Installation | Updates | Activation / License | Download/Boxed/Deluxe Edition | Aircraft Types | Payload/Fuel udpate | N1/EPR differences | Fuel Calculation | Final words


Installation
TOPCAT comes as Win32 executable installation package. There is one single file for the Trial, Download, Standard and Deluxe version. Run the executable file and follow the instructions on the screen. When installing TOPCAT from CD, insert the disc into your drive. The installation program should launch automatically. If not, go to your CD-ROM drive and run TOPCAT_Setup.exe.

Updates
There are frequent FREE updates available for TOPCAT. The auto check for update function will detect a new version, if available. To install te new version, just run the installation package executable. There is no need to uninstall previous version of TOPCAT before installing a new one. All settings will be retained.

Activation / License
Depending on where you have purchased your license, you may either have received an Activation Key (15 characters) or a Registration Key (10 characters). If you have an Activation Key, you need to activate the product before usage. Please note that one license is limited to one user. It's no problem at all to install on more than one device, as long as it's for your personal use. We think that the price for our tool is very remote. So please understand that we can not accept keys given away to friends and their friends.

Download/Boxed/Deluxe Edition
There is no difference between the Download, Boxed and Deluxe Edition. All version have the same features. The only difference is the type of delivery (the Standard and Deluxe versions come on CD in a box) and it's accessories (the Deluxe version comes with a printed User's Guide).

Aircraft Types
We receive a lot of questions about new aircraft types or instructions to make these by oneself. As take-off and landing performance calculation is a very complex task, there is no easy way to get adequate results. For every type we need to digitize dozens of pages of graphs and numbers, which takes several hours. Furthermore, acquiring the required data for certain aircraft types is nearly impossible. Once this is finished, we need to adapt the performance file for a wide variety of add-ons.

Payload/Fuel udpate
TOPCAT allows update of fuel and payload for most add-ons. However, there are some limitations we can not overcome. When updating via FSUIPC for example, the maximum number of stations is limited to 60. As this is enough for most add-ons, some use more than 60 stations (e.g. Captain Sim). Unfortunately, we can not overcome this FSUIPC limitation. Other add-ons (like PMDG for FSX) block fuel update via FSUIPC. In this case TOPCAT will inform you accordingly and you have to use the refuel function of the respective add-on.

N1/EPR differences
TOPCAT has been developed using real-life data. However, some add-ons cheat in regard to the required take-off N1/EPR. We highly suggest to ignore the indicated N1/EPR values. They are not linked to the performance calculation. Rather rely on the given assumed/flex temperature, as this is the primary value used for performance determination. So if TOPCAT gives a certain assumed temperature, use this value in your add-on's FMC as well.

Fuel Calculation
TOPCAT also does fuel estimates for it's aircraft types and a given departure/destination airport. These calculations are based on LRC (Long Range Cruise) at given weight. The values also include fuel to an alternate and 30 minutes final reserve. While these calculations are fine for most flights, TOPCAT was not designed to be a fuel planner. So manual adjustments might be required under certain circumstances (strong headwinds, long route, etc...)

Final words
We did - and still do - our best to make the product as real as possble. Sometimes we had to make compromises to meet the requirements of a 'simulated' aviation environment. However, we think that we can be proud of the product which started as little Excel-based table back in 2005. Since this time we spent hundreds - if not thousands - of hours of programming and testing.

We hope you enjoy our efforts.
Judith Blaschegg
Christian Grill
The TOPCAT team