Python script to convert ForeFlight's exported flight tracks to X-Plane compatible FDR files
*Only works with CSV files currently
Just put 42fdr.py somewhere on your computer.
- Works with python 3.9 and above.
- Single file with no 3rd-party dependencies.
[python3] 42fdr.py [-c configFile] [-a aircraft] [-t timezone] [-o outputFolder] trackFile1 [trackFile2, trackFile3, ...]
*You should be able to run 42fdr without explicitly invoking the python interpreter.
42FDR will convert one or more files, rename it with the .fdr extension, and save the output to the current working directory.
| Options | Description |
|---|---|
-c |
Specify a config file. A config file can be used to set the options below instead of on the command-line. A config file can also define custom DREFs, automatically lookup an X-Plane aircraft by tail number, and load tail specific attitude calibrations. |
-a |
Choose an X-Plane aircraft. X-Plane requires the FDR file to specify an aircraft model for the flight and this is not provided by the ForeFlight track file. Aircraft/Laminar Research/Cessna 172 SP/Cessna_172SP.acf is used by default unless overriden with a config file or command line option. |
-t |
Adjust all times by this (positive or negative) amount. If you've recorded your flight in local time, this value should be the opposite of your actual timezone. It will be added to recorded timestamps to get Zulu time. Can be expressed as a decimal number of hours (e.g. 3.5) or in the format +/-hh:mm[:ss] (e.g. -5:00) |
-o |
Choose a different output path. |
Config files are optional. They can be used to avoid passing long parameters on the command line, to compute additional columns for replay, to automatically load the correct X-Plane model for the recorded tail number, and to correct for heading/pitch/roll deviations in specific aircraft.
42fdr will automatically search for a config file named either 42fdr.conf or 42fdr.ini, first in the folder from where you run 42fdr.py and then in the folder where 42fdr.py lives. You can also specify a custom config file location from the command line.
An example configuration is provided with the name 42fdr.conf.example.
Make a copy or rename it, then edit it as needed.
One [Defaults] section, one [DREFS] section, and as many [<Aircraft/*>] and [<Tail>] sections as needed are supported.
The Defaults section supports three keys, aircraft, timezone, and outpath, which provide defaults for when their respective command-line arguments are not provided.
The DREFS section allows you to add additional fields to the output FDR file.
ForeFlight only provides basic position, attitude, and ground speed. This feature can be used to copy those values to additional fields (e.g. ground speed to airspeed indicator), to pass constant values (e.g. 29.92) and to compute new values (e.g. math.cos({Course} / 180 * math.pi)).
Add a key for each column you would like to add using the following syntax:
<xplane/parameter/path> = <expression:string>, <scale:decimal>, [columnName:string]
where:
<expression>'s are written in python.
You can use basic arithmetic expressions and all of the math library functions and constants.
A field reference is provided at the end of this section, after the example config file.
<Aircraft/*> sections allows you to map specific tail numbers to X-Plane aircraft models.
The section name should be the path to the .acf model file, beginning with the Aircraft folder (e.g. [Aircraft/Laminar Research/Cessna 172 SP/Cessna_172SP.acf])
A single key is supported, Tails, which can be used to list all tail numbers which should cause this aircraft to be used in the output file (e.g. N1234X, N5678Y).
<Tail> sections allow for correction of attitude information in the flight track.
<Tail> section names are just airplane registration numbers (e.g. N1234X).
These sections supports three keys (headingTrim, pitchTrim, rollTrim) and allows for attitude correction. Track data is corrected by adding the appropriate trim value.
[Defaults]
Aircraft = Aircraft/Laminar Research/Cessna 172 SP/Cessna_172SP.acf
Timezone = 5
OutPath = .
[DREFS]
sim/cockpit2/gauges/indicators/airspeed_kts_pilot = {Speed}, 1.0, IAS
sim/cockpit2/gauges/indicators/altitude_ft_pilot = {ALTMSL}, 1.0, Altimeter
sim/cockpit2/gauges/actuators/barometer_setting_in_hg_pilot = 29.92, 1.0, Barometer
sim/cockpit2/gauges/indicators/compass_heading_deg_mag = {HEADING}, 1.0, Compass
sim/cockpit2/gauges/indicators/heading_vacuum_deg_mag_pilot = {HEADING}, 1.0, Vacuum Heading
sim/cockpit2/gauges/indicators/pitch_vacuum_deg_pilot = {PITCH}, 1.0, Vacuum Pitch
sim/cockpit2/gauges/indicators/roll_vacuum_deg_pilot = {ROLL}, 1.0, Vacuum Roll
[Aircraft/PIPERS_1150/Piper_PA-28-161/Piper_PA-28-161(Garmin)/piper warrior.acf]
Tails = N222ND, N238ND, N239ND, N263ND, N267ND, N276ND, N291MK
[N263ND]
headingTrim = 0.0
pitchTrim = 0.0
rollTrim = 0.0
*CSV Track data contains the raw values from the input file. After converting the timestamp to a normal date and time, adjusting for timezone, and calibrating the attitude, the processed data is made available as FDR Track data
**GndSpd is not available in FDR Track data as it is technically a DREF value and not part of the core FDR file
| Track (FDR) | Track (CSV) | Flight (meta) |
|---|---|---|
| {TIME} | {Timestamp} | {Pilot} |
| {LAT} | {Latitude} | {TailNumber} |
| {LONG} | {Longitude} | {DerivedOrigin} |
| {ALTMSL} | {Altitude} | {StartLatitude} |
| {HEADING} | {Course} | {StartLongitude} |
| {PITCH} | {Pitch} | {DerivedDestination} |
| {ROLL} | {Bank} | {EndLatitude} |
| {Speed} | {EndLongitude} | |
| {StartTime} | ||
| {EndTime} | ||
| {TotalDuration} | ||
| {TotalDistance} | ||
| {InitialAttitudeSource} | ||
| {DeviceModel} | ||
| {DeviceModelDetailed} | ||
| {iOSVersion} | ||
| {BatteryLevel} | ||
| {BatteryState} | ||
| {GPSSource} | ||
| {MaximumVerticalError} | ||
| {MinimumVerticalError} | ||
| {AverageVerticalError} | ||
| {MaximumHorizontalError} | ||
| {MinimumHorizontalError} | ||
| {AverageHorizontalError} | ||
| {ImportedFrom} | ||
| {RouteWaypoints} |
./42fdr.py tracklog-E529A53E-FBC7-4CAC-AB46-28C123A9038A.csv
The simplest use case. Python is installed and configured correctly, we are in a bash shell, the script is in the same folder as the track file, we are only converting one file, using the default aircraft, and it should be saved to the current folder.
This will create the file:
./tracklog-E529A53E-FBC7-4CAC-AB46-28C123A9038A.fdr
python3 42fdr.py -a "Aircraft/Laminar Research/Lancair Evolution/N844X.acf" tracklog-E529A53E.csv
The same as above, except the Python interpreter is called explicitly, which is needed when using Windows, and the aircraft is changed to the Lancair Evolution.
This will create the file:
./tracklog-E529A53E.fdr
python3 C:\Users\MadReasonable\bin\42fdr.py -o C:\Users\MadReaonble\Desktop\ tracklog-E529A53E.csv tracklog-DC7A92F3.csv
Convert more than one file and send the output to the desktop. The script is not in the current working directory.
This will create the files:
C:\Users\MadReasonable\bin\tracklog-E529A53E.fdrC:\Users\MadReasonable\bin\tracklog-DC7A92F3.fdr
42fdr.py -c "../mycustom.ini" tracklog-E529A53E.csv
A custom config file is used. The FDR files output path, aircraft, and columns depend on the specific configuration.
This will create the file:
<path/depends/on/config>/tracklog-E529A53E.fdr