Getting started with VirtualFlight.Online
Getting started with VirtualFlight.Online
Lots of pilots have yet to record their first flight with the virtual airline - lets give them a helping hand!
While looking at the pilot profiles at VirtualFlight.Online a few days ago, it occurred to us that there were a lot of pilots that had joined, but not filed any hours in the system. In the spirit of giving everybody a helping hand, we have sent an email out to all those without any hours logged yet to help get them started.
This newsletter post mirrors the content of that email - so if you have signed up and haven’t recorded any flights yet - this issue is for you!
Even if you don’t ultimately end up taking part in the virtual airline, we would love to see you over at Discord. The Discord server now has well over a thousand members, and has turned into a wonderful community of aviation and flight simulation enthusiasts.
We’ll look forward to seeing you there!
Jonathan Beckett
Founder, VirtualFlight.Online
Visit Discord!
Our discord server is full of aviation and flight simulation enthusiasts - and many have already logged hundreds of hours flying routes in virtual airline - completing tours all over the world.
We have discussion channels, forums, support, live chat, screen-sharing, screenshots, and much more. We’re a friendly bunch, so why not visit and make some new friends?
If you’ve never used Discord before, you can find out all about it here:
Fill out your profile!
Once your account has been approved, visit the Edit Profile page, and fill out as much as you can. Pay particular attention to the "background" field, and tell everybody a little about yourself - your history with flight simulation and aviation in general. We're here to build a community.
Notice that the profile includes VATSIM and IVAO ID numbers. If you are interested in using VATSIM or IVAO, the flight despatch system can automatically pre-file your flight-plan for you.
Install the ACARS client
To track your flights you will need to install the ACARS client (Aircraft Communication and Reporting System). Visit the ACARS page to read all about it.
Booking Flights
To record a flight, you have two options - either filling the details directly into the ACARS client (a free flight), or dispatching a flight via the Virtual Airline website. There are several places to find interesting flights:
Free Flights - start the ACARS client up while you’re sitting in a plane, fill in the flight details, and you’re all set!
Events and Tours - Click on an event, or tour that interests you within the virtual airline website, choose a leg, and dispatch it.
Scheduled Flights - Search for a scheduled flight that interests you, click on it, then dispatch it.
Chartered Flights - Fill in the details of your flight, and dispatch via Simbrief (requires a free Simbrief account).
Note that only dispatched flights will be marked as completed in tours and events - recording a free flight between the same departure and destination will not tick a leg as complete.
Complete a flight school event
When you start out with the airline, you are a "Student Pilot". To progress on to the tours, scheduled flights, and charters, you need to file some flight hours. After completing 1 hour, you become a "Private Pilot", and can dispatch flights with any GA aircraft in the fleet.
Note that you can now also perform "free flights" without dispatching an event, tour leg, or chartered flight directly within ACARS.
To help you get used to ACARS, we have created some introductory Flight School events:
Wycombe Air Park in the United Kingdom
Methet in France
Frederick Municipal Airport in the USA (the hope of AOPA)
The main aim of Flight School is to get used to starting and stopping flights in ACARS, dispatching flights via the airline, and to find out what you are scored on after each flight. Check your logbook to find out how you did. Note that flights sometimes take a minute or two to appear in your log after filing them.
Tours
Once you have filed enough hours and progressed in rank, you can start taking part in the events or tours available. If you visit the Tours page within the airline you will see lots of options open to private pilots, which will then hopefully take you past the hours required to then qualify you for scheduled flights, and charters in the big jets.
Scheduled flights
After reaching 10 hours of logged flight time, you become a "Class D First Officer" - which qualifies you for a number of Turboprops, and the scheduled routes they might fly. Remember to check the Rank page to find out which aircraft become available at each rank.
Note that you can filter the flight schedules page by aircraft type - which helps determine flights available to you.
Chartered flights
If you don't want to fly a tour or scheduled flight, you can fly a "Chartered Flight" between any locations in any of the aircraft you are qualified for and take advantage of a Simbrief operational flight plan. To do so you will need to visit the Dispatch page (while you have no booked flight), and request "Dispatch Charter Flight". You will need a free Simbrief account.
If you get stuck, ask!
Don’t get angry, fed up, or frustrated if you can’t figure out how to book, fly, and report your flights - come and ask us in the support channel at Discord :)