ACARS

What is ACARS?

ACARS stands for “Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System”. It’s a digital data link system used to transmit messages between airplanes and ground stations via airband radio or satellite.

In terms of vPeakMedevac, ACARS is a software application you can run alongside Microsoft Flight Simulator that helps you track flights, refer to operational flight plans, and review your performance while in flight.

Installing ACARS

(for simulators other than Microsoft Flight Simulator, scroll to the bottom of this page)

Downloading and installing the phpVMS ACARS client

• • Download the phpVMS ACARS client via this link – vPeakMedevac ACARS
  • You can run the ACARS client from wherever you want on your computer (it doesn’t have an installer).
  • ACARS requires .NET 6 to run – it will prompt to install it if you don’t already have it installed.

Creating a profile

After running ACARS for the first time, you will need to create a new “profile”. The ACARS client can be used for multiple airlines, or multiple users within the same airline – therefore it lets you specify them as ‘profiles’.

1. 1. Click on the “cog” at the bottom of the left margin in the ACARS client
   2. Click the “new” button at the top of the page
   3. Fill the fields as follows:
      • • phpVMS URL – https://crew.vpeakmedevac.us/profile
        • Your API Key – find it on your profile page
        • Show Discord Status Updates – OFF (it’s a premium feature that we haven’t enabled yet)
   4. Click Save, and your profile is good to go!

Syncing your scenery

The “sync” function in the ACARS client allows it to interrogate your simulator scenery database – this is how it knows if you’re on a runway, a taxiway, or even at the right airport. If you update your simulator scenery (e.g. add a new airport), you can re-sync as often as you wish to make sure it’s accurate.

1. 1. Click on the “cog” at the bottom of the left margin in the ACARS client
   2. Click the “Re-Sync Scenery” button at the bottom right, and wait (it takes a minute or two).
   3. Click Save, and you are good to go!

Add the fsuipc-lvar-module to your community folder

In order for the ACARS client to work correctly with Microsoft Flight Simulator, you need to add the fsuipc-lvar-module add-on to your simulator community folder.

You can download it from here:

FSUIPC LVAR Module

Once downloaded, you need to extract / unzip the downloaded file. This will leave you with a folder called fsuipc-lvar-module and the  fsuipc-lvar-module.zip file you downloaded. You can now discard the downloaded .zip file and move the fsuipc-lvar-module folder into your simulator community folder.

Worth noting – this does not mean you need to run FSUIPC – you just need the LVAR module in your community folder.