Understanding VA???

[TXGrunt]

I have been looking at VA for some time now and I just dont understand how it all works??? Could somebody explain how it all really works???

[westernair]

VA's or virtual airlines are fairly simple really. The aim of a VA is to create a community of flight sim enthusiasts and give their flight sim flying a purpose.
All Va's have websites which you can find by searching forums like this one and by searching the internet. Once you find one you like you follow that VA's specific join up procedure. they will add you to their roster and give you a rank, which in some airlines determines which aircraft you can fly from their fleet, your rank will progress as you accumulate hours.
Once you have joined a VA you can download aircraft from their fleet and load them into your flight sim the way you would with any freeware addon.
Then your all set to start flying. You look up flights you wish to fly on the VA's schedule and then hop in your downloaded aircraft and fly them.
Once you have completed a flight you usually with most airline's go back to the website and file a "PIREP" or pilot report. This will involve sending the VA information about the flight you flew including things like the flight time aircraft used etc. Once you've done this you will be credited with your hours on the VA roster. Some VA's use an ACARS system which is more complicate if you are a beginner but improves the realism of operations if you can work out how to use it. Most airlines using this system will have detailed info on their site to explain how to use the system.
Anyway hope some of that helps!

[TXGrunt]

That clears it up! Thx!

[westernair]

No problem!

[Saitek]

One of the eaiest to use is Livewireairlines. But there has been a lot of arguing, fighting and sadly last year there was a massive split and the place hasn't been the same since. i was among the split members and I don't really go there much now. However, if you do join you'll know what I mean after a few months if you spend a lot of time there (especially if you get a job there).

http://www.flightbase2000.com/

[Poseidon]

Check us out if you want. We are "Ionathan Airlines" and we operate from Greece to Europe having also some flights to other continents. We are member of FlyNet. FlyNet is a place for VA's and their plots where an economic model is simulated as it concerns a VA's functions (buying, selling, leasing airplanes, paying pilots salaries etc.).
Just have a look at:
http://flynet.en-studios.de/index.php?l ... 2=db&id=84
or you can check our forum:
http://flynet.en-studios.de/forum/viewforum.php?f=16

If you have any questions you can always PM me.

[HyperionAirways]

All Va's have websites which you can find by searching forums like this one and by searching the internet.

Not true....with the introduction of FlyNET (albeit a beta), there's no need for an airline to have a website, which means management can spend more time focusing on pilot satisfaction!  

[westernair]

Well ok the all the most professional ones have their own websites. One's without can't really provide the service that those with websites do.

[HyperionAirways]

What service is that?  When we launched (the first time, before we had to pause for offline obligations), we were gaining an average of 2 pilots per day, consistently, BEFORE the website.  Websites are ads for the VA, nothing more.

A good VA website has rosters, screenshots, a forum, and flight info.  With the exception of screenshots, it's all available at FlyNET, and to be honest 90% of screenshots are nothing to write home about anyway...but if you wanted to, you could still post them in other forums.  (They're more effective there anyway.)

[westernair]

Fair enough I guess everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I'm not trying to put you down or anything its just that the majority of VA's do have their own website those without one are definitly in the minority and that is a fact clear to anyone.

[HyperionAirways]

Historically speaking, without a GOOD website, your airline didn't stand much of a chance.  But with the coming release of FlyNET, it's not going to be ESSENTIAL anymore.  That's all I'm saying.  

Yes, in the past, you needed a site.  But who wants to live THERE?

[Midnight_LS1]

Can you be a member in more than one VA?

Like I just started membership with DVA (Delta), can I go on having AAV (American Airlines) and CO VA (Continental)?

[simonmd]

You can join as many as you like, but may I make a reccomendation? http://www.cpavirtual.org/VirtualATP.asp

This is a co-operative called Flying Tigers. The idea is that it will get boring flying the same routes for the same companies in the same aircraft all the time. With FT, you join a VA of your choice, i'm with Virgin Atlantic, but you can also fly other airlines routes with their aircraft if you choose. However, you do all this with the same pilots number and they are all logged together as one total. The main advantage is more choice and better promotion prospects. You can literaly fly long haul somewhere, then search for a local scheduled flight from that airport and do a couple of local hops.

Here's a list of the airlines involved in the group,

Air France AF
- KLM KL
Air Tahiti Nui TN
- Air Tahiti VT
Air Pacific FJ
Aloha AQ
- Island Air WP
Asiana OZ
Cathay Pacific CX
- Dragonair KA
- Air Hong Kong LD
Continental CO
Delta DL
Emirates EK
Hawaiian HA
Icelandair FI
Japan Airlines JL
- Japan Air System JD (classic coming soon)
- Japan Asia Airways EG
- J-Air XM
- JAL Express JC
- JALways JO
- Japan Transocean Air NU
- Ryukyu Air Commuter NU
- Hokkaido Air System HC
- Japan Air Commuter JN
- Harlequin Air JH
jetBlue B6
Lufthansa LH
- Thomas Cook (powered by Condor) DE
Malaysia Airlines MH
Northwest NW
Qantas QF
- Qantaslink
- Jetstar JQ
- Jetstar Asia 3K
- Australian Airlines AO
Singapore Airlines SQ
- Silkair MI
- Tiger Airways TR
South African SA
Sri Lankan UL
Swiss LX
Thai Airways TG
VARIG RG
Vietnam Airlines VN
Virgin Atlantic VS
Virgin Blue DJ
Virgin Express TV

Oneworld;
Aer Lingus EI
American Airlines AA
British Airways BA
Finnair AY
Iberia IB
LanChile LA


Skyteam members;
CSA Czech Airlines OK
Alitalia AZ
Aeromexico AM
Korean Air KE

Star Alliance;
Adria JP
Air Canada AC
Air New Zealand NZ
All Nippon Airways NH
Austrian Airlines Group (Austrian, Austrian Arrows, Lauda Air) OS
Blue1 KF
British Midland BD
Croatia Airlines OU
LOT Polish Airlines LO
SAS Scandinavian Airlines SK
Spanair JK
TAP TP
United Airlines UA
US Airways US

Enough choice for you? They also have there own Flying Tigers forums which are very friendly and helpfull in which all pilots from all airlines can partisipate.

[tennm1980]

As a Captain for Ionathan Airlines, I have to second the motion of our CEO, Mr. Poseidon above. I searched alot of VA's, and the management, the community, and the future of Ionathan and Flynet are unmatched. So check it out, its definitely worth a look.

[BAW0343]

Personally I think British Airways Virtual is one of the most professional. they are endorsed by British Airways, they have a GREAT website and many programs that track your flight and make fileing a PRIEP verry easy. Its a little difficlut to get in beacuse you need to know a little about flight, procedures, Ect.. and pass a test. I got an 80 and just barely got in. BAW often flys online with VATSIM and offers alot of aircraft and help when you need it.  http://www.bavirtual.co.uk/index1.htm  Check it out if interested.