Is it me???

[AS603 Murray Wheten]

I hope you guys don't mind a little rant...

I have been simming for many years now. If I were to tell you how much I have spent and how much time I have put into this hobby, well, you would probably not believe me. Let's just say, I could have bought a "real" plane, and would have at least a PPL by now.

All that being said, I do not consider myself an expert. There is always more to learn. But, I do feel I am a good and knowledgeable sim pilot.

I just finished flying a "set" of 5 flights (5 legs) for "another VA" that I belong to (or did belong to - I resigned). 3 of these legs were flown in an area where the "safe min alt" was 14000 feet. I was flying a DC3 that has a service ceiling of 23000 feet. On one of the 3 flghts, I added a comment to the pirep that the 10000 foot alt for that flight was not enough (the alt and root is assigned by the VA). The flight was rejected with a comment from the Hub manager that a DC3 cannot be flown above 10000 feet. Since this VA also gives you the root to fly, I would have slammed into a mountain if I had flown it at 10000 feet. The thing is, the other 2 flights I flew in that area were also flown above 10000 feet. But since I did not "tell on myself" in the comment section, the flights were accepted.

There were also a few comments about taking off with "too mucn fuel"... at the 2nd and 4th flight. But, since these flights comprised a set of 5 legs (one after another in the same day) I could not understand how these comments made any sense.

Anyway, if at anytime the management here at AS "sees something" in any of the flights you don't like... PLEASE just drop me a line and let me know what I did wrong before rejecting/deleteing any of my flights. I put a lot of time into each and every one of them and it realy bothers me to see that time (and effort) thrown away like yesterday's bath water.

Thanks for listening!

[Alan Black AS122]

This sounds alot like a VA I used to belong to and left for exactly the same reasons. I strive for realism in my flights, and had quite a few pireps rejected for various (in my mind petty) reasons. Everything from a) I flew the flight 1 hour later than the scheduled time (I actually flew it at the actual times shown on Flightaware which reflected a 1 hour real-world delay), b) I flew using the wring acft type (I flew an A320 vs a B733, which again was a real world substitution shown on Flightaware), and another was that I showed I flew a flight on a Saturday when it only operated M-F (This was because the VA specifically wanted flights PIREP'd in Zulu, so my M-F PST flight is actually a Tue-Sat Zulu flight and they failed to take that in to account. I think I lasted about 4 weeks there before deciding enough was enough.

As far as things go here, you will not find any of that. We do have guidelines and ask that they are followed, but things are not "policed" to the last minute detail to the point that it sucks the enjoyment out of being here.

Lastly, welcome aboard and hope you like it around here and stick around!

[AS380 Mark Richards]

Welcome Murray.

As Alan points out, things are a lot more relaxed around here. The only things that we ever "enforce" are that you need to fly an aircraft from the same category (ie. a two engined turbine jet in place of a two engined turbine jet and not flying an A380 in lieu of a Beech 1900 etc.) and that you don't fly more than the minimums per month.

Like you, I try to simulate everything as best I can and make it as realistic as I can and that's where you own flight planning and airmanship come into play.

Most importantly, ENJOY YOURSELF!

Welcome to the team.

Mark

[ITZREAL]

Hi Murray. Welcome to AirSource.

First, do some research on the flights you plan to fly. I have flown many thousands of flights on MSFS with different VA's. I have also had the privilege to schedule many flights with different VA's being a 'Hub Manager' , 'SDO', or whatever that VA calls the person who creates flights for them. Many times, the person who writes a flight schedule or even an individual flight has not flown all or even any of the flights they write. It would be unrealistic to expect them to do so beforehand. With that said, I can relate to what you have gone thru. I have flown many of flights that have the following problems; 1. Arrival airport is not suited for the designated airframe due to runway length or amount of anticipated fuel requirement. 2. Scheduled time for the flight has arrival at night for an airport that has no IFR capabilities, only VFR. 3. Airframe that is required for flight has performance restrictions that are not realistic for the execution of flight altitude, flight length, or fuel required. At least some, if not all of these problems, would be avoided if the person writing the flight would fly it first and see if it is a realistic flight.

Second, after looking into the flight plan, if you see a problem, state it into the forum that the flight is posted to. Your concern will hopefully be addressed by the person that has written the flight.

Remember, Pilot In Command (PIC), has responsibility for the flight they fly. When you do proper flight planning, you will see any problems beforehand. I have refused to fly many a flight because the flight did not meet proper flight rules or common sense as to where they are telling you to go.

As for AirSource, you will find most flights here to be well thought out and logical. I agree with Alan and Mark with the comments they have made. Welcome to AirSource and be sure to drop a line in the forums when in doubt of any flight you plan on flying.

Mike Padgett

[AS603 Murray Wheten]

I appreciate all your comments guys. All very useful. Thanks!

[AS37 Norm Edwards]

Welcome Murray, I hope you enjoy the AirSource experience. Please do read through the Employee Manual - although it is wieldy, as mentioned we have guidelines, like any organisation. AirSource has been around for more than a decade and has vareity which many VA's don't provide. Have fun!