AC Builder#
AC Builder allows users to manage, edit, and distribute aircraft profiles through our web-based tool.
Note
Access to this tool is currently limited to select organizations participating in our trial program. If you are interested, please contact us at manager-support@airnavigation.aero.
Legacy profiles#
Profiles created using the previous version of Air Navigation Pro remain available for distribution in data groups. However, we encourage users to migrate to the new system by recreating their aircraft profiles.
To manage legacy profiles, select a profile by checking the corresponding box, then choose either:
- Assign to groups
to distribute the selected profiles within data groups.
- Delete
to remove the selected profiles.
Note
Legacy profiles cannot be edited online.
Warning
This feature is deprecated and will be removed in a future update.
Aircraft models#
Air Navigation SA provides a selection of aircraft models based on publicly available flight manuals.
Users can search for an aircraft using:
Aircraft name
Manufacturer
ICAO type designator
EASA type
The search engine returns a list of matching aircraft models.
Note
Only five results are displayed at a time. Use Show more results to load additional entries.
Once a model is selected and confirmed, it is added to the Aircraft Models list, enabling users to create actual aircraft profiles.
Important
Models represent theoretical aircraft configurations, including components and envelopes, but do not include actual empty weight or ATC properties.
To refine an aircraft model or review its details, click 
to access the
AC Builder.
Note
Any modifications made to a model are specific to your organization and will not be visible to others.
If you require a model that is not provided, contact us at manager-support@airnavigation.aero with the relevant aircraft flight manual or pilot’s operating handbook.
Aircraft registration#
Users can create aircraft registrations (actual aircraft with tail numbers) from a selected model. To do so:
click on
.Enter the aircraft registration number.
Optionally, input the HEX code for the transponder (used for SafeSky integration).
Note
Aircraft registrations must follow national formatting guidelines (letters and numbers, optionally including -)
If an ID is not accepted, please contact us.
Warning
Once an aircraft registration is created, it cannot be modified.
After entering the required information, the aircraft is created and automatically opens in AC Builder.
Registered aircraft are displayed in a dedicated table at the top of the page, separate from legacy profiles.
To edit an aircraft’s properties, click to open the AC Builder.
To remove an aircraft from your profile list, click 
.
Note
Removing an aircraft only removes it from your profile list — it does not delete it from the database.
Similar to the legacy profiles, you can add profiles to data groups and delete in bulk by selecting:
- Assign to groups
to distribute the selected profiles within data groups.
- Delete
to remove the selected profiles.
Publication#
Users can select multiple aircraft profiles to be added to data groups for distribution.
Note
Aircraft registrations created in AC Builder are private and not visible to other Air Navigation Pro users or organizations.
Removing an aircraft requires a new publication to apply changes across connected devices.
AC Builder#
Overview#
AC Builder is a tool that allows users to define and manage aircraft models and configurations within Air Navigation Pro. It consists of several sections:
- General
Displays key details about the aircraft.
- Items
Manages aircraft components like seats, fuel tanks, and cargo holds.
- Weight & Balance (W&B)
Defines weight limits and balance envelopes (models only).
- Configuration
Sets up aircraft configurations and associated components.
Graphical conventions#
The x-axis represents the horizontal direction.
The y-axis represents the vertical direction.
Positive x values move to the right, and positive y values move downward.
Note
Background images and graphical assets for aircraft elements (e.g., seats, fuel tanks) are predefined. Users cannot create custom aircraft models from scratch.
Units#
Since different flight manuals use different unit systems, users can configure applicable units in the Units tab. These settings are stored in the browser’s cache and persist across sessions but not across different users. AC Builder automatically handles unit conversions when necessary.
General#
This section displays fundamental details about the aircraft, including:
Type
Manufacturer
Model
Administrative information
Additionally, the default empty weight and center of gravity are provided based on the aircraft’s flight manual. These values serve as reference points but can only be modified for aircraft registrations (not models).
If editing a specific aircraft registration, the registration ID will be displayed. The background image used in Air Navigation Pro is also shown.
Note
Background images follow strict design rules and cannot be modified by users. If a required aircraft is missing, please contact support for assistance.
Some fields are read-only to prevent unauthorized modifications. If incorrect information is found in these fields, report the issue to manager-support@airnavigation.aero.
Items#
Aircraft items include any installed or loadable components such as:
Seats
Fuel tanks
Cargo holds
Specialized equipment (e.g., hoists, ski racks, cameras)
An item is characterized by the following attributes:
Name (must be unique per aircraft)
Type (predefined categories with default icons)
Specific weight (for removable items, separate from empty aircraft weight)
Longitudinal and lateral arm (positioning data)
Loadable status (determines if the item can hold weight, e.g., passengers in a seat or fuel in a tank). Some equipments such as hoists or ski racks are loadable. Other equipments such as cameras are not.
Maximum load capacity
Arm displacement for loaded items
Dynamic load changes (e.g., shifting fuel weight as tanks empty)
Removability (can the item be detached?)
Required items (dependencies for installation)
Incompatible items (items that cannot be installed together)
Image (default item type image, with options from an approved library)
When selecting an item, its details are displayed. Users can toggle visibility for multiple items using the ‘eye’ icon.
Note
Graphical positions follow the arm’s location but may be adjusted in the Configuration section to avoid icon overlap.
There is no drag and drop here, users must enter arm values manually.
Default items cannot be modified. Report errors to manager-support@airnavigation.aero.
Users can add organization-specific items, but these remain private to the organization.
Custom icons are not supported; contact support for specific graphical requests.
Users can also import items from other aircraft models of the same type to speed up data entry. However, modifying a shared item affects all linked aircraft models.
Weight and Balance#
Note
This section is only available for aircraft models.
The W&B section allows users to edit and visualize the aircraft’s weight limits and balance envelopes. By default, only the longitudinal envelope is shown, but helicopters may require the lateral envelope as well. It may be displayed by clicking on ‘
Important
Some lateral envelope models cannot be accurately handled by Air Navigation Pro. If unsure, contact support.
Users cannot modify W&B models managed by Air Navigation SA but can create their own custom models, which are visible only in the context of the organisations that created them.
Configurations#
The Configurations view allows users to define and manage aircraft configurations.
A configuration determines which items are included in an aircraft setup and specifies the corresponding weight and balance (W&B) models. It also allows users to refine item properties, such as loadable weight, and to designate whether an item is installed in that particular configuration.
Note
Since installing or removing an item can impact the effective W&B, refer to the Installation State Handling section for best practices.
Additionally, configurations control the graphical placement of elements within the aircraft model. The graphical arm position defines how items are visually represented but does not affect the actual physical arm values assigned to items. Items can be repositioned using drag-and-drop functionality.
Known limitations#
Engine and propeller variations are not currently supported.
Detailed aircraft performance modeling is still under development.
Air Navigation Pro does not support multiple configurations or different W&B model combinations.
Installation state handling#
This section covers scenarios where a removable item affects weight and balance (W&B). For example, installing a hoist on the side of a helicopter alters its envelope. AC Builder provides a structured approach to handle such cases, which we will illustrate in this guide.
Defining the Item in the Model#
Create the item - Add a new item and select the appropriate type (e.g., “Equipment” for a hoist).
Set Arm Values - Define the item’s arm and loaded arm if applicable. This is typically necessary for a hoist.
Save the items - Ensure all details are correctly entered before saving.
Configuring the W&B Envelope#
create a new envelope - If an existing envelope is similar, duplicate it.
Assign a Meaningful Name - Example: Hoist installed.
Define the Envelope Polygon - Adjust the arm and weight parameters accordingly.
Save the envelope - This ensures the new W&B envelope is available when needed.
At this stage, the new envelope exists alongside standard envelopes provided by Air Navigation SA.
Creating a configuration#
Since default configurations do not support item state modifications, a new configuration must be created:
Create a new configuration - Assign a meaningful name (e.g., Empty Aircraft). This configuration must be linked to a W&B model. Select the appropriate model based on whether the hoist is installed by default:
If the hoist is installed by default, select the Hoist Installed W&B model.
Otherwise, choose another model, e.g. a default W&B model provided by Air Navigation SA.
Note
At this stage, you are working with a model, not an actual aircraft. Keep the configuration name generic.
Define Item States - Click New State to import item states from an existing configuration/W&B model or create a new one.
Specify Installed Items –
If the hoist is removable and not installed in the default state, add it but leave Default Installed unchecked.
If the hoist is part of the default configuration, check Default Installed.
Set Alternative W&B Model - In the W&B selector, assign a model that corresponds to the alternative state of the removable item:
If the hoist is installed by default, select a model representing the state where it is removed.
If the hoist is removable, select the model reflecting its installed state.
Re-import items - Typically, import from the previously defined configuration.
Modify Removable Item States – Adjust the Default Installed checkbox as needed.
Save the configuration - Finalize the changes to define multiple configurations based on item presence.
At this point, at least two configurations exist to reflect different aircraft states depending on the installed equipment.
Assigning a Configuration to an Aircraft#
The next step is to define the actual aircraft’s default (empty) state by updating an aircraft registration. You can either:
Create a new aircraft registration number based on the modified model.
Edit an existing aircraft registration.
Setting the Default Configuration#
Open the Aircraft Registration Editor – Navigate to the Configuration section.
Select the Default Configuration – Choose the appropriate configuration (e.g., Empty Aircraft). The linked W&B model is displayed.
Mark as Preferred Configuration – Set this as the default configuration in Air Navigation Pro.
Once the profile is imported into Air Navigation Pro, the system automatically applies item states as defined in the Preferred Configuration. When a pilot installs or removes an item, Air Navigation Pro dynamically updates the W&B model and recalculates the aircraft’s weight and balance.
Danger
Adding two items with different W&B models in the same configuration may lead to unpredictable results. Currently, Air Navigation Pro does not support such scenarios, and coherence cannot be ensured.
To prevent these issues, use incompatibility rules at the item level. This ensures that conflicting items cannot be installed simultaneously in a configuration.