OpenStreetMap!

[HenrikBengtsson]

We should use OpenStreetMap (OSM) as the root-source of our free-flying site data, when possible. Annotations that do not make sense to put on OSM, we can maintain on this repo.

Getting started

Anyone can create an account on OpenStreetMap and start adding new or updating existing free-flying launch sites, landing zones, windsocks, etc.

Example from Ed Levin

Ed Levin 300 ft launch

The 300' launch was already on OSM at https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/1422613214, and I added more data to. It's now comprising:

direction=S-W
ele=265
free_flying:guest-guidelines=yes
free_flying:hanggliding=yes
free_flying:official=yes
free_flying:paragliding=yes
free_flying:site=takeoff
name=Ed Levin 300 ft launch
sport=free_flying
website=https://wingsofrogallo.org/

For XML version, see below.

The 300 ft windsock

The 300 ft windsock https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/11932198912 comprise:

aeroway=windsock
description=An FAA-compliant windsock (wind cone)
ele=265
height=6
lit=no
name=Ed Levin 300 ft windsock

Free-flying related OSM tags

• https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:sport%3Dfree_flying <== THIS
• https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:aeroway%3Dwindsock

XML version of above example

<osm version="0.6" generator="CGImap 0.9.2 (3610883 spike-06.openstreetmap.org)" copyright="OpenStreetMap and contributors" attribution="http://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright" license="http://opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/1-0/">
 <node id="1422613214" visible="true" version="4" changeset="151798118" timestamp="2024-05-25T07:35:30Z" user="HenrikBe" uid="11154835" lat="37.4610624" lon="-121.8643101">
  <tag k="direction" v="S-W"/>
  <tag k="ele" v="265"/>
  <tag k="free_flying:guest-guidelines" v="yes"/>
  <tag k="free_flying:hanggliding" v="yes"/>
  <tag k="free_flying:official" v="yes"/>
  <tag k="free_flying:paragliding" v="yes"/>
  <tag k="free_flying:site" v="takeoff"/>
  <tag k="name" v="Ed Levin 300 ft launch"/>
  <tag k="sport" v="free_flying"/>
  <tag k="website" v="https://wingsofrogallo.org/"/>
 </node>
</osm>

[HenrikBengtsson]

OSM can be searched for different types of data, e.g. sport=free_flying with find all free-flying map data. Try for instance, https://overpass-turbo.eu/s/1M0A.

[HenrikBengtsson]

From https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Aviation#Things_Not_to_Map:

"OpenStreetMap is strongly geared towards what's actually on the ground. ... Conclusion: Please refrain from mapping airspace, airways, and other non-observable aviation-related data in OpenStreetMap at this time."

[HenrikBengtsson]

There's also OpenaAIP - Free Worldwide Aviation Database (https://www.openaip.net/). For example, the Mission Ridge launch is https://www.openaip.net/data/hang-glidings/6293a4e8c62e4ba5ee8c3141, e.g.

{
  "__v": 0,
  "_id": "6293a4e8c62e4ba5ee8c3141",
  "access": [],
  "category": [],
  "certified": false,
  "country": "US",
  "createdAt": "2022-05-29T16:52:56.290Z",
  "createdBy": "openaip-system",
  "elevation": {
    "referenceDatum": 1,
    "unit": 0,
    "value": 588
  },
  "elevationGeoid": {
    "geoidHeight": -32.03850592117102,
    "hae": 555.5345531608602
  },
  "geometry": {
    "coordinates": [
      -121.8920165,
      37.5177259
    ],
    "type": "Point"
  },
  "images": [],
  "name": "MISSION RIDGE HANG GLIDING AND PARAGLIDING LAUNCH",
  "suitableWindDirection": [],
  "type": 0,
  "updatedAt": "2022-05-29T16:52:56.409Z",
  "updatedBy": "openaip-system"
}