HiWell ive been flying with close friends online for a couple of years now, but real life getting in the way we seem to meet up less and less. So i was wanting to take the dive into the bigger online flying experience but do not have any real ideas where to start. Preferable somewhere that caters for the newbie nervous type LOLThanksJUD6E

Hi,pick a small but ATC covered airfield,don't take a major busy airport,and tell the atc controller you are a newbie.you can download servinfo,and see where there is little traffic,but also ATC,and when you then tell the ATC guy/girl you're a newbie,he/she will certainly help you.first however,i suggest you go to www.vatsim.net and read what is expected,and what you can expect on vatsim.i think they've got a good trainingprogram there for people that want to start online flying.oh,and another thing:once you've done it,you'll never go back to offline flying....it is great fun! ;-)hope to see you soon on Vatsim...or IVAO..

Thanks for the reply, i have looked at Vatsim but got total lost as to where to start!! i registered, but thats as far as i got :(

Hi,that can happen ;-)you will have to create an account at the pilot resource center,once that's done,you'll have plenty of info available to you ;-)you can take the link provid below,or just go to vatsim.net,and click the link "pilot resource center" in the left hand menu.good luck!http://vatsim.net/prcedit:i advise you to use the basic pilot course first,and especially read the FAQ,as that will provide a lot of answers to a lot(and i mean A LOT) of questions...good luck,and blue skies mate ;-)

Thx crashing_pilot But i have tryed and tryed, i must be dumb or something but it all seems far too complex for me, I have read info and tryed thing for over a hour, and i am still no where near fly :(. i think i will give vatsim a miss

JUD6E, if you'd like to try something a bit less daunting that VATSIM, you could drop into the Bush Flying Unlimited forums. They fly with BushNet and Teamspeak. It is much less formal than VATSIM and not very difficult at all...... even I've done it! You can go to the Bush Net forum here at Avsim and find all the necessary instructions. The flying is mostly done in the bush with smaller GA planes and/or helos, but it's a good spot to start if you don't have your heart set on big commercial jet-type online flying.Good luck.-Lindy

Judge,Like anything worth having you have to work for it, that is true of VATSIM flying but once you get into i am sure you will kick yourself for trying it sooner :-)Having said that it depends what kind of flying you like to do. If you just like to 'fool around' then VATSIM is not the place, maybe The Zone. If you like to fly as realistically as possible then VATSIM (or IVAO) are the places to be.The Pilot Resource Center has a wealth of info for new pilots to VATSIM, just read it in stages and it shouldn't be too complex.If you would like private help email me, I have been with VATSIM before it was VATSIM; in the days it was SATCO.

Ahh SATCO. Those were the days eh Mark...

It's been a while since I used Vatsim. I remember being overwhelmed trying to set everything up to connect. Keep trying, once you finally get it right, you'll slap yourself when realize how easy it seems after that first time.I mainly fly IFR in light GA single and twin aircraft. I quit flying because there are never any controlers online in the area I fly.