Do you fly with a virtual airline?
Do you fly with a virtual airline?
I recently got the Q4XP and discovered Widerøe flies nice domestic routes in Norway. Perfect for a short 50min flight for example. I found widerøevirtual.online - a phpVms based VA. I liked what it offers: an overview of real life flights which you can choose to fly, helps you in creating a simbrief OFP. It seems a bit quiet here though, small group of members (which is nice I think) and you’ll have to wait on manual pirep approval. The VA seems new-ish, lets hope it grows a bit and becomes somewhat more active.
I’m also a member of klm-va.nl which is much more free: you can choose to fly real life scheduled flights (get more points for that) but you can just fly any dep-arr you like in whatever plane - and still get points for it.
I’ve also tried several VA’s based on the vamSys software - the most modern and solid build va-system I think. They’ve got some very active communities, which is also a very nice part of flying with a VA.
I’m wondering what others experiences are with flying on the sim with a virtual airline?
No. Absolutely not. Virtual Airlines place too many restrictions on what you fly, where you can fly, how you fly, and how often you must fly. For me, flight simulation is a hobby, and virtual airlines turn it into work.
I dunno where you had this idea that's 100% untrue lol
There are hardcore VAs as much as there are casual VAs where you can fly how you like, just using their ACARS to log the flight.
No more paper work like we used to have in the 2000s. Even with hardcore VAs, given all the automation there is now with the ACARS, it's just "click, send PIREP, voila".
For example prepping the flight on Simbrief takes more time than using an ACARS.
I fly with Widerøe (as a passenger) a couple of times every month. Usually ~55minute flights. ENBL is my local airport.
My favorite route, though, is where I grew up: ENBN -> ENMS. I flew that whenever I was visiting my grandmother. I don't remember how long that flight took, but it couldn't have been much more than 20 minutes. Plus the beetween-mountain-approach to ENMS is spectacular.
I think I boot up the simulator too sporadically to join a VA, I've read multiple VA's that require you to fly at least once a month. Plus it feels a bit limiting in a way? Not being in a VA allows you to fly where ATC is on Vatsim and wherever in the world you want.
Kinda, I'm a part of nomadic virtual but only fly flights for them occasionally. It's a aircraft ferry va so the routes and aircraft are unique and you get flights personally dispatched for you to make it realistic. You even get a reason (eg. Repositioning flight for a freighter conversion, etc.) and MEL items in the dispatch.
A decade or so ago I flew virtual united and it was fun but found after a year or so I wanted to explore more parts of the world and more airlines so I left to have more freedom.
Yes but in my own (an Air France look alike with real routes and fleet) on fscharter.
I like having an objective for flying and that little economic simulation added on top of flying.