VA Crew Room

Post by **TSR2** » 05 Jun 2006, 00:59

What was pissing me off Chris, is that unlike you, I haven't done the VA thing before. I was halfway back to London when I realised how it all worked with regards to the aircraft being at the airport. (I was looking on flynet on the laptop while I was cruising on the flying PC.)

It wasn't deliberate, just one of the consequenses of letting people have a go at something new... I may have been out of line, but a little bit of tollerance for those who are new to this thing, and clearly, theres more than just me.

robbie · Post by **robbie** » 05 Jun 2006, 01:28

I wish we could agree on something folks, because I flew a Viscount down from EGCC to Jersey this morning and I've been stranded all day with
"no flights available". looks as if I'll have to buy a ticket back home.

I'm not moaning, I just thought that we needed to keep the allocated fleet of A/C at the base they were asigned to, but if I buy a ticket back to EGCC then we must be short of one Viscount there?.

Can we just clarify things a bit please!!. although I like the idea of booking the return flight straight the way after landing.

Robbie.

Chris Trott · Post by **Chris Trott** » 05 Jun 2006, 02:15

Ben, I'm not coming down on you in particular or anyone in general. I'm just saying that I shouldn't have to book a flight to protect my ability to fly a return flight, something that should have been a given being that you had to book an airplane by tail number. This is my first time doing something like FlyNet too Ben. Most other VA's don't require you to book an airplane and where you start out from really doesn't matter as long as you're flying one of the VA's flights. On FlyNET, you have to think about other pilots because there is the possibility of stranding planes or other people if you don't fly the plane back to its origin or take over a plane while out at and out-station without asking the other pilot or having an agreed upon rule as to when a pilot can be considered to have "vacated" an aircraft.

The VA will hopefully have enough aircraft in the near future to be able to have aircraft available whenever anyone wants to fly and even have a few down for maintenance (without having to "claim" an aircraft because if one is down for MX I want to be able to take one of the other available aircraft, something that strict "assignment" of aircraft prevents). If we have an agreement in effect that sets limits on how long a pilot can keep an airplane on a route before having to give it up, then that works because at least then people can have an idea of why they got stranded and not have to sign on the next day and find the plane gone and them stranded.

DispatchDragon · Post by **DispatchDragon** » 05 Jun 2006, 03:30

There is a very simple solution to this whole argument

have John create a schedule for a month publish it and then the pilots bid
which flights they wish to fly - and these are awarded BY seniority (date of
joining the company) Just like its done in the real world

Ben what I showed you this afternoon was the basis for exactly such a
system - that way you can fly one leg or the whole day depending on
what you feel you have the ability and time to fly - the lower seniority
takes the leftovers just like in the real world.

It would (IMO) stop alot of senseless bickering about 'whose' aircraft it
is - Of course the point in the "real world" MR Trott - is that crews are not
asked to "pay" their way into their base - Whoever fed Konny that piece
of garbage is an idiot and knows nothing of the workings of real airlines

Leif

blanston12 · Post by **blanston12** » 05 Jun 2006, 04:52

DispatchDragon wrote:There is a very simple solution to this whole argument

have John create a schedule for a month publish it and then the pilots bid
which flights they wish to fly - and these are awarded BY seniority (date of
joining the company) Just like its done in the real world

If this is the way its going to work then I don't want any part of it. We have so many planes per pilot it should not be an issue. Lets just keep it simple, if a plane is at a remote airport with the pilot who flew it there don't take it.

Many of us live busy lives and after doing a long flight we may not have enough time to do the return trip and may not have time the next day either.

Charlie Bravo · Post by **Charlie Bravo** » 05 Jun 2006, 05:19

blanston12 wrote:
DispatchDragon wrote:There is a very simple solution to this whole argument

have John create a schedule for a month publish it and then the pilots bid
which flights they wish to fly - and these are awarded BY seniority (date of
joining the company) Just like its done in the real world
If this is the way its going to work then I don't want any part of it. We have so many planes per pilot it should not be an issue. Lets just keep it simple, if a plane is at a remote airport with the pilot who flew it there don't take it.

Many of us live busy lives and after doing a long flight we may not have enough time to do the return trip and may not have time the next day either.

I have to agree with this. I'm not going to plan my days around FS.

The whole aircraft ownership idea, disposes of any time issues that an individual may have. Whilst it may sound extreme, I think it could well work.

For instance, this morning I finish work @ 0700 and 30mins later I'll be at home. If I'm not tired, I'll maybe play FS but if I am tired I'll be going to bed.
If I've got a flight booked and I'm tired, theres no way I'm staying up to do it. No doubt many of you also do shifts and feel the same.

DispatchDragon · Post by **DispatchDragon** » 05 Jun 2006, 05:30

Im Glad that at least two people saw the senselessness of the arguement - which is why I wrote it - This isnt the real world - you are not getting paid
anything to do this , and frankly to argue about "whose airplane" it is and
the imaginary cost of the moving yourself from one point to another in virtual space is all a bit silly .

What I showed Ben this afternoon was a schedule for another VA where
the longest flight is 45 minutes or so and the shortest 7 mins - you can fly
one leg or half a dozen - the distances between where you are and where the aircraft are miniscule so the "cost" of deadheading is of no consequence
unless of course you chose to make your domicile somewhere in Outer Mogolia - which I had noticed flicking through the pilots roster for CBFS was
exactly what some had done

Leif

Oh yes Joe BTW if you are incapable of reading sarcasm then I suggest you dont quote people - A VA with a Bidding roster FCS!!! what next
virtual crew duty rest regs
Give me a break

blanston12 · Post by **blanston12** » 05 Jun 2006, 05:51

DispatchDragon wrote:...Oh yes Joe BTW if you are incapable of reading sarcasm then I suggest you don't quote people ...

Sometimes I can be pretty dense, sorry.

david balmer · Post by **david balmer** » 05 Jun 2006, 07:33

having read the whole sarga of that's mine, get off. well i realy have to laugh. sorry chaps but i think things got a little out of hand. so deep breath here goes. i was under the impression that if i took an aircraft from where ever and flew to where ever, that i would be allocated to that aircraft and would have to return it. even if this takes a few days.
having done this due to real work schedules. as we all have only been at this a few weeks i think that we should all calm down and lets just act like adults and not slag one another off. it don't help and all it will do is drive people away. we don't want that do we.
as john has said just look under the airport you find an aircraft and hay presto you will also see a list of pilots and the pilot who last flew the aircraft. you don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out , which pilot it is and he or she ( must be politicaly correct here ) will be flying it back.
unless we start a thread to say chaps i've left this aircraft here and will not be flying it back. then you can have a scrap to see who gets it. only an idea. as for me i fly the argosy and if any nicks it from me i'll come over and kick you in the

:axe:

PeteP · Post by **PeteP** » 05 Jun 2006, 08:09

I have to confess that I've been watching developments here with what I can best describe as detached amusement - or should that be amused detachment?.

There's nothing particularly unusual about what's happening but I'm a little concerned at the speed you've moved from "hey that's a great idea..." to the accusations and squabbling stage. If you're not careful, the whole thing is going to collapse in on itself and that would be a great pity after all the work RAF_Quantum and others, I'm sure, have put in.

The next stage that you need to guard against is the "jockeying for position" phase when one or two individuals start to award themselves fancy titles - you know, "President of this" or "Chief of that" - and give themselves the airs and graces to go with them! Actually, reading through a couple of posts already in this thread, I'm not sure someone isn't doing that already. :think:

It's very easy for those of us lucky enough to earn our daily crust in real-world aviation to make light of the efforts of those who are not so fortunate and I most certainly have no intention of doing that but there's one guiding principle you need to keep in mind. - as Tonks says in his signature block: It's NOT real!!!!! So, lighten up a little and above all, enjoy it - otherwise there really isn't any point in doing it, is there?

Pete