  Not every site you visit will feed you data as fast as a site you run a speedtest on.

2) The Aviation databases are the slowest component of an iFly data download.  They're a jilliion little files that are inefficient to transfer.  Get past that part and into the sectionals / airport diagrams / charts / etc. and the transfers become far more efficient, which translates to higher throughput speeds.  

3) Download time can be significantly reduced if you only download the geographic areas you're really using.  It's very easy to add more areas as needed, when needed.  I hardly ever find myself flying around Texas, then suddenly realizing mid-flight that I need Oregon data, for instance.  I'm pretty sure I'll be on the ground again and have time to download those data before I really need them.

Yeah right Cobra... You already showed me, you have 5000 plus, I have a tenth of that... So I added the speedtest to the narrative to circumnavigate the transatlantic pitfall and now you come back with the zillion files...  And yes, I could slowly add the database, but I will be flying all over the place and finally end up with a full house. Am I gonna delete all those I don't need...??? And what about my payed for extension to 4 units: It's times FOUR... Remember...? I don't know whether "you one of them" but I would suggest a faster line and/or server. Or that thing, what's the name........ Oh yes, ZIP...!

 
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8/14/2019 9:28 AM
 

Parts of the download process do use zip/uncompressing.  I don't know why that's not used for the first part of the download.  There may be significant technical constraints.  My guess?  iFly runs a big batch process to build the data sets each time there's an FAA update, and in that batch process they zip things up into standard groups (all sectionals required to cover a state, all airport diagrams for a state, all approach plates for a state, etc.), but whatever data is included in the initial "aviaition databases" part of the download is a group of files that has some dependency on which set of states you select, and it's not practical to include every combination of those files in their batch process. 

This is probably one of those situations that uses a reasonable set of resources to achieve a 95% good solution for 95% of users, and unfortunately you're in one of the edge cases that doesn't get the best experience.

While you wait for iFly to make improvements, you might consider workarounds that you have direct control over:

  • Scoping your downloads to focus on the geography you're most interested in
  • Break up your downloads into multiple sessions
  • Set up the downloads to start as you're going to sleep (or otherwise to occur while you are occupied with other activities)
  • Wait until you arrive in the US to download the full dataset on a lower-latency connection
 
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8/14/2019 9:45 AM
 

Thank you Cobra, but I think I let this one for what it is. I already found a way to replicate the one download to the other devices. Even made a script for it. Fully automatic now. I do need the whole US of A since I could end up anywhere on any time. And also I simulate the crap out of iFly just to get to know it to the core. After all, once up there we don't need surprises right...?

The most interesting part of your reply "While you wait for iFly to make improvements, you might consider workarounds that you have direct control over:" is however: It's not me alone waiting for improvements, I'm perfectly happy with where we are. I displayed my content several times on this forum. But, like some other users, I have some wishes that could easily be implemented if there was no Real Plan standing in the way. But Brian has already acknowledged that (low hanging fruit).

 

 
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