SOPPHB v2.4 | Effective: July 9, 2024
1. Introduction
The purpose of this document is to ensure all pilots have a central place for information regarding the day-to-day operations of vAAirlines including procedures and terms of service that all members of the organization must adhere by. This is a fluid document and will continue to change to fit the mission associated with our operation and will be updated accordingly.
This document has been approved for distribution only from the main vAAirlines website specific subdomain (www.sop.aalva.org) and should not be downloaded from any other source without express written consent from an Executive Staff Member of the airline. New revisions will be updated to this website as they become available and a NOTAM will be sent out to pilots via their registered email address.
All of the information in regard to how the airline is operated should be able to be found in this document, however, please do not hesitate to ask for clarification from fellow pilots, your Chief Pilot, or via a question in the vAAirlines Forum.
1.1 Welcome
For those of you interested in joining us, thank you for your consideration and we hope to welcome you to our ranks soon. For those who have recently joined and are looking for more information about getting started, welcome to the airline and thank you for choosing us. vAAirlines was started in the fall of 2019 by real world airline professionals with a vision to create a virtual airline community based on a very realistic model of the airline operations centered around American Airlines.
With so many other virtual airlines listed as competitors, we knew that we would need to provide something very different from the others to ensure our vision of providing the very best experience for our users. Some of these differences included freedom to fly on various networks with real world callsigns (or offline with/without AI), a strong user interface both on the public end of our website as well as for our pilots, realistic fleet availability, responsive staff members, no “pay to play” of any kind, and progression based upon experience and knowledge, not just hours flown. These principles are the foundation upon which our core values were established to ensure the very best experience for our members as we strive to create an amazing community of aviation enthusiasts.
We hope that you enjoy your time here with us, and that you also are able to find a virtual home with us here at vAAirlines.
1.2 Changes in Policy and Procedures
The latest version of this document as listed on the vAAirlines SOP subdomain (www.sop.aalva.org) website supersedes all previous versions of the document as of the “effective by” date listed. vAAirlines reserves the right to modify, suspend, terminate, or add any policies, procedures, or information listed in this document without prior notice to crew members except as described above via notification after changes have been made. A NOTAM will be sent out to all pilots with each new version with the “effective by” date also listed, providing sufficient time to review the new SOPPHB before the changes go into effect.
1.3 Minimum Crew Requirements
The following are minimum requirements of all crew members of vAAirlines. No exceptions can be made to these without written approval prior to applying from the entire Executive Staff branch.
SOFTWARE requirement
Pilots must have a valid copy of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004, X, 2020, Lockheed Martin Prepar3D, or Laminar Research X-Plane.
AGE requirement
Must be 13 years of age or older in compliance with COPPA.
EMAIL requirement
Must have and maintain a valid and active email address for communications from the organization.
FLIGHT requirement
Pilots must complete a minimum of 1 flight within 14 days of being accepted. There is no flight requirement afterwards.
ACTIVITY requirement
Pilots must maintain a minimum of 1 website login every 60 days to keep their account active.
COMMUNITY requirement
Pilots must be in good standing with the Flight Simulation community including partners as well as other organizations and/or groups.
2. Organization
2.1 Command Structure
Send Email
Send Email
Send Email
Send Email
Send Email
Send Email
Please utilize the Staff Team Page in the Pilot Portal for specific emails.
Please utilize the Staff Team Page in the Pilot Portal for specific emails.
2.2 Organization Chart
3. Airline Operations
3.1 Crew Bases
KDFW Dallas, TX
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in Dallas, TX. Headquarters location for vAAirlines.
KBOS Boston, MA
Boston Logan International Airport in Boston, MA.
KCLT Charlotte, NC
Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, NC.
KLAX Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, CA. Base covers LAX area airports including ONT, SNA, and SAN.
KLGA New York, NY
New York LaGuardia Airport, New York, NY. Base covers NYC area airports including LGA, JFK, and EWR.
KMIA Miami, FL
Miami International Airport in Miami, FL. Base covers MIA area airports including FLL, and PBI.
KORD Chicago O'Hare.
Chicago O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, IL.
KPHL Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia International Airport in Philadelphia, PA.
KPHX Phoenix, AZ
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, AZ.
KDCA Washington, DC
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, DC. Base covers DC area airports including BWI, and IAD.
3.2 Crew Base Assignment
Generally, pilots will be given the crew base requested in their initial application. During rare instances or to ensure adequate coverage of crew bases, a base may be assigned to you based on seniority and availability. Pilots can submit a request to be assigned to a different crew base with the Vice President of Human Resources provided they have been in their current crew base for at least 60 days, and there are available positions in the new crew base. Since vAAirlines differentiate pilots based on the aircraft group they are in instead of their actual crew base your first point of contact, for all items outside of transferring crew bases, should be your Group Chief Pilot/Assistant Chief Pilot. You are not limited by any means to flying in to or out of your assigned crew base and may fly any route that your rank can hold by group.
3.3 Ranking Structure
Image | Title | Available Type Ratings |
---|---|---|
Group I First Officer | E145, E175, CL65, SF340, ATR72 | |
Group I Captain | E145, E175, CL65, SF340, ATR72 | |
Group I Check Pilot | E145, E175, CL65, SF340, ATR72 | |
Group II First Officer | B737, A320, DC9, B707, DC3 | |
Group II Captain | B737, A320, DC9, B707, DC3 | |
Group II Check Pilot | B737, A320, DC9, B707, DC3 | |
Group III First Officer | B777, B787, B757, A330, DC10 | |
Group III Captain | B777, B787, B757, A330, DC10 | |
Group III Check Pilot | B777, B787, B757, A330, DC10 | |
Bolded type ratings indicate an initial placement type. Click the image below to open the fullsize image in a new tab. |
3.4 Promotions
vAAirlines has decided to take a varying approach from the norm when it comes to promotions in the airline to help promote the core value of measuring by experience and knowledge to help create a truly immersive experience for our members.
Your beginning group will be determined on your entrance exam score and will be either Group I or Group II as a First Officer. During the registration process you will indicate which one of the "initial type ratings" you would like to have for Group I or Group II. For example, if you were to indicate that you would like the E145 type rating for Group I or the B737 type rating for Group II and your entrance exam score is enough to be placed in Group II, you will begin as a Group II First Officer with a B737 type rating to start off. This will be known as your equipment program.
After completing 15 successful flight legs as a First Officer in aircraft available to you through your type rating specific aircraft in your equipment program, you will be able to request to begin the course for Captain upgrade. Qualifying flights may be completed in either primary or secondary aircraft associated with your type rating. For example, your B737 type rating allows you to fly the B737-800 and B737 MAX8 as primary aircraft as well as the B737-100, B737-200, B737-300 and 737-400 as secondary aircraft to work towards Captain in the B737 program. For more information about the available type ratings with their associated primary and secondary aircraft, please utilize the table in section 4.1.
After successfully completing the upgrade course you will be promoted to Captain in your group (Group II Captain) with the same type rating (your equipment program will remain unchanged). You may now request additional type ratings in your group, or a previous group, or begin working towards the next higher group. If you obtain more type ratings in your group, or a previous group, your current rank will not change. For example, if you became a Group II Captain in the B737 equipment program and wanted to add the DC9 type rating, after successfully completing the course, you would remain a Group II Captain in the B737 equipment program and hold a type rating for both the B737 as well as the DC9 allowing you to fly any aircraft from either type rating equipment program primary or secondary aircraft. After reaching Captain in your group and completing 10 additional successful flight legs as such, you can begin to study for, and request, the First Officer written exam for the next group up if you wish. This will require you to select a specific equipment program to test into at the next group level. For example, after you have completed 10 more successful flights in any Group II equipment program aircraft that you hold a type rating for, you could request to take the Group III First Officer course for either the B777, B787, B757, A330, or DC10 equipment programs.
There is also an optional Check Pilot rank available for each group reserved for those who have mastered their aircraft equipment program and would like to remain in that program with a special check pilot pay rate and badge awarded to their profile.
If you are unsuccessful with completion of any written exam, there will be a 5-calendar day “cooldown” period to allow you to study the material before attempting to take the exam again. Checkrides will be assigned only after successful completion of all flight and written exam requirements and will be assigned within 72 hours of request on a first come, first serve basis. See the table below for requirements to change between groups. Please allow up to 24 hours for new ranks to be assigned as they are manually entered into the system.
NOTE: All flights counting towards upgrade must be completed in the aircraft type assigned to the equipment group for which you hold a type rating. For example, a Group II First Officer in the A320 equipment program (pilot only holds the A320 type rating either through initial placement or upgrade from Group I Captain) must complete 15 flights in A320 type rating equipment group aircraft (Primary: A319, A320, A321, A321neo, A321 XLR or Secondary: None) to be eligible for upgrade. Group I flights do not count towards a Group II Captain upgrade. Historic fleet flights now count towards upgrade as long as they are flown in accordance with the appropriate type rating equipment program earned.
3.5 Group Transfer Requirement Table
Desired Rank | Requirement List |
---|---|
Group I First Officer |
|
Group I Captain |
|
Group I Check Pilot (optional rank) |
|
Group II First Officer |
|
Group II Captain |
|
Group II Check Pilot (optional rank) |
|
Group III First Officer |
|
Group III Captain |
|
Group III Check Pilot (optional rank) |
|
3.6 Hour transfers
vAAirlines has been created to measure a pilot’s experience by the number of flights in our aircraft as well as the knowledge associated with those flights and general aviation knowledge. We do recognize that you may have flown flights for other airlines or on various online networks before your time here and would be happy to recognize those hours with a verifiable link during the application process. Your previous flight time will not have any influence on your starting aircraft group here or any upgrade, but can be added to your profile as we hope you find a new home here with us here at vAAirlines!
3.7 Check Pilot
vAAirlines offers a unique program that has not been seen before in any other virtual airline by maintaining our own Check Pilot program. Once a pilot has demonstrated a mastery of their aircraft by completing 100 accepted flights as a Captain in their group’s specific aircraft, they may apply to be a Group Check Pilot. A Group Check Pilot may also be nominated by the Group Chief Pilot to assist in the Flight Academy as a mentor or instructor for pilots in their group. This position requires a minimum 4-month commitment to the rank before being able to move on to another fleet group as there is required training that takes place unless the pilot waives any nomination to become a Flight Academy mentor or instructor. Waiving of the ability to be nominated to assist in the Flight Academy must be done by emailing the Chief Pilot for the specific group within 72 hours of passing the Check Pilot checkride. Regardless of whether or not a Check Pilot decides to participate in the Flight Academy a badge will still permanently be attached to their profile in the form of an award for each group where the Check Pilot rank was successfully completed.
3.8 Aviator Appreciation Program
vAAirlines is proud to recognize the real-world aviation accomplishments by our members and utilizes that recognition in a unique way. After applying for vAAirlines you will be awarded an aircraft group (Group I or Group II) based on your entrance exam score. If you score a 90% or better on the entrance exam and are also a real-world certificated aviator, you can earn an automatic advancement to Group III First Officer after providing proof of your pilot certificate (FAA or international equivalent). Proof of your certificate should be emailed to either your Group Chief Pilot, Human Resources, or the CEO with any non-essential information from the certificate (address, birthdate, height, weight, etc.) covered/blacked out. You can either send a scan of your actual certificate or send the downloaded information from the FAA airmen registry for this proof. The Aviator Appreciation Program is extended to any real-world aviator holding any of the following certificates: Sport Pilot, Recreational Pilot, Private Pilot, Commercial Pilot, or Airline Transport Pilot (ATP). While you cannot view the actual exam itself, you can view your score in the Pilot Portal by clicking on the “Rank Progression” tab.
3.9 ATC Appreciation Program
vAAirlines is proud to recognize the real-world aviation accomplishments by our members and utilizes that recognition in a unique way. After applying for vAAirlines you will be awarded an aircraft group (Group I or Group II) based on your entrance exam score. If you score a 90% or better on the entrance exam and are also a real-world certificated Air Traffic Controller, you can earn a fast track towards Group III First Officer after providing proof of your certifications. Proof of your certifications should be emailed to either your Group Chief Pilot, Human Resources, or the CEO with any non-essential information from the certificate (address, birthdate, height, weight, etc.) covered/blacked out. After being approved, you will be moved to Group II Captain and immediately be able to test into a Group III Type Rating course of your choice. After successful completion of the associated written and practical checkrides, you will be moved to Group III First Officer.
4. Flight Operations
4.1 Fleet
Group I Equipment Program Table
Type Rating | Primary Aircraft | Secondary Aircraft |
---|---|---|
A/E145 | ERJ-145 | ERJ-135, ERJ-140 |
A/CL65 | CRJ-200, CRJ-700, CRJ-900 | N/A |
A/E175 | ERJ-170, ERJ-175 | N/A |
A/SF340 | Saab 340 | BAe 31, BAe 32, Beech 99, Metroliner |
A/ATR72 | ATR-42, ATR-72 | Convair 580, Dash 8 Q100, Q300, Short 330, Short 360 |
Group II Equipment Program Table
Type Rating | Primary Aircraft | Secondary Aircraft |
---|---|---|
A/B737 | B737-800, B737 MAX8 | B737-100, B737-200, B737-300, B737-400 |
A/A320 | A319, A320, A321, A321neo, A321 XLR | N/A |
A/DC9 | MD-81, MD-82, MD-83, MD-87, MD-90 | B717-200, B727-100, B727-200, BAC 111, Fokker 100 |
A/B707 | 707-120, 707-320 | 720B, Convair 990, ERJ-190, BAe 146-100, BAe 146-200 |
A/DC3 | DC-3 | DC-2, DC-4, DC-6, DC-7, L-188, Convair 240 |
Group III Equipment Program Table
Type Rating | Primary Aircraft | Secondary Aircraft |
---|---|---|
A/B777 | B777-200, B777-300ER | N/A |
A/B787 | B787-8, B787-9 | N/A |
A/B757 | B757-200 | B767-200, B767-300 |
A/A330 | A330-200, A330-300 | A300 |
A/DC10 | DC-10-10, DC-10-30 | MD-11, B747-100, B747-200, B747SP |
4.2 Fleet Restrictions
Fleet types flown on flights are restricted by type ratings that you hold/obtain either by initial assignment or by promotion through the promotions/transfer requirement table listed above. Flights flown in aircraft that you are not type rated for, or do not exist in the structure, will be rejected as per the minimum requirements below. So as to not restrict the searchability of our timetable, you are able to see flights for the entire fleet regardless of your rank and type ratings held. It is up to each pilot to ensure they only fly flights in aircraft that they are rated for to avoid their flight being rejected.
4.3 Flight Breaks/AFK
vAAirlines crew members are permitted to take flight breaks when flying offline. Flight breaks should not exceed 10 minutes on flights less than an hour, 20 minutes on flights less than an hour and a half, 30 minutes on flights less than two and a half hours, and 45 minutes on flights less than four hours. For flights over four hours, a break of 75 minutes is approved. Pausing a flight does not count as a break and may be done for extensive periods of time provided that the crew member is not on any Virtual Air Traffic network. If flying online on a Virtual Air Traffic network, flight breaks are to be conducted in accordance with that network’s policy and should be requested from the controlling agency if applicable.
4.4 Fuel Planning
Pilots are required to calculate fuel for each flight. By utilizing the flight search, bidding, and flight plan creation features through the pilot portal, you will be provided a realistic flightplan through SimBrief integrations that will satisfy the requirement. You may also utilize your own SimBrief (or other flight/fuel) planning directly through their website.
4.5 PIREPs - ACARS
vAAirlines utilizes a version of vmsACARS (nicknamed "JetNet") adapted to work seamlessly with our cms. If we decide to utilize TFDi's smartCARS 3 software in the future it will be referred to as "smartCARS", "SC3", or "smartCARS 3" to while the current ACARS will remain "JetNet". Links to download the clients as well as links to instructions on their operations may be found in the downloads section of the pilot portal. If you have problems with the system, please contact your Chief Pilot with the issue so it can be directed to the proper source and corrected as soon as possible. Unfortunately, direct troubleshooting may be limited due to the nature of both programs being created by third parties, but all efforts will be made to get you an answer or raise the issue directly with the developer. Manual PIREPs are not accepted unless a valid VATSIM or Volanta link is posted in the comments section of the manual PIREP. The manual PIREP option is meant to be used as a backup in case the ACARS program becomes unresponsive during flight. Manual PIREPs will not be accepted without a valid VATSIM or Volanta link and should be used as a secondary emergency option only.
4.6 Flight Frequency/Minimum Requirements
We recognize that crew members have outside obligations in the real world and may also have obligations to fly for other virtual organizations. We require that crew members fly one flight in the first 14 days of employment. After the initial flight requirement has been met, we no longer hold any further flight requirement and only require that pilots log in to the website at least once every 60 days. If the 60-day login requirement is not met, the system will automatically mark you as inactive and lock your account out as well as remove you from the public pilot roster. To be reinstated as active, please contact the VP of Human Resources by email with your name and pilot ID to be reactivated. Pilots inactive for more than 365 days may be removed from the system entirely unless on an approved LOA. If you are unable to meet the flight frequency requirements as outlined in this document, please contact the VP of Human Resources with your LOA – Leave of Absence request stating the reason for the LOA as well as the timeframe for return to active status. Pilots who have not met the 14-day initial flight requirement are not eligible for LOA. Flights are required to meet the following minimum requirements:
- Land with a landing rate harder than -900 fpm.
- Land outside of the touchdown zone (for non-checkride purposes, defined as more than 3,000 feet past the threshold only).
- Flight must be at 1x sim rate for the entire flight.
- Flight must take off at the scheduled departure airport.
- Flight must land at the scheduled arrival airport.
- Flights must have proper fuel planning.
- Flights must be in approved paint scheme/livery (American Airlines, American Eagle, American Airlines special liveries, AirCal, Reno Air, TWA, US Airways, or other American Eagle Regional Partners colors/liveries only). This does not extend to OneWorld or other joint venture partners. Completely blank liveries may be used if no approved livery exists.
- Flights must be in the aircraft assigned to the flight bid.
- Flights must not be flown for another airline or organization without prior authorization (commonly known as “double PIREPing”). Flights may be simultaneously tracked by programs such as Volanta with with the sole purpose of personal logbook use only.
- Flights must be completed in an aircraft that the pilot has a type rating for (either primary or secondary) per the table in section 4.1 of the SOPPHB.
Failure to meet these minimum requirements may cause your PIREP to be rejected. If a PIREP is rejected, a comment will be made on the PIREP as an explanation and you will be able to see who rejected it. If it is something that can be fixed (manual PIREP without a VATSIM or Volanta link) you will have 7 days to email the person who rejected your PIREP before the system will automatically delete the rejected PIREP. To find the email of the person who rejected your PIREP, note their name and then utilize the "Our Team" page in the pilot portal under Corporate Operations > Headquarters.
4.7 Charter Flights
Occasionally vAAirlines will be hired to do select charter flights for sports teams, relief efforts, troop movement, or other items. When these arise, they will be added to the system and can be found by searching for "Charters" as the flight type in the flight search. A note of the charter flights will be posted in our Discord under "Charter Announcements" along with the duration of the charter flight being available in the system. Charter flights, unless otherwise noted in the announcement, are not type rating/CAT free and must be flown in accordance with section 4.6 of the SOPPHB.
4.8 Online Flying
vAAirlines encourages pilots to utilize our partner online Virtual Air Traffic network, VATSIM, to conduct flights. When flying on the network, please use this format for your flights:
- The three letter ICAO identifier for the correct airline being flown followed by the flight number assigned to the route. For example, AA1/AAL1 from JFK to LAX would be flown on the network as AAL1 and spoken as "American 1". US29/AWE29 from CLT to ATL would be flown as the network as AWE29 and spoken as "Cactus 29".
- Duplicate callsigns caused by two pilots on the same network flying the same route should be resolved by adding the first letter of your first name (or first letter of your last name if the letters are the same and in use already) at the end of your flight number (ie AAL1023T for Tom also flying MIA-DTW in the A319).
- If more than 4 pilots are online and flying the same flight where only one flight number is available, pilots may then use their ID number to differentiate between flights on the network.
- Spoken callsigns on the network should fall in line with their real-world operator:
AAL - "American"
ENY - "Envoy"
JIA - "Bluestreak" (PSA Airlines)
PDT - "Piedmont"
RPA - "Brickyard" (Republic Airways)
SKW - "SkyWest"
AWI - "Wisconsin" (Air Wisconsin)
ACL - "AirCal"
AWE - "Cactus" (US Airways)
EGF - "Eagle Flight" (American Eagle Historic)
ROA - "Reno Air"
TWA - "TWA"
Please also post a link to our main website in the remarks section of your flight plan in the following format “OPR/AALVA.ORG”. This helps controllers identify your flight as well as help promote our airline on the networks.
4.9 Fleet Substitutions
vAAirlines flights are to be completed in the aircraft listed on the schedule and may not be substituted. Fleet substitutions of the same aircraft family but different variant are not allowed regardless of similarity or real world operation (for example, an A319 flight must be flown in an A319 and may not be flown in an A320 or A321. Likewise, a 777-200 flight may not be completed in a 777-300 or 787-8). This also extends to different engine models of the same aircraft family (for example, the A321 may not be flown for an A321neo flight). Aircraft not in the fleet will not be accepted. The exception to this is only with written approval from the Senior Executive Staff on a rare and case-by-case basis.
4.10 Double Flight Tracking (Double PIREPing)
vAAirlines flights may not be flown for another organization including, but not limited to, other virtual airlines, virtual organizations, or training departments without prior written authorization from your Type Rating Group Chief Pilot. The exception to this is that you may always utilize your own flight tracking software for personal use only such as Volanta or similar which would be used to maintain a personal flight logbook but not upload to a website or server which has been created as a type of virtual airline or organization.
4.11 Shared Flight Deck Operations
vAAirlines recognizes that teamwork and proper Crew Resource Management (CRM) is vital to creating a safe and effective flight deck environment as well as overall flight operation. vAAirlines has no limits on utilizing any 3rd party application created to simulate another crew member being on the flight deck with you including utilizing features or programs that allow you to fly with another vAAirlines pilot who is rated to also fly that aircraft while both receiving credit for the flight by using the JetNet ACARS flight tracking software. The exception to this rule regarding both AI as well as an Additional Crew Member (ACM) is when the flight being conducted is for a practical examination/checkride flown for vAAirlines unless otherwise stated in the checkride instruction email.
4.12 Historic Fleet
vAAirlines is proud to honor the true legacy of American Airlines and the fleet types that were the workhorses of the route network leading up to where we are today. We currently offer a historic fleet ranging all of the way back to the very first aircraft and flight schedules which include many classic aircraft. We have also included the airlines that were merged into American Airlines with their approximate fleets at the time of merging. These aircraft can be found in section 4.1 above and are still to be flown in accordance with any rank restrictions as well as SOPPHB restrictions for flights flown. This means that a pilot may not operate any of the historic fleet located in any group unless they have earned the associated type rating. Even after promotion to a higher group, a pilot may continue to utilize any type rating earned from a lower group for flights. Historic flights are now designated normally on the website but associated with their respective airlines (American Airlines historic flights are listed as AAH and have the old logo but should still be flown as AAL on VATSIM). Historic flights flown now do count towards promotion total flight counts.
4.13 Diversions
Our new system does allow for diversions to be handled by automatically moving assets to the airport that you diverted to and automatically creating a flight for you to continue on to the original destination. Diversions are accepted for weather, mechanical, or other unforeseen circumstances that may arise when using realistic settings with your aircraft or flight simulator. Diversions may not be made for pilot errors or to create a city pair/charter flight intentionally and should be sparesley used. If a trend occurs of a pilot utilizing the diversion feature to create their own schedules will have subsequent flight PIREPs rejected.
After diverting to an airport, the system will automatically move you and the aircraft to the airport you chose to divert to and also create a flight back to the original destination. These schedules will show in the flight search page with a "-DV" attached to the end of the flight number. Pilots who did not make the diversion to the airport may not fly any flight in the system with "-DV" at the end of the flight number. Pilots who did make the diversion flight must complete their automatically created "-DV" flight within 24 hours of the diversion, or the "-DV" flight will be removed from the system permanently. Even through a diversion, all of the standard minimum requirements from section 4.6 apply.
5. Terms and Conditions
5.1 Resource Usage
All resources available to vAAirlines crew members are property of vAAirlines, unless otherwise stated, and are intended for use by current members only. At no time should any materials received from vAAirlines or its representatives be transmitted to any other person. Also, no material transmitted to vAAirlines Staff or crew members via email, forum post, or any other approved means of communication should include:
- Trademarked or Copyrighted material that is unauthorized to post including logos, files, etc.;
- Abusive material, threats, defamation, or personal attacks based on race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, age, veteran status, pregnancy, disability, genetic information, military service, or other protected status;
- Profanity, vulgarity, or other obscenities;
- Pornography or pornographic language; or
- Spam including unauthorized advertising or mailing.
The services provided to all users is completely free of charge and is revocable at any time at sole discretion of the vAAirlines Staff. Any abuse, including but not limited to the bullets listed above, is subject to immediate termination of current and future user accounts for vAAirlines and any associated partners/subsidiaries.
5.2 Misuse/Terrorism
September 11, 2001 was a tragic day that caused heightened sensitivity to commercial aircraft as well as training and security procedures throughout the United States and around the globe. Virtual Airlines exist for hobbyists to enjoy their passion from the comfort of their home while sharpening their aviation knowledge and skills. By joining vAAirlines, you understand that our organization is intended for flight simulation and hobbyist purposes ONLY, and at no time should be used for real world navigation or reference besides basic airman knowledge. Any suspicious behavior will be considered a real and immediate threat to the safety of our country and will be reported directly to the proper authorities in the United States Federal Government.
5.3 Piracy
vAAirlines does not condone the use or distribution of pirated software and takes seriously the use or transfer of such software or materials including login information, serial numbers, passwords, documents, etc., through approved vAAirlines channels of communication. If any crew member is found to have taken part in sending or knowingly receiving/using any pirated information through an approved channel of communication, involved members will face immediate termination and all information regarding the issue will be forwarded on to the content creator and/or authorities as necessary.
5.4 Member Conduct
Crew Members of vAAirlines are an extension of the dedicated volunteer staff team here and are required to uphold the professional standard set on all forums, networks, events, etc. both internal and externally. Any misconduct reported by an outside source or viewed by an vAAirlines member will be investigated and dealt with accordingly with punishment up to, and including, possible termination.
5.5 Social Media Usage
vAAirlines provides Facebook, Forums, Twitter, Instagram, and Discord for means of communication and socialization between members. We encourage the use of some or all of these methods to get the most out of your experience here as the platforms may also serve as a way to receive support or guidance more quickly than via emails. These methods of social media may be changed, removed, or added to as necessary.
5.6 General Terms
Website terms of use are posted on the main website by following links under Operations > Corporate Operations > Terms and Conditions or by clicking the “Full Disclaimer” link at the bottom of the page.
Table of Contents
Heads Up!
You can use the table of contents below to find a specific section in the SOPPHB. Just click on the title below to be linked directly to the selected section.
FAQ
Begin typing your question. If we don't have an answer for it in our FAQ, please reach out to your Group Chief Pilot or post your question on Discord.
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Where can I search for flights to bid on?
We highly encourage you to utilize the "Flight Search" tab when logged in to the website to manage bookings. Searching can be done inside of the ACARS but will not allow you to complete a SimBrief OFP generation by doing so. Need ideas on where to fly? Check out the Monthly Bid Results or Tours tabs as well! -
I need to file a manual PIREP, where do I do that?
Remeber that manual PIREPs are for emergency cases only and are not the approved regular method for filing a flight. Manual PIREPs can be filed by logging into the website and navigating to Profile > Logbook and then by clicking "File Manual PIREP" at the top. Keep in mind that these must be accompanied by a VATSIM or Volanta link in the comments section to the completed flight per the SOPPHB. -
What do I do if the ACARS crashes or I forget to start it before a flight?
If the ACARS program crashes during your flight or you forget to start it before your flight you may utilize the manual PIREP link by logging into the website and navigating to Profile > Logbook and then by clicking "File Manual PIREP" at the top. To do this you must have a VATSIM or Volanta link in the comments section to provide for proof of the flight completion. Under normal circumstances, all ACARS options should allow you to reconnect to a flight that is resumed after a sim crash. -
Where do I go to take exams to rank up?
If you are resuming a course already in progress you may utilize the FlightAcademy tab when logged in to the website. If you are making an initial request, you should utilize the "Rank Progression" tab inside of your Profile to target a specific course and ensure that you have met the requirements for the course. -
How do I know what aircraft I can fly?
You can see the full list of aircraft available for each type rating held in section 4.1 of the SOPPHB. -
Can I divert?
Yes, you may divert due to weather, fuel, etc. Keep in mind that if you do divert to an offline station, there may not be a flight available to connect back to your original destination. -
Can I substitute aircraft?
No aircraft substitutions are allowed at this time including aircraft in the same family (ie A320 may not be substituted for an A321 and A321neo may not be substituted for a normal A321). -
How do I log in to the forums?
You can log in to the forums utilizing the same email and password that you use for the main website. When you update your email/password on the main website, it will also update your login on the forums. -
How do I log in to the FlightAcademy?
You can log in to the FlightAcademy utilizing the same email and password that you use for the main website. When you update your email/password on the main website, it will also update your login on the FlightAcademy website. -
I joined Discord but I still do not see any channels.
Your Discord account can not be authenticted and given the proper roles unless your server nickname has been set to the required name. If your ID was AAL001 and your name was Joe Smith, your nickname would need to be "AAL001 Joe Smith" or "AAL001 Joe S.". A video tutorial for this is coming soon! -
If I am a Group II First Officer - B737 can I upgrade to Group II Captain - A320?
No, currently you must upgrade in the same program that you initially tested in to as a First Officer. In this scenario, after upgrading to Group II Captain - B737, you could then request an additional type rating for the A320. You would remain a Group II Captain - B737 after completing the A320 type rating addition course and until moving on to Group III. -
How does the Monthly Bid Results logic work for assigning flights?
Every month you will have flights assigned to you randomly by the system. The system will look back at your most recent handful of flights to learn what aircraft you enjoy flying and continue to tailor your assigned flights to that as time goes on. It is safe to say that your very first month will truly be random, but that the more you fly, the better the system will be able to figure out your favorite aircraft and continue to assign them.
Changelog
Version 2.4
July 9, 2024
addition Added section 3.9 - ATC Appreciation Program
addition Added section 4.13 - Diversions
Version 2.3
January 31, 2024
edit Updated 1. Added sop.aalva.org to description and changed verbiage for electronic distribution via the subdomain.
edit Updated 1.2 Updates verbiage for electronic distribution via the subdomain.
edit Updated 2.1 Command Structure changes. Adding roles and changing position IDs.
edit Updated 2.2 Command Structure picture.
edit Updated 3.1 Updated crew base airport coverage.
edit Updated 3.3 Added Ranking table image. Changed fleet lists for each rank to type ratings available.
edit Updated 3.4 Updated entire section for new ranking structure.
edit Updated 4.1 Reworked fleet table to show full type rating equipment for each program.
edit Updated 4.2 Changed verbiage for fleet restriction.
edit Updated 4.4 Updated to highlight SimBrief usage, integration, and partnership.
edit Updated 4.5 Updated ACARS names.
edit Updated 4.6 Updated and added flight rejection steps for correction. Added touchdown zone requirement.
edit Updated 4.9 Removed VP of Flight Operations verbiage.
edit Updated 4.12 Changed verbiage to allow historic flights to count towards promotion.
Version 2.2
September 02, 2023
edit Updated 3.3 Ranking Structure to change "Check Airman" to "Check Pilot" to align with the real world American Airlines position title change.
edit Updated 3.4 Promotions to change "Check Airman" to "Check Pilot" to align with the real world American Airlines position title change.
edit Updated 3.7 title and content to change "Check Airman" to "Check Pilot" to align with the real world American Airlines position title change.
Version 2.1
April 02, 2023
edit Updated 2.1 Command Structure to remove VP of Flight Operations, add VP of Strategic Growth and Community Specialist. Reorganized entire structure.
edit Updated 2.2 Organization Structure and added updated graphic.
edit Updated 4.1 to move the CRJ-200 to the non-historic aircraft section.
edit Updated 4.8 to remove Mesa Airlines and add Air Wisconsin
Version 2.0
March 25, 2023
addition Initial upload of the SOPPHB to web format.
edit Updated section 3.4 to add "cooldown" period after a failed Flight Academy event.