ACARS MSFS Bridge

If your setup is built around the Microsoft flight simulator, you probably want to include a link between some data from the simulator and the ACARS system. This enables many fields in ACARS reports to be automatically filled in, close to the actual behaviour of the system in the real world. However you do not absolutely need this link if you want to enjoy ACARS functionality.

There is a complete all-in-one installer for ACARS on the MSFS system, which may suit you better.

Project Progress

2024-04-01
Lately we have seen a large (I mean LARGE) increase in system load due to many more clients appearing that are heavily using CPDLC. I am not entirely sure but I think there are a few robot servers doing airport clearances and such. This is not an issue in itself, but the speed with which these bots seem to work invites rapid-fire message exchange which isn't what CPDLC is about.

If at all possible, I would like to see a bit more delay between receiving a request and responding. Especially if the client software detects a long waiting time for a connection (five seconds, ten seconds) which indicates that there are a lot of other clients battling for connection time. The vast majority of clients is just checking for messages. So what about this:

If you detect a long waiting time for a connection, please drop your polling rate. This "should" make the system self-stabilizing.

2023-11-20
Somewhere in November 2023, Hoppie's ACARS quietly passed the 10 million message milestone! Since its inception in the very early 2000s, tens of thousands of users have together exchanged over ten million messages. Quite something to celebrate.

see all previous progress messages

Installation

ReadMe.txt from the ZIP package for reference

WFAcars is a small utility that enables FS2004 pilots to access the WorldFlight virtual company ACARS system. Other components are required in addition to WFAcars. They are included in the package with WFAcars together with instructions for installing and using them.

You do NOT need any of this software to join in Worldflight legs. Normal VATSIM procedures can be used to make position reports and receive weather reports. The ACARS system partly automates position reporting and provides written reports.

From version 1.3 WFAcars is compatible with changes in other software used in WorldFlight 2007.

From version 1.2 WFAcars provides support for Movimap, a map display utility. The aircraft heading is also sent as its track which is read by Movimap and is used to orient the aircraft icon on the map display.

WFAcars.exe is designed for Microsoft Windows XP and FS2004. It may run on other Windows versions.

WFAcars requires the Microsoft .NET framework version 1.1 to be installed on the PC running it. This can be downloaded.

WFAcars requires FSUIPC version 3.x to run on FS2004. FSUIPC need not be registered if the version is 3.71 or later.

(WFAcars might run on FSX with FSUIPC version 4.x. Registration is not required.)

It may be run on the FS2004 PC or another PC by using WideFS.

Place WFAcars.exe in any directory and run it. Enter the port and IP address of the Broker software then click the Save button. WFAcars will then close.

When you next run WFAcars it will indicate that it has connected to the Broker and to FSUIPC. No further interaction is required so WFAcars can be set to minimise itself on each startup. The user interface for accessing the Worldflight ACARS system is another piece of software included in the package and called Acars.exe.

Garry Richards
December 2006