Following posts from RadarBox customers, AirNav has just acknowledged that the aircraft picture download isn't working:
http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=7070.msg81500#msg81500
The link is not working! skullduggery?
Quote from: gwilliums on June 29, 2012, 09:28:01 AM
The link is not working! skullduggery?
It's not the link that's not working, it's the AirNav forum (and website) ::)
I was just commenting to myself that the Airnav server's been pretty reliable this past week and then no picture downloads
:'(
Maybe he hasnt paid for the service
Or somebody forgot to feed the treadmill mice
:o
24 hrs later and still no fix
:'(
Quote from: Bethsalem on June 30, 2012, 08:06:15 AM
24 hrs later and still no fix
Not too easy from 36,000 feet. No update for customers either.
?
I guess customers just want it to work or, failing that, a more recent update on progress.
Typically AirNav goes into stealth mode when there are problems.
Posted today on the AirNav forum:
"can anyone here email when the photo download works again?
Thanks"
Needless to say, no response from AirNav. >:(
Six hours later, another platitudinous response from AirNav:
"We are aware of this and trying to get this rectified asp. "
That's over 4 days since the problem was first reported.
I'm using Flight Display here and it's showing images from Airliners.net OK so I assume the problem is at AirNav's end.
A week later and AirNav customers live in hope and in reply to a question about the photo download still not working:
"Don't worry - we're all having the same problem ;-)
I'm sure AirNav will tell us when they've fixed it."
Better still, AirNav should tell us why it hasn't fixed it? >:(
http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=7092.msg81721#msg81721
QuoteBetter still, AirNav should tell us why it hasn't fixed it?
Yeah but if they gave you a reason, would you believe it? >:(
I think that people who've paid for a network subscription at least deserve an answer as to WHY the photo download isn't working, and an EXPLANATION why it still is unfixed after a week.
Maybe if they start asking for a refund on their subscription, AirNav might get off their backsides and take this problem seriously?
QuoteMaybe if they start asking for a refund on their subscription, AirNav might get off their backsides and take this problem seriously?
Well good luck with that one.
When I tried this tact because of constant network downtime, they told me it was planned maintenance and that I should expect it from time to time. I expalined time to time was fine but every other day, for over an hour and more at a time, was not what I considered maintenance downtime. Got no-where.
People should do what I (and many others, I believe) did. When the subscription came up for renewal, I cancelled. Simples!
Isn't the picture download a standard feature and not related to a network subscription?
Maybe us UK customers have a justifiable reason to reject the RadarBox as "not fit for purpose" and can ask for a full refund?
Anmer, you're right. Photo download is a standard feature, and not network-subscription dependent.
I've got an unpleasant feeling that this will become another email alert type problem and drag on for week after week, with no exact explanation of why the problem has arisen, and no honest answer as to when it will be resolved.
Certainly, at the moment the radarbox is not working as advertised, because we also have the July database update issue/route info inaccuracies, and as usual no meaningful communication from Airnav,
I think users have every reason to say that it's "not fit for purpose".
Quote from: Sun Worshipper on July 05, 2012, 10:21:59 AM
QuoteBetter still, AirNav should tell us why it hasn't fixed it?
Yeah but if they gave you a reason, would you believe it? >:(
Since my Flight Display software is happily displaying photos from Airliners.net, in a word "No".
Believe this if you will, I don't:
"The issue is still being fixed at the moment, we apologise for the delay however
its due to an issue with the images feed from airliners.net . We are working with them to rectify this asp."
http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=7092.msg81743#msg81743
......................and once again Air Nav blame someone other than themselves.
How can the issue still be 'being fixed'? It's either fixed or broke. Useless, utterly useless!
Apparently now fixed:
"This error is now totally corrected. Aircraft photos should now be shown without any problems."
http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=7092.msg81812#msg81812
Notice how they never explain exactly WHY the problem occurred in the first place, and they never explain the steps they've taken to try and ensure it doesn't happen again.
They really fill you, the paying customer, with confidence, don't they ???
Today's update from AirNav:
"This problem is now fully identified and will be correct within the next 24 hours."
It's taken over a month to resolve pushed along, maybe, by lots of negative posts.
http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=7070.msg82597#msg82597
Quote from: Anmer on July 31, 2012, 06:36:06 PM
Today's update from AirNav:
"This problem is now fully identified and will be correct within the next 24 hours."
It's taken over a month to resolve pushed along, maybe, by lots of negative posts.
http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=7070.msg82597#msg82597
Yawn!!
I switched off all the feeds from Airnav. All I want is the display of arcraft received by the box. Hence any of the network downtime doesn't worry me and I don't notice them. Seems to be the way to go ;)
Ian
Quote
"This problem is now fully identified and will be correct within the next 24 hours."
Posted 4 August 2012:
"Sorry, but the problem still exists.
Still a majority of my missing downloads are where there is only ONE photo on the Airliners site. (Which is the box I have ticked in Preferences)"
And no response from AirNav!
http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=7070.msg82727#msg82727
Photo download working okay here. 36 photos this morning, 115 yesterday, and 442 earlier this week.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7255/7716340892_74e9cb9c1c_o_d.png) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tarbat/7716340892/sizes/o/in/photostream/)
Just shows how long it is since I had my Radarbox up and running ;)
Why not post this reply on the AirNav forum?
?
I think Radarbox also looks at the LK/LK2 fields to decide whether to download a thumbnail. Sounds like a problem with how ADU is populating these fields maybe.
I'd get ADU to look into this. Maybe they assume you've ticked the 2 photos box?
ps. Any reason why you deleted (edited to ?) a lot of your earlier posts (http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;area=showposts;u=1766) on the AirNav forum?
?
Quote from: tarbat on August 05, 2012, 07:56:27 PM
ps. Any reason why you deleted (edited to ?) a lot of your earlier posts on the AirNav forum?
Tarbat
May I suggest you ask this question directly via PM or post it on the AirNav forum as it has nothing to do with the topic here.
Looks like the aircraft photos have stopped downloading again.
How come AirNav doesn't spot these problems before its customers?
Does Brandao fly B767s without instruments and, instead, relies on the passengers to tell him when the flaps don't retract?
http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=7070.msg83921#msg83921
Now we know:
"We are sorry for not sending a brief on this situation to the main forum (we sent it to database updaters only).
From now on all photo thumbnails will be downloaded from the planespotters.net website.
This has to do with upcoming releases of new AirNav Systems solutions.
The server software is already updated and gradually all thumbnails will be changed.
Any question don't hesitate to ask our support at support@airnavsystems.com"
Doesn't explain if we have to make any changes locally as suggested by one of the "database updaters"?
"If you dont have a picture for the aircraft and it has an Airliners link, delete the link/s in d/b explorer and if its in planespotters it will download just the same as before. If you already have pictures of the aircraft already they will display as before."
Clear as mud. :o
http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=7070.msg83939#msg83939
As i said, clear as mud:
"Pics of new aircraft are not downloading
I have not had a pic of a new plane since the change over to planeplotter
Do I need to change a setting to stop my box looking at Airliners.net?
Thanks Bat21"
http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=7070.msg83953#msg83953
If the RadarBox customer base isn't too happy about the picture downloads not working and the switch from Airliners.net to Planespotters.net, it'll be even more unhappy when it realises that the changes offer no direct benefit whatsoever.
Update from AirNav:
"We have been using Airliners.net for many years in products going beyond RadarBox as many of you are aware. We haven't taken this change lightly and there are reasons why we have made this change, some of the reasons left us with little choice but to move unfortunately. These will become apparent soon.
This isn't a case of us just wanting to change pictures just to cause hassle."
Since the conscensus is that Airliners.net has superior images to PlaneSpotters.net, one can only assume that either Airliners or AirNav have pulled the plug on an existing arrangement or the price is now too high?
I can't wait for the "apparent soon" revelation.
http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=7070.msg83993#msg83993
More RadarBox users are wising up to AirNav's duplicitous antics:
"Airnav knew users won't be happy with the change, so didn't publish this important feature change on the main forum. Now the cats out of the bag, we are seeing low quality pics or no pictures at all.
How about putting everything in the open and listing all future and nearly complete projects, what features will be added and what taken away."
http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=7070.msg83997#msg83997
Air Nav reporting that the problem has been identified but not yet fixed.
What a waste of a post, thanks Brandao, stick to your day job. I hope you are a better pilot than you are a company owner. >:(
Not only didn't AirNav tell its customers about the switch, nor provide any guidance on what to do whilst waiting for a new navdata.db3 release, it looks like it didn't do any testing:
"W are aware of this problem and we are working on this as we speak.
It's a server software problem and a new photo provided problem.
We will be back with more news when we have them (it could take up to 48 hrs to correct these issues)."
"Leadership in Flight Tracking". Pull the other one.
http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=7070.msg84023#msg84023
Air Nav now saying the problem is fixed.
Let's open a book to see how soon someone reports it's gone tits up again. :)
Looks like the software issue has been fixed:
"Seems to be fine here - new pics are downloading from planespotters.net (where available )"
http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=7070.msg84051#msg84051
Reported not working at 05.10.15 am this morning.
http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=7254.msg85215#msg85215
Then, nearly 12 hours later, AirNav appears and offers up a rather lame excuse:
"This situation was caused by a glitch in our server software (we are working on some optimizations as I write this email). It is fully corrected now."
Why did it take nearly 12 hours to acknowledge there was an issue and to fix a "glitch"? And why work on a live server and risk introducing a problem?
I suppose that's what one gets when a first officer tries his hand at being a software engineer?
Yesterday, an AirNav customer posted a comment on its forum about a possible issue with aircraft photos.
Rather than investigate, AirNav chose to ignore the post and left its self-appointed moderator to reprimand the customer, complaining about the "tone" of his post.
Luckily others checked it out and, sure enough, there is a problem.
But no apology from Runway 31, just the usual drivel about "these things do happen". Runway 31 appears to have morphed into a Brandao clone, attacking the messenger rather than solving the problem.
And not a word from AirNav, no doubt too busy spending network subscriptions on RadarBox24.com? Too busy to "care any more"?
Just noticed on the above header, this now being populated with G-CDIG EV-97. This in all where there is no photo available. On G-DCOI which is an AW139 there is a picture of an Air Cinha Airbus A321, what the hell is going on AirNav. Total melt down which looks like no-one seems to care any more.
Your tone is terrible and I was not going to answer initially and I found it hard to understand your message.
Until someone take a photo and puts it up on Airliners we dont have a photo to show and the same for G-DCIO. For some reason the the Air China was in as a photo for G-DCIO. When I tried looking for G-DCIO on Airliners the first occasion I got a photo of a Ural A320 among others so I dont know where the problem lay. I will bring it to the attention of Airnav to see if the problem is with them ot Airliners,
I have deleted the reference to the photo from the database and would sugest that you bring the frame up on your d/b explorer and delete it from there as well. The next time you see it you should get the Photo not available tag.
I hope this is OK and you are a bit more civil in your tone the next time you come on. I note your next response is a bit more civil and the way it should have been the first time.
Alan - I've just found a similar problem with PA24 N250CC - the second photo is an Airbus.
EDIT - I notice that in the latest download of Navdata, the second photo entry for this plane is blank - possibly something has gone wrong with the AirNav's photo retreival routine.
http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=7846.msg94601#msg94601
Airnav should start there own database, and not rely on others to do the job for them. Then they cannot hide behind the stories
Did that person who complained got himself BANNED from using the AirNav forum ?
?
Apart from also being banned by AirNav, threatened with legal action and suffered libellous allegations and verbal abuse from Brandao and Mark Francis of Waters & Stanton, what amazes me is that everyone I know who has met Brandao has the same opinion of him.
Not only is he a liar, he's a bully, greedy and totally out of touch with today's "online" world.
Nobody in their right mind, let alone one who is running an information business, would treat its customers the way he does.
The word pogrom comes to mind.
Also reminds me of another forum, you speak your mind and get banned.
Am banned still on both.
Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
Quote from: romdouk on July 17, 2013, 05:45:39 PM
I went onto the Airnav Forum (under my AirNav Forum ID of "pistoff") to let them know I was experiencing the photo problem as well. Unfortunately when I queried why AirNav were ignoring the problem, but leaving their little "helper" Run-a-way 31 to answer the complaints, I got this result:
Sorry pistoff, you are banned from using this forum!
a
This ban is not set to expire.
So I have now joined the selective community of AirNav Forum refugees! :)
WELCOME to the AirNav BANNED Club.
The Club is getting Bigger by the day !
Quote from: mhm on July 17, 2013, 06:46:56 PM
Also reminds me of another forum, you speak your mind and get banned.
Am banned still on both.
Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
That Forum owned by " DanTheban " ? I also got banned there for no apparent reason.
All I did there was to complain about Airnav - if I got banned because of that - it proved DanTheBan is a running dog or proxy of Airnav..