FAQ
Is this data certified or quality controlled under a certain standard?
No, we are in progress of establishing quality control procedures, but the OFMA cannot give any warranty to the data provided.
Is this a produced work of another project or database? Is there any relation to the “openstreetmap” model?
No. Although we follow the same idea and use a similar license, we do not host or source any data from the “openstreetmap” project in the aeronautical database.
“Openstreetmap” might appear on some finished rendering products such as Plate Packages, but of course in accordance with and under the considerations of the respective licenses.
Is it sensible or legally permitted to mix other data-sources together with “open flightmaps”?
You should always check if the corresponding license allows the creating of a “produced work” and / or “derivative databases”.
The OFMA General Users License does of course support this use of the data.
Under which data model is this data available, and how can I use it?
There is a range of common export formats available such as “.cup” and “.openair” which is very common in gliding. We will expand the range of products in the future.
The model of the database (in its raw coding) follows guidelines given from Eurocontrol in the “Aeronautical Information Exchange Model” – AIXM.
Can I use this data in an app and sell it to my clients?
Yes, if you do this in accordance to the OFMA General Users License.
Can I use this data as a pilot without a third party app?
Yes, we are already preparing a portal where Plate-Packages (in PDF or PNG format) are available to the aeronautical community. This service is available by one of our sponsoring companies, free to all pilots, contributors to this project or not. Please bear in mind that, even if the service is free, there might be other copyright licenses involved.
How far is this project in its development, and is it a serious source for my flight planning?
As you can see from our disclaimer, you should never use this data as a primary data source for navigation purposes, only as complementary information. You will find the regional coverage of the project on the “flight plan page”. Of course not every region on the system is equally advanced.
Can I enroll in this project as a commercial company?
Yes, in this case the OFMA may appoint you as a “Local Support Partner” for a selected region.
Can anyone become a contributor in open flightmaps?
Absolutely, but we have to distinguish between so-called “reviewing contributors”, who report errors or changes so that they may be reviewed, and “originating contributors” who have been granted more authority and may even, in some cases, have permission to make permanent changes.
What are “Regions”?
Regions are independent entities within open flightmaps. Please note that the “OFM Region” may be equivalent to a “Flight Information Region”, or “FIR”, but this is not necessarily the case.
Who is responsible for quality control?
This is the responsibility of each OFM Region. In the case of VFR data, local knowledge is a definitive factor, since the required information is not always included in a country´s AIP.
Can anyone become an “originating contributor”?
No. Since “originating contributors” are involved in checking and evaluating other “change-requests”, the OFMA will restrict originating contributors to people with advanced knowledge in aviation. There is also a natural limit for “originating contributors” for each region.
How can I become an “originating contributor”?
In this early phase of the project, the OFMA will decide each case seperately.
What, if my Region or FIR is not in the system yet?
Please contact us. This might be a great possibility to start a relationship and a new region. Please keep in mind that according to our experience it will take something between six mounts to a year to complete a Region before the data can be useable, depending on the contributor´s enthusiasm.
Can we as a civil aviation authority use this system?
This depends on the copyright license of the requested product. For instance Plate packages are “Information” and so are subject to a separate license. In this case, an agreement with the copyright owner is required.
Can we, as “civil aviation authority” use plate-packages and renderings from the open flightmaps platform?
This depends on the copyright license of the requested product. Plate packages e.g. is “Information” and has a copyright. In this case, an agreement with the copyright owner is advisable.
What is the difference between Data and Information?
Throughout the project, it is important to understand the distinction made between the terms “Data” and “Information”. In general, raw data has little or no value, and often is not subject to copyright. In this sense, we can consider the raw aeronautical data a bit like the letters of the alphabet; on their own, they do not tell us very much. But once such letters have been joined together into a set order to form words, and these words are in turn assembled to form a story, the data gets transformed into information, which is normally very valuable and subject to copyright. It is the same with the aeronautical data in the OFMA database: the raw data is not much use until it has been processed, for instance to render a map, after which it becomes valuable.
What are legal aspects of this project?
From a legal point of view the database is administered by the open flightmaps Association, which is a “Not for Profit” organization registered in Salzburg, in Austria. This association has the support of two universities, several associations of pilots and other organizations within the general aviation community, and of course has the support of the software companies who have made this project possible.
Does any legal disclaimer apply to the product?
Yes, the wording of our disclaimer is as follows: The OFMA takes no responsibility for, and gives no assurances in respect of, the accuracy, completeness and relevance of the data, and categorically states that the database from which the file has been derived has not been certified for aeronautical or any other use, and as a result the file or any information derived from it should never be used as a primary source for navigation.
Can Universities or research organizations use this system to produce scientific papers or publications?
Yes, this is much appreciated. The “OFM General Users License” has a special paragraph for those organizations.
