'Operate As' is one of the most useful features of the AFPEx application.  It allows you to take a message that you have sent or received and operate the message as another type.  This saves a great deal of time for you as AFPEx takes the content of the message you are operating and puts this into the type of message you are sending.

This feature can be used for sending arrival, departure and cancellation messages but the feature really comes into its own for sending a CHG or DLA, simplifying the process considerably.

To use the Operate As feature, right click on the message you want to use and select the 'Operate Message As...' option from the sub menu.  In this example we are going to operate another type of message for a FPL we have already sent.

Depending on the message type you select, AFPEx will present you with the correct form with all the information it has been able to take from your original FPL.  This data is then presented to you in the correct form allowing you to add the extra information required for that message type.

 

AFPEx also has a 'DLA/CHG - by amending a flight plan' option which will automatically create a message of the correct type and in the correct format depending on the changes you make to the original flight plan.  This is especially useful for a CHG message as AFPEx does all the hard work for you.