Hello everyone, I'm totally and utterly fascinated by anything to do with flying,and have Microsoft Flight Sim 2000,which I love,although I'm a total and utter novice....actually,thats an insult to the novices.I know some VERY basic flight rules,mostly about taking off and landing,but very little about navigating....VOR's,STAR's,SID's e.t.c. Please bare with me,I'll get to the point in a mo :( I haven't got into FS 2000 that deeply yet as I'm waiting to buy a flight yoke,but needless to say,it get's a little boring just flying around on your own,so when I stumbled across VATsim....real people directing your flight that you can interact with,it sounded like a dream come true. My problem/question is......do they accept novices on VATsim or do you have to have a certain level of competence before you can join.....I mean,the last thing I want to do is p*** off the controllers by asking stupid brainless inane questions about basic stuff that I probably should have known before logging on.Thank you for taking the time to read this drivel :DRespect,Kimbers.

WOW...Firstly you are appx 5 years behind from the modern Fs community... i recommend that you buy s MSFS 2004 along that new yoke of yours as its only 30 bucks us now in most retail stores such as FUTURESHOP and etc...Then i recommend that the best tutorial on learning the flights on vatsim is to listen and pay attentino to the atc and the pilots response during normal flight sim talk... although the 2000 version aint going to get you anywhere on that... u really need 2004...But for more info go onto www.vatsim.netand find infoCheers :)

All of the above plus - yes they (VATSIM) make no demands as to your level of competence when you join- but only ask that you try to learn. There is a Pilots Resource Center which gives you step by step info on set up and the basics of online flying .Dave

Thanks for the advice guys. I'd read somewhere on the net about a virtual air traffic program about 5 or 6 years ago,but didn't pay much attention to it,but it's only now that I've started to get seriously into FS that I realise just how amazing the whole thing is.It's taken me days to re-trace and find what I'd heard about all those years ago,and thanks to this forum I've spent the last 2 days studying the whole online flying thing and it sounds absolutely amazing!!Maybe I was a little hard on myself in the last post,I understand a little about VOR's,can plan a route through FS 2000 and fly the route through GPS.My main problems start during the preparation of lining the aircraft up for approach,final approach and landing....but this is all due to my lack of knowledge....I know.....I NEED to study!!! :DAnyway,it feels good to be part of this community,and I apologise sincerly now for any stupid,silly questions I may ask in the future.Best Wishes,Kimbers.

KimbersI just joined today so I'm newer than you :-) Bet I have more stupid questions than you!!Gavin

Don't feel stupid, EVERYONE on VATSIM was new at once, and if they give you a hard time for asking "newbie-like" questions. Ignore it. They just dont realize they were the same way when they first started out. Have fun, Hope to see you in the virtual skies!Oh and the VATSIM PRC is located at http://www.vatsim.net/prc :)