SurClaro Flight Simulator Resources

Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 1:11 pm Post subject: Advantages of a VA?

I've been a mechanic for a number of years, and just recently got into FS2004. What's the advantage of a VA and are there any that are in Illinois? Something central?

Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 10:45 pm Post subject:

advantages in a VA as in Virtual Airline? I don't really know of any advantages of a virtual airline other than it just being fun...

Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 10:54 pm Post subject:

Virtual Airlines allow you to experience what it would be like to be a pilot, air traffic controller, A & P mechanic, etc... Not real world experience but more along the lines of 'what if'.

You have schedules to keep, flight times to make, planes to keep safe, people to keep safe, etc..

You get to fly some cool planes in a fun and exciting way. Your time gets built up and you become a much better Virtual Pilot.

Instead of just flying to fly around, you get tasks to accomplish and you get paid virtual money. You can invest in the companies via Virtual stock companies that are popping up. You can use virtual banks...

You get to meet many people and make some real world friends.

You get to have fun....

Those are the benefits of a VA.

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You do NOT have to have one locally to you. There are some monster ones that are just incredible with 1000's of pilots, Full air traffic control centers and people that run them, etc.. There are also startups (I own one) and some that are small and want to stay that way.

Mine goes live on the 1st of June and if you would like more info, please email me. I'd be happy to chat with you. You can also talk with Groundsquirrel. He is also a mechanic and is CO-Owner of our VA. Bluestream Airlines. He is also the chief A&P mechanic as well as the painter for all our aircraft.

Hope to chat with you soon...

- Greg

Posted: Wed May 26, 2004 12:27 pm Post subject: Hmmm

Well, I was also thinking of something along the lines of a flying club, since with the summer here and I'm still a novice (I'd hate to get 'virtual' complaints from passengers), I'm just not sure what kind of time I can put in. I'll give it some thought though SpectroPro. Oh I meant locally, just cause I have flown with my unit a few times and was thinking in terms of 'familiar territory'.

Posted: Thu May 27, 2004 2:18 am Post subject: time consuming?

actually, you dont have to put in much time at all, at least while the VA is starting up. like a real airline, it all starts small, a few planes, a few routes and sort of snowballs from there. Most of the time consuming stuff is compiling all the info. for the hub, routes, aircraft repainting, airport modeling and the like. As a pilot, it can be a few hours a month, or more depending on how many flight assignments you desire. contact myself or Spectropro if you desire more info. As to being local, Illinois is quite close to Ohio, where our initial hub will be situated at KHAO. I am certain there will a few routes to points in Illinois. We would even be open to suggestions for routes and destinations that may be familiar to you.