You've come to the right place to find out about WHI's pilot qualification and promotion requirements, and to apply for a flight crew position!

We especially welcome applicants who have previous experience flying with a VA. However, you'll find that WHI's qualification requirements are quite different from those of a typical VA. Be assured you'll be provided ample assistance to fully enjoy the WHI VA experience. To apply please complete the WHI Pilot Application and press "Send." You should receive a reply within 48 hours, and will then be expected to complete the initial training assignment appropriate to your approved application.

Basic Pilot Requirements

WHI pilots must use Microsoft Flight Simulator 2000. While FS98 remains a viable platform, it does not offer the real world weather capabilities found in FS2000. Fly! II and FS2002 will be assessed once most of the bugs have been worked out. Pilots must have access to the Internet and the capability to capture real-time weather—both surface and winds aloft. The WHI staff strongly recommends the use of the FS Meteo shareware weather capture program. Use of a comparable weather acquisition program is allowable only if it can integrate with WHI onboard systems. No member of the WHI staff has any financial ties with Microsoft or FS Meteo. They merely represent the best programs for use within WHI. WHI's in-flight data acquisition module, which turns the FS Meteo information into useful data for WHI weather experts, was specifically designed for use with FS Meteo.

Promotion Criteria

There are six ranks in the WHI command structure. Those ranks are based on acquisition of three different certifications. The pilot wishing to move up in rank must obtain the needed number of Operation Center certifications, Flight Certifications for aircraft at that rank and the Flight Hours required. Hours are computed by taking flight hours awarded from PIREPs, hours associated with Bonus Credits (See Below), and the addition of any hours garnered from advanced training. While the realism we are looking for is somewhat diminished, you may use 4X time compression until you are within 100 miles of the target area. All investigations, weather logging or other procedures must be done in real time.

Rank	Hours	Theaters
Wing Commander	300+	6
Commander	200-299	4
Senior Captain	100-199	3
Captain	050-099	2
First Officer	020-049	1
Second Officer	000-019	0

Previous Experience

Previous experience with other virtual airlines is considered when the pilot initially applies for a position with WHI. The applicant may be awarded up to 75 hours of flight time based on past experience where adequate documentation is presented. The number of hours awarded will not, however, directly correlate with hours earned at other VAs. Factors such as familiarity with WHI Operations Centers and use of real time weather at the previous VA will be as important as hours flown. The enhanced rank an applicant is granted based on past experience is valid for 90-days. During that time, the pilot must achieve theater certifications required by the rank or they will revert to the rank of Second Officer with credit only for WHI flight time.

Operation Center/Rank Certification

As noted earlier, the WHI goal is to allow flight simulation pilots to explore their love for aviation and severe weather phenomenon at the same time. However, as with all interests, the expansion of knowledge is essential to ensure continued growth and enjoyment. This is also the case at WHI. To continue to grow as a WHI pilot, it is essential for the pilot to advance both flight skills and weather knowledge. Luckily, each of the six WHI Operations Centers provides unique challenges in both areas.

When a pilot elects to transfer to a given Operations Center and meets the applicable requirements, he must agree to spend at least three months there before another voluntary transfer is allowed. This restriction is solely to provide adequate time for a pilot to learn the basics about weather phenomenon in the areas served by the center.

To make the path to knowledge expansion as easy as possible, the WHI Training Center staff has developed the Operation Center/Rank Certification process. This consists of an Operation Center Examination for each new Operation Center a pilot wishes to join. Total Operation Center certifications and Rank Flight Checks for all aircraft assigned to a rank, are both required to move up in rank. For all but the initial theater assigned to the pilot, certification must be completed prior to transfer. Please visit the WHI Training Center for details.

Aircraft Restrictions

Rank determines which aircraft, and thus missions, a WHI pilot can fly. It is essential for one to remember that WHI is not a standard airline. There is a significant difference between ferrying an aircraft between theaters and doing an eye insertion on a Category 5 tropical cyclone. Thus the progression from small to large, or turboprop to jet airliner, seen at many VAs does not apply here. It is the danger inherent in the mission which governs WHI flight restrictions—not merely the size of the aircraft. No pilot, regardless of rank, can fly a WHI aircraft without the appropriate certification.

Rank	Aircraft
Wing Commander	All* Aircraft in Fleet
Commander	A-321, GS-V, WP-3D, WC-130, B-717E**
Senior Captain	A-321, GS-V, WP-3D, WC-130
Captain	A-321, GS-V, WP-3D
First Officer	A-321, GS-V
Second Officer	A-321

(A-321=Airbus A-321, GS-V=Gulfstream V-SP, WP-3D=Lockheed WP-3D Orion, WC-130=Lockheed C-130 Hercules, B-717E=Boeing 717 Experimental Weather Platform, CC-X=Cessna Citation X)
*Use of Cessna Citation X is limited to management without permission of the Chief Flight/Meteorological Officer or Deputy Flight/Meteorological Officers.
**Use of the Boeing 717 Experimental Weather Platform requires permission of the Chief Flight/Meteorological Officer or Deputy Flight/Meteorological Officers.