virtual airlines

[conura 45]

Hey all,

 

 

I'm interested in virtual airlines but have never actually flown in one - and I'm quite unconfident about my ability being new! Do they add a lot to the sim experience? Any experiences you could share to persuade me to get involved?

 

Cheers :D

[SKEWR 364]

Hi Luke;

 

The answer is: It depends on you! Think about what you like in a flying career.... Cargo or Pax? Real world or fictional airline? What types of planes? Use those answers (and more) as a base for your judgement.

 

The fact that you are new should in NO WAY stop you from applying! Most VAs want you to grow in skill with them. They will typically have a document or two that describes their Standard Operating Procedures. Just get familiar with them and try your best to follow them. As you gain experience you will get closer to doing it "by the book".

 

In summary, you answer a few basic questions about your own preferences and you'll be in a better position to ask!

 

As for experience in a VA, I'm not sure as my own VA seems a bit inactive...

 

Good luck!

[NikkiA 7]

The biggest problem I had with VAs is that my simming is somewhat intermittent at times, and it's too easy to go the 2-4 weeks that many VAs require a PIREP filed in. As such, I ended up having my pilot locked in both VAs I joined.

 

These days I sim much more frequently, but stick to fscaptain where I'm not constrained to specific routes/airframes, and no-one complains if I don't want to fly to a specific airport this week.

[JonRD463 146]

I'm no longer in a VA due to time constraints, but when I was, it was awesome. I used to be in Tradewind Caribbean Airlines, which is still going, albeit not as prolifically as it was in its heyday. It featured a mix of GA and bush ops as well as medium and long range ops and was pretty fun. Not to sound like an advert for them, but the point is that many VAs offer the same type of variety that can cater to your particular interest, and that's the key.

 

For me, the advantage of flying in a VA was giving a sense of purpose and goals. Prior to joining TCA, my flight simming generally consisted of loading up an aircraft, tooling around a bit, maybe looping a 747 just because I could, and just generally being random. With a VA, you've got set routes with timetables, and you're challenged to meet your schedules. It also puts you in a mindset of "Hey, I've got people aboard. Maybe my usual 6000 fpm descent is a little too extreme.", and it starts to affect the way you fly.

 

I'd say if you've got the time, go for it! Most VAs shouldn't give you too much trouble for being a bit green. We were all there once. Just show an eagerness and willingness to learn, and above all else, have fun. If you find you're not having fun, don't try to force it. Good luck!