+ /**
+ * Find the next item with the specified partial ID, after the 'current' item
+ * Note this function is not hyper-efficient, particular where the partial id
+ * spans a large number of candidates.
+ *
+ * @param aCur - Current item, or NULL to retrieve the first item with partial id
+ * @param aId - the (partial) id to lookup
+ */
+ static FGPositionedRef findNextWithPartialId(FGPositionedRef aCur, const std::string& aId, Filter* aFilter = NULL);
+
+ /**
+ * Find all items with the specified ident, and return then sorted by
+ * distance from a position
+ *
+ * @param aFilter - optional filter on items
+ */
+ static List findAllWithIdentSortedByRange(const std::string& aIdent, const SGGeod& aPos, Filter* aFilter = NULL);
+
+ /**
+ * Find the closest item to a position, which pass the specified filter
+ * A cutoff range in NM must be specified, to constrain the search acceptably.
+ * Very large cutoff values will make this slow.
+ *
+ * @result The closest item passing the filter, or NULL
+ * @param aCutoffNm - maximum distance to search within, in nautical miles
+ */
+ static FGPositionedRef findClosest(const SGGeod& aPos, double aCutoffNm, Filter* aFilter = NULL);