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AspEdit manual      Airways

Airways use a different method for their definition as compared to other airspace types:
Other areas are defined by geographical points + circles and border segments.  Airways are constructed by defining a width (total width: left + right), and fixes. Fixes can be waypoints or navigation aids.  This means that those have to be defined first, see Navaids / waypoints.

Defining an airway

  1. Make sure all required waypoints and navaids have been created.

  2. Switch the list to airspace areas mode.

  3. Press the "add" button to create a new area, or double-click on an existing area, in order to edit it.  The area dialog box will open.

  4. In the type field, select "AWY".  fill in the other fields as desired.

  5. From now on, adding / inserting / editing lines in the shapes will define airway segments via fixes.

  6. At each fix, the airway width can be specified.
    • If the width field remains blank, the same width as for the previous segment will be used.
    • If a width is given, the width is applied from that fix onward, until a new width is specified.

  7. The first fix has to include a width value, otherwise an error message will be issued.
Verify the results of the editing on the map display.  The map display can be panned / zoomed while the area dialog box is displayed.

Adding / subtracting areas from an airway

The border segment does not work for airways.  Instead, use the Adding / subtracting shapes function.
Example: In the demo file, there is an airway "Test AWY". Suppose you want to exclude the area over Germany.  Proceed as follows:
  1. Open the area dialog box for the airway.

  2. At the end of the airway (always after the last fix, even ifthe intersection will be several fixes before), use the "Add" button.

  3. The airway dialog box will open.

  4. Near the bottom of the dialog, press "Add shape", the Add shape dialog box will open.

  5. Read the help topics Adding / subtracting shapes and Add shape dialog box for further details
Several areas can be added (subtracted) to the same airway.

Exporting airways

The OpenAir export dialog box allows two options:
  • Normal: the airway will be defined by width and "DY" records. Not all soaring computers support this format.
  • Expanded: the airway will be defined by geographical points defining the edges, as displayed on the AspEdit map.
    The resolution of the circle segments at the junctions of airway segments is as defined in the Map settings dialog box.
Note: if the the adding / subtracting shapes function was used in an airway, that airway will always be exported as "expanded".

Importing airways

In most OpenAir files provided on the internet airways are defined by their boundary points, rather than via centerline fixes. This causes a compatibility issue with the AspEdit airways defintion method. Therefore, airways defined by boundary points will automatically receive type property "CTA" upon import, rather than "Airway".