ShaneG wrote on Jul 22^nd, 2009 at 12:03pm:

Well a virtual airline is like flying for a company as a real pilot but it being virtual.

There are diffrent rules for all VA's ive flown for about 6 in my time or 7 currently only fly for 2 now. Some VA's use PIREP'S where the pilot after his flight will record his data on the internet like takeoff time, landing time, fuel, cargo, etc. That way can always be a down effect because pilots can be adding hours and the airline would never know inless they add like an hour on a 2 hour flight...

Some VA's use a program called VAFS (I currently fly with one that does)....its a great program where it records A LOT of data in your flight. You turn it on then it shuts down engines then once you turn on your engines it will start to record from there and it will stop recording time after you shut the engines off, so you are getting time added to your flight hours for taxiing. This one records all the time, fuel, even passengers (which is fake) but not only that it will record such things as ladning fee's, cost of food on the airline, and all this etc junk that wont effect your pilot at all it effects the airline ranking on VAFS. So you start out with alot of money in the flight but you have to pay for all this crap and that is why if you dont change your fuel the VA will get mad because you've just got them alot of money. Also this VAFS just made a new version were it will give you a pilot rank. If you land earlier than you were sapose to you will get like 2 or 5 extra points because the passengers are happy, ive never landed late so idk what happens. If you extend your flaps while being to fast to extend them you lose LOTS of points for that because it's a pilot error and in real life that would cause damage.

That's how you record a flight either one, then there are the ranks which some VA'S have and some dont which will just give you a rank on how many hour's you have flown and some use the ranks for you to unlock aircraft like mine. I started off with a DASH-8 and an Embraer 170. I had to fly 40 hours before I get my next rank and an Airbus. Now I have 100 hours flown on my VA and I still only ranked up 4 spots.

Than the fleet which you should already know about anyways.

So in a long story short the whole point is to get people to sign up and people like me love to record my hours will have ranks and unlock new planes to fly. Its just for fun but the VA's who run VAFS, on the VAFS website they have standings for the most money. My Frontier Virtual is in the top 10, not sure where but not every VA using this because you have to pay for it. Not me as I joined but the CEO of the VA.

They also have HUB Managers and all these other admin people but ive never had one of those jobs so I cant tell you how it works.

You can usually tell if a VA is in good shape by the way there website is presented. Im thinking of resigning my Frontier and joining a bigger and better United VA which is with another group that has sortof "professional" ATC online but im more worried about switching my hours, I don't want to switch and have to start all over at the bottom rank.

So I hope that answers your question...alot of information

Then of course there are people who will use this as a token to try and recruit you.

tonicfan wrote on Jul 22^nd, 2009 at 6:03pm:

Very true

ShaneG wrote on Jul 22^nd, 2009 at 7:49pm:


My goal as a VA pilot is to make it as realistic as I can. I want to feel like a real pilot. The VAFS program is the best way to go its really easy and thats what makes me feel more like a pilot because of all the stuff it records and now you get a pilot ranking.

You just have to fly normally but with the VAFS you takeoff from the begining hub, then after that the next airport you fly to you have to takeoff from there and go to your next destination. Although when you start out most VA'S don't give you all the aircraft you want to fly. You have to earn them.

Here's the link to the VA rankings that use VAFS.
http://www.vafinancials.com/newsite/varatings.php

Frontier Virtual is now 109 , we had like 90 pilots and our website went down and it's never been fixed almost a year now and we have 30 pilots since then. That's why im considering joining United Virtual but im still in contact with the CEO on my hours.

This is one i'd suggest of course you do have 33 pages and lots more to look up. Find the one that you want to fly for the most and the one looks most interesting and fun.
http://www.ualvirtual.com/

It sounds a lot like FS Passengers, only multiplayer style.

Do any VA's use FS Passengers?


I've got my own little charter line in FS Passengers where I fly a Cessna 206 around my home state, and it's good fun.

tcco94 wrote on Jul 22^nd, 2009 at 8:47pm:



We use VAFS via VA Financials - its the best and most accurate flight recording tools for VA's.  Its not free for VA's which is why its the best, we do have to pay a monthly fee, but its not a crazy fee at all for the service. 

Since my VA is rather new, im always looking for new pilots to fly with us and see if they like the routes, and if anything go ahead and tell me what routes they want to fly and ill make them happen.
Ive got lots of plans for the airline but it all takes time... but hey in a short while things have expanded nicely. 
Like i said theres room for all.


TF

When I was really young, I tried the virtual airline route. But it was so poorly managed and run that it closed down just a few weeks after I joined. I almost considered another one, but between the military, school, and a part time government job, the last thing I would want is some 10 year old kid as my 'virtual boss' telling me what, where, and how to fly...

No thanks, i prefer bouncing around the skies on my own free will, answering to nobody....