With the NGX on the horizon, I'm seriously considering joining a VA. My time on Vatsim has increased DRAMATICALLY over the last year, and this seems like the next logical step. Right now my preference is SWA (merely b/c if I have a choice in RL that's what I'll fly)... but I'm open to suggestions.Certain things that I'm looking for- good online forum/community- flexibility in the sense that my time seems to be increasingly limited, hence fewer than desired flights- RW ops/route support-Obviously the ability to use my own paywareAnything else I should look for? What have your experiences been like with VA's? Do you have to "climb the ladder" or can you just jump in and start flying left seat? Any thoughts are appreciatedCheers!

I currently belong to the Virtual Pilots Association. I love them because you can effectively fly whatever you want where every you want whenever you want. I even own Aerosoft's Andrea's Field which is a fictional airport. Guess what, I can still fly there although there are special procedures for that. But it's not a hassle at all. Other than that, we do have an active forum and even a monthly screenshot contest if you're interested. For those with no clue what or where to fly, we also provide special tours and missions for you to complete.As far as the ranking system, you can look at this PAGE for more info but it's really more just a "for show" thing and bragging rights if you would as your rank has no restrictions as far as what you're allowed to do. We don't force you to fly right seat in a C172 for 20 hours. If you want to do your first flight left seat in a B744 from PHNL to PHTO, go right ahead. For Real World operations, we do have several search engines to help find RW flights and schedules. It's more down to preference as to which one you use.One note, there is an entrance exam but for those who are really into aviation, it shouldn't be too difficult. If you're a RW pilot, you shouldn't even have to think to pass it. Also, there is a member limit of 500 but if you like, just apply for now to get on the waiting list and when your name comes up, you can decided if you still want to join up. We don't frown on those who belong to multiple VA's so if you join another one in the mean time, no problem. If you want to fly with both, even at the same flight (i.e. fly VIR019 and log it with say the VPA and Virgin Virtual at the same time), no problem either.Oh, and before I forget, although I fly strictly offline, you can fly on VATSIM and IVAO with the VPA. You actually get extra points if you do (but the points only go towards promotion). Once again, more information is on the website.

I you click on the image in my sig it leads you to the best va around, we have like 700 airlines to choose from, a team of managers keep them up to date, the big ones anyways, we also have a general aviation division, humanitarian operations, bid division, virtual pay and a cool stock market to invest in. Why just fly for one airline when you can fly for them all? I did a WestJet flight today and am doing a fedex flight later in my MD11.

What I don't like is some VA don't let you fly what you want the first time. They should at least make you pass a test on the aircraft you want to fly.

Thanks guys! I had no idea either one existed. I'll check them both out!Cheers!

Come join us at SWVA! http://www.virtualswa.com/I think this VA meets all of what your looking for!

I'm also sharing a similar interest as the OP. It'd be great for the immersion & community feeling, but I've no interest at all in being stuck in an ATR for a while when I could be flying the NGX... I've swapped emails with a few VA's (not previously mentioned) & they were all along those lines. Definitely going to check out what's been posted so far when I have time to get back into FS...

I am currently a chief pilot for American Flight Airways. While it isn't a real world airline, it does have everything your looking for. As long as you can fly once a month, its all up to you. We have a great charter center as well as an active forum. You can use your pay-ware aircraft that are in the fleet and we even have livery downloads for the most popular ones(PMDG 747, PMDG 737, Level-D 767, Ect.) We also have a sister airline called Pacific Airways that you may want to choose. We have mostly the same fleet aircraft but Pacific also has cargo operations. Between the two of us you can go to every major city in the world and if you want to go somewhere a little out of the way, we can make a charter just for you.Here are links to both so you can check them out.American Flight AirwaysPacific Airways

http://www.deltava.org/- good online forum/community --- Has a great active forum, very knowledgeable people that help from FS problems, RW flying, to helping build a PC! - flexibility in the sense that my time seems to be increasingly limited, hence fewer than desired flights--- Only requirement is that you log in once every 45 days... easy!- RW ops/route support---- DVA replicates all Code Share flights and the schedule is updated daily to RW schedule!-Obviously the ability to use my own payware--- Use any payware aircraft you want! The one thing they have is "ratings" so you would have to earn your rating in a series of aircraft by taking an exam and check ride, makes it a very fun and learning experience, and they aren't that hard to get! More about DVA: *Has its own VATSIM Online Pilot course - Take a few exams and fly an online CR (This is optional, just another great tool to enhoy FS and VATSIM)*Currently developing its own Flight Academy*Uses its own ACARS (Very accurate flight tracking and submits your PIREP at the end of your flight with detailed info. Example: http://www.deltava.o...p.do?id=0xa09e4 ) <- Used the PMDG MD-11*Fleet Library - Freeware aircraft for every aircraft DVA operates is located here for instant download*Document library - All operating manuals for the Fleet aircraft, flight encyclopedia, How to read charts, basically anything you need to know about VATSIM flying and a lot more*Online Events - Does several online group flights/events*Dispatch - While sitting at the gate doing pre flight checks, you can enter your DEP, ARR, Equipment type, and submit a Dispatch request. If a dispatcher is online , they will send you a flight plan with some additional info all up to date with current airport operations being used online. If no dispatcher is online, Auto Dispatch will be used, where it brings up a list of routes saved to the system that you can use. During an online event, dispatch becomes ramp control too, controlling your clearance to the taxi way, assigning your squawk code, and the flight plan.*Web Resources - contains links to a number of online sites that can assist you in all manner of flight planning and other ways.*Find a Flight/Browse Schedule/ Route Map - Trouble finding where to fly next? Use these to find a flight that fits what your looking for!*Flight Planning Resources - Includes a route plotter, approach charts, weather center, and more.*Fly any aircraft on any route - As long as you are rated in an aircraft, you can fly your favorite aircraft on your favorite route! Fly a MD11 or 747 on a 1 hr flight or a 12 hr flight! As long as the aircraft can safely make the flight, it is ok to fly it!*Help Desk - The Delta Virtual Airlines Help Desk lets our members communicate with our Instructors and Staff to quickly and easily resolve any issues or answer questions about Delta Virtual Airlines.And I didn't even list all of their features, just the ones that really stick out. Easy entrance exam and great community! Got RW PPL pilots, Military pilots, commercial pilots and it all makes for a great place to learn more about RW aviation.Let me know if you have any questions! Give it a shot, if you don't like it, you can always leave and if you want back, just email the staff!Kyle

I have 6000+ hours with DVA mostly online with Vatsim. Been with them since 2002. Its a good VA.

With the NGX on the horizon, I'm seriously considering joining a VA. My time on Vatsim has increased DRAMATICALLY over the last year, and this seems like the next logical step. Right now my preference is SWA (merely b/c if I have a choice in RL that's what I'll fly)... but I'm open to suggestions.Certain things that I'm looking for- good online forum/community- flexibility in the sense that my time seems to be increasingly limited, hence fewer than desired flights- RW ops/route support-Obviously the ability to use my own paywareAnything else I should look for? What have your experiences been like with VA's? Do you have to "climb the ladder" or can you just jump in and start flying left seat? Any thoughts are appreciatedCheers!

Give a look over here. Slipstream Airways.http://www.slipstreamairways.com/

You might also be interested in checking out WestWind Virtual Airlines. You can register at our forums and get the general feeling of the atmosphere before making a decision. The friendliness and helpfulness was one of the major deciding factors forme signing up with them. Lastly the fact that you can get your hours flying offline or on VATSIM.Unlike alot of VA's out there, we do not require our pilots fly on VATSIM. Granted I realize the system we use is based moreon the honor system of reporting your hours. In retrospect, anyone who wants to lie about their hours is really only wasting their time. Being required to fly a particular platform and use specific software is one of the things that turned me off aboutmany VA's before finding WWA. But I can understand the structure that alot of VA's enjoy following and implementing.WWA Virtual has been in service for just over 15 years and I think that says alot. You begin as a CAT 1 rated pilot and depending on what sim you use, can either fly the CRJ200 or CRJ700. You also use either aircraft for your entrance checkride.After only 15 hours, you move into the CAT 2 rating which opens the doors to flying more aircraft. From there is a total of 50hours until Cat 3, and 100 for Cat IV, then every 100 hours is your next protomotion going forward.Although not unusual for most VA's we also utilize TS 3.We have a large variety of aircraft in our hangar and many painters in our VA painting for addons in both FS9 and FSX. I couldtell you alot more about us, but the best advise I can give you is to check out our website and see for yourself.I think you're going to find alot of similarities between many VA's offerings. It really comes down to the specifics of what you're looking for out of a VA. www.flywestwind.comGood luck in your decision making. It took me at least a few months looking at all kinds of VA's before signing up with WestWind.

I was with Flying Tigers Group for about 5 years, finally made captain rank (required 1000hrs) and about a week later the whole operation got hacked from the inside. All pilot logged hours and achievments were lost and couldn't be retrieved. Suffice to say I was rather annoyed, like the other thousand or so pilots involved!Since then I have just resolved to fly whatever city pairs suit me in whatever aircraft, the hours no longer matter. At the same time FTG went under, I gave up logging hours at approx 3750 hours total, which covered my simming 'career' from 1994-2010, both at home on my PC and at the fixed-base NG sim operator I worked for from '06-'08. I still have the physical logbook I used for the purpose, and it's nice to revisit old flights I used to do a lot. Not to mention recalling how much I've learned over that time! My first flight with the original PMDG 737 was KJFK-EGLL, with no route whatsoever (just went direct from the end of the SID to the start of the STAR lol) and unlimited fuel checked. Thanks to some patient help here on the forums, I was able to hone the activity down to a much finer art than that.The mastery of a given aircraft type in any conditions is what makes it fun for me now. If it takes 20 hours or 200 is immaterial.That said, DeltaVA and Britsh Airways Virtual are two examples that look very comprehensive in their management. If you're looking to experience some of the structure that comes with airline flying, well you would do well to start with them.

I've belonged to United Virtual since 2005. We have ties to the real world United Airlines, and a couple of our guys work for United.Because of this, we get a downloadable schedule every month that mirrors real world United operations.This month's schedule has over 7,800 flight numbers, and that's just for the mainline plus our United Express flights.We also have a separate codeshare schedule. That one has over 9,900 flights and includes every Star Alliance airline which are all flyable for credited hours.UVA works off a booking system. You book the flight you want, fly it, and submit a PIREP either manually or through our UVACARS software that monitors the flight, submits it for you, and logs it after to pull up at a later date.You start out as a turboprop pilot and work up your hours eventually going through pilot ratings such as narrowbodies, widebodies 1, widebodies 2, and etc.We also do checkrides when you're eligible for promotion, and you get a comprehensive feedback report on your checkride from a check pilot detailing every SOP we have in place for every flight and how you scored in all the areas.UVA may not have fancy things like dispatchers or a currency system, but it does have a wealth (and I'm talking 'Aztec gold horde' wealth) of information relating to every single faucet of aviation you can think of.We also have a number of real world commercial pilots that are on hand to answer any real world related questions.I can say without a doubt this single VA has singlehandedly made me a better pilot (and I fly real planes as well...I've applied what I learned at UVA in the real world and it works), and that's an understatement. I've learned things about real world procedures that I never thought I'd learn without being hired on to a real airline.So if you're looking for lots of knowledge, SOP type flying, and extensive support and feedback to help you become a much, much better pilot in an almost mirrored real world airline, you might think about checking www.united-virtual.com out.

Fusion Airways is very good and quite realistic.