Updates

Navigation Updates

VFS101 navigation database updates are currently free of charge. VoiceFlight Systems develops its navigational database updates from U.S. government data. This data covers the United States (including Alaska, Hawaii and overseas protectorates and territories). Coverage of other areas is not complete and should not be relied on.

It is the pilot's responsibility to update the VFS101 with new navigational database every 28 days, in accordance with the AIRAC charting cycle. This data is used to improve the speech recognition performance of the system, and to expand Victor Airways.

The navigation update files are protected by robust digital signatures to preclude any possibility of corruption during transfer and installation. Each navigation update file has a unique digital checksum, listed to the right. After installation of the update, compare the database checksum listed here to the database checksum displayed by the VFS101 unit. They should be identical.

Download and installation of the navigation database is described in the VFS101 Pilot's Guide, section 7.2.

Notice: You may have heard about plans by the FAA's AeroNav division to increase prices for their US Navigation data products. VoiceFlight attended the Dec 13th meeting in Washington DC and is working with AOPA and other avionics vendors to address these issues. However, the specific US Nav data that VoiceFlight requires to prepare its monthly update files are not subject to Copyright and are available from other FAA divisions not faced with the revenue recovery issues confronted by the AeroNav division. As such, independent of any action that may be taken by the AeroNav division, we do not anticipate any need to alter our current distribution policy with respect to the VFS101 navigation update files.

Note: If you are unfamiliar with the Navigation Database download and installation procedure, please watch the video to the right. It demonstrates the process step-by-step.

Note: VoiceFlight recommends that you use the standard features built into your Browser and Operating System to download the desired Navigation file onto the USB Thumb Drive as illustrated in the video above. However, if you encounter difficulties, VoiceFlight has created a Windows application to perform the download and transfer for you. Click on the Icon to the right to download the VoiceFlight Update Manager.

Prior updates can be found here.

Software Updates

The VFS101 Version 2.2.6 software update was released on 18-Feb-2012 and notification was sent to all registered VFS101 customers and dealers. VoiceFlight recommends that VFS101 units currently running Version 2.2.5 be updated to Version 2.2.6 at the first convenient opportunity. Any units still using software prior to Version 2.2.5 must be updated prior to further use. This update must be installed by qualified personnel using the software update instructions provided in section 5.5 of the VFS101 Instructions for Continued Airworthiness. If further assistance is required, please contact VoiceFlight Customer Support at (518) 720-0060.

The 30-Jan-2013 amendment to the VoiceFlight Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) approved VFS101 Software Version 3.1.4. This version of the software allows the existing VFS101 to operate interchangeably with WAAS or Non-WAAS GNS430/530 Series GPS units. This version also adds support for Jet airways, T/Q Routes, and extended range for VOR and Airport Direct-To requests.

For existing (WAAS) VFS101 installations, this software update is optional. The update must be performed by qualified personnel using the software update instructions provided in section 5.5 of the VFS101 Instructions for Continued Airworthiness. As per the STC requirements, revised versions of the Pilot's Guide and Instructions for Continued Airworthiness are required and can be found on the Documents page of the VoiceFlight website. If further assistance is required, please contact VoiceFlight Customer Support at (518) 720-0060.