What's a VRP?

[jschall]

I am contributing to the Plan-G User Manual, and one of the features I'm trying to document is the "Find" button. You can use it to find obvious aeronautical things like airports, NDBs, VORs. But also "User VRPs". What's a VRP?

I can guess it's a "Visual Reference Point", i.e., a user waypoint, with a latitude, longitude, magnetic variation and a user-generated name. And it's saved in a local database, so it can be found at a later time.

But, what about the hundreds(?) of VRPs already in the database with a fresh install of Plan-G? I assume they have been created by Tim and other developers/testers? Can one, or should one, delete the VRPs installed with the program? Or, could there be a selection of interesting Points of Interest, like the Eiffel Tower, or Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone Park, etc.?

- Jeff Schallenberg
Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec

[tim arnot]

Generically, I think I've settled on 'User waypoint' as a better name, and the menus will get changed to reflect that. They are split between "VRPs" - Visual Reporting/Reference Points, Airstrips, Disused airfields and Locations. I've also been asked to add 'Obstacles' as a category. Essentially the difference between them is the icon shown on the map. But broadly speaking

VRP - Visual Reference or Reporting Point. Thease are marked on aeronautical charts as VRPs, and are formal locations that ATC might ask you to report at. The CAA list of UK VRPs are included (if you fly on Vatsim, these are places ATC will almost certainly ask you to report passing)

Disused Airfield - A big part of the English landscape in particular, and widely used for navigation. Mostly left over from WWII. Of course you need photo scenery to see them in FS (although they are visible in Plan-G's satellite views).

Airstrip - Farm strips and small airfields (such as those from OZx) that don't appear in the FS database

Location - Somewhere on the map; a point of interest, but not a formal reporting point.

Obstacles - Masts, aerials, chimneys etc, generally taller than 300ft. The CAA has a list for the UK, and lists are available for other countries.

The waypoints in the database provided are primarily in the UK and Australia, but only because that's where I spend most sim time  ;) There are not any 'points of interest' such as you describe, but that doesn't mean there can't be...