use ICAO instead of IATA

[serverxeon]

I am a user of vatsim, and thus is more used to the 4-lettered ICAO code.

Also, the ICAO code for airports tells more about it's continent/location.

for eg,
american airports are prefixed as K***
South east asian airport are prefixed as W***
Australian airports are Y***

Isn't this easier for searching, classifiying etc?

Highly suggest ICAO use.
(should there be any reason for IATA use, please enlighten me)

[dktc]

(should there be any reason for IATA use, please enlighten me)

It is easier for non-pilots/air controller users (or anyone not familiar with vatsim). ICAO means nothing to me (I mean the first letter = location thingie)

...but the most important point is it would take a lot of work to convert 1400+ airport codes from IATA to ICAO (also I think storing 3 letters save a bit of space when compared with 4 characters)

[StephenM]

The entire game is based off IATA as thats what most people recognise, generally you have to be big into the aviation side of things in order to recognise ICAO. When we are updating the runways in the future we can add in ICAO aswell.

[serverxeon]

yea. well i mean, personally i remember airports by ICAO.
so im having some problems on IATA at the moment.

but it's just some suggestion. you could always open up the work to AM users. im sure most will help in the keying in of ICAOs.

well, i think an extra 4 characters is not that much right?
we could keep both icao and iata...

[StephenM]

Any changes would be mainly in display, with IATA codes being used for game related things (in scripts etc) if we have time we will change that to include both formats but for the moment there are bigger fish to fry.

[blumage]

I agree on supporting the ICAO code system its really easier but true, its less known
but for instance they're some of them are similar to the IATA coding
For example KJFK(where K represents the US) or KLAX.
For lower europe (mediterenean region main code being used will be L)
so for Rome we will have LIRF(L-lower europe I-italy R-rome F-Fiumicino also known as leonardo da vinci)
LIML(L-lower europe I-italy M-milan L-linate)
LFPG(L-europe F-Framce P-paris G-charles de Gaule)

i believe that by using ICAO codes we can easily identify the location of the airport thus recognizing if it will be either a short-haul or long-haul flight!

[MrOrange]

E is for Europe too? (EHAM, EGLL)

[juancho]

E is for Europe too? (EHAM, EGLL)

Northern Europe. To be more exact: UK, Ireland, Germany, Denmark, Belgium, Holland, Norway, Sweden, Poland, etc.

[MrOrange]

Didn't quite get that part of ICAO, thanks for clearing up.

[StephenM]

ICAO is being added as we speak. It will take a bit of time to complete.

[Jps]

ICAO is being added as we speak. It will take a bit of time to complete.

OH? AM will be a lot easier then  

[CornField]

Actually, searching for some of these small US airports  ICAO is needed.
Some of the airports have the same IATA codes.


Carlsbad, CA, USA  shares CRQ with somewhere in Brazil
Saginaw, MI, USA shares SAW with somewhere in Turkey(I believe)

[blumage]

E is for Europe too? (EHAM, EGLL)

E(northern europe)

then we can have H(holland) G(Great Britain) D(deutchland) and so on!!

[StephenM]

Ok, heres on for all you ICAO gurus. I've seen this debate on Irish forums loads of times:

EIDW = E for Northern Europe, I for Ireland, D for Dublin but what is W?

 

[blue25]

Western? It could be Western Dublin? :?