What's the deal with Virtual Airlines?

[Hamburger]

Apparently there's this whole subculture of psychos that get really deep into Microsoft Flight Sim. They get together somehow online with each other and fly trips on their PC's in REAL TIME. They even link up with guys running some sort of ATC simulation software who work them accross the country. They have Virtual Scheduling, Virtual Chief Pilots, Virtual Probation. Guys will use computer screens instead of CRTs and build cockpit mockups (like a CPT) in the basement, come home from work and do the EWR-SFO run, in REAL TIME.
I'm not sure if they sit in the basement reading Virtual newspapers, bitch about Virtual ALPA, do their Virtual Bid, or what.

Google Virtual Airline. It's just Amazing.

 

[Bavarian Chef]

Apparently there's this whole subculture of psychos that get really deep into Microsoft Flight Sim. They get together somehow online with each other and fly trips on their PC's in REAL TIME. They even link up with guys running some sort of ATC simulation software who work them accross the country. They have Virtual Scheduling, Virtual Chief Pilots, Virtual Probation. Guys will use computer screens instead of CRTs and build cockpit mockups (like a CPT) in the basement, come home from work and do the EWR-SFO run, in REAL TIME.
I'm not sure if they sit in the basement reading Virtual newspapers, bitch about Virtual ALPA, do their Virtual Bid, or what.

Google Virtual Airline. It's just Amazing.

I heard they were voting on their Virtual TA next week. Right now they are working for nothin' -- typical NCC (No Cost Carrier) whores.

 

[bvt1151]

With everything going on in the industry, THAT'S what you complain about?



...sad

 

[Otto Coarsen]

It is kinda funny....

http://www.flywestwind.com/opcntr.htm

They addrsss their "management pilots" as Captain This and Captain That... There's this guy who actual provides flight instruction too. There are articles on theory of flight, wake turbulance, navigation, etc etc... His "Real world experience" includes what seems to be a few dual lessons in a C-172 and a Piper cherokee.

Kinda funny

 

[Caesar]

Apparently, they post regularly on this board too.

 

[Turtlesfly]

Hey at least you can have real sex while your virtual airplane is in cruise.

 

[GVFlyer]

I heard they were voting on their Virtual TA next week. Right now they are working for nothin' -- typical NCC (No Cost Carrier) whores.

Too funny! Thanks!

GV

 

[FN FAL]

I'm not sure if they sit in the basement reading Virtual newspapers, bitch about Virtual ALPA, do their Virtual Bid, or what.

you think they might be having virtual jumpseat wars?

Here's a thought, what about virtual passengers, virtual ramp operations and virtual passenger screeners?

 

[Phaedrus]

Hey at least you can have real sex while your virtual airplane is in cruise.

Yeah, that's likely. Unless you meant "real sex" with themselves.

 

[TheBaron]

I'm sure they're all in the special "solo" division of the mile high club. At least it keeps them off the streets.

 

[100LL... Again!]

I rode as a passenger on one of those virtual airlines.

The service was great - the "captain" flew the flight solo, I sat in a comfortable folding chair, and the flight attendant (captain's mother) brought us some cookies that she baked upstairs.

When I arrived, I collected my baggage in the garage, and noted that it had been virtually smashed.




Think positive - they're not probably procreating.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Hey man, I know it sounds kind of dorky, but they love aviation just as much as the rest of pilots on this board. What separates them is that they dont have an acutal certificate with ratings. Not everyonecan afford it or have the right circumstances/situations/aptitude to become a "real" pilot.

They enjoy feeling like they are flying the line. nothing wrong wit hthat. I bet there are a few folks here and especially on airliners.net that have held lines on one of those virtual sites.

Anyway, it is humourous to think about what really goes through thweir heads as they fly around in front of a cpu in a "heavy."

 

[FN FAL]

Hey man, I know it sounds kind of dorky, but they love aviation just as much as the rest of pilots on this board."

That's funny, I don't look at those guys that play "tom clancey" virtual war games as "people who love machine gun ownership just as much as the rest of us" and then get a warm fuzzy. So what's the difference between a "mall ninja" and a "airplane mall ninja"?

 

[Hamburger]

With everything going on in the industry, THAT'S what you complain about?

...sad

Hey brother, not really complaining, more like dumbstruck. With all that going on in the industry, there's guys out there going through the motions in the basement, for free. Well, I suppose they aren't truely going through the motions till they've been Virtually Furloughed and have to fly a Virtual Navajo to make the mortgage.

If having a laugh make me sad, so be it. Looking forward to your threads on ALPA Salaries, What that SW guy said or didn't say about duty days to the reporter, Age 60, Armchair quarterbacking accident investigations, and all the other things worth discussing Ad Nauseum.

 

[TheBaron]

Hey man, I know it sounds kind of dorky...

Maybe it sounds kind of dorky because it is kind of dorky. Just like the losers that dress up as magicians and warriors and sit in their parents basement playing Lord of the Rings...when they are 35 years old!! Get a "real" life.
Now back to my virtual beer, since I have "real" flight soon.

 

[Bavarian Chef]

That's funny, I don't look at those guys that play "tom clancey" virtual war games as "people who love machine gun ownership just as much as the rest of us" and then get a warm fuzzy. So what's the difference between a "mall ninja" and a "airplane mall ninja"?

Dude, me and the rest of the ninjas are meeting at Orange Julius at 1930. Gotta go, sale at Spencer's.

 

[learflyer]

How's about trying to pick your way around a line of virtual storms, or walking a half a mile to your hotel room to find out they never swiped your virtual hotel room key, and having to walk all the way back to the front desk.

 

[FN FAL]

Dude, me and the rest of the ninjas are meeting at Orange Julius at 1930. Gotta go, sale at Spencer's.

Hahaha...I'll get my "Security Guard" windbreaker and Nun-chucks and meet you there!

Bring an extra set of throwing stars, I left mine back at mom's place.

 

[100LL... Again!]

Hey man, I know it sounds kind of dorky, but they love aviation just as much as the rest of pilots on this board. What separates them is that they dont have an acutal certificate with ratings.

Ha. So would you similarly defend someone with a "virtual girlfriend" (i.e. inflatable)?

After all, they love sex just as much of the rest of us. What separates them is that they don't have an actual human female to mate with.

 

[180ToTheMarker]

My virtual airline sucks...we just agreed to allow unlimited virtual RJs in a virtual jets for virtual jobs deal. As usual, Joe Merchant is virtually pissed.

 

[Captain Overs]

I would never get into it, but I think it's kind of cool there are thousands of people out there who are pretending to do what we actually get paid to do. We complain that the industry isn't thought of as highly as it once was. If that was true why are people spending thousands of hours emulating us?

I hadn't heard of virtual airlines until this post. I actually went and searched it out and there is a guy at "Virtual" Eastern with over 6,000 hours. I can think of better use of my "Real" time, but so what.

 

[bvt1151]

So this is the type of things the Navy Seals say when we play first person shooters...

What I think we've illustrated from this thread isn't that there are dorks out there who want to be pilots, but rather that there are egotistical pilots who will take whatever chance they can get to point out that another group is inferior to them.

With attitudes like these, its no wonder pilots are losing the public relations war. If we want to be paid like professionals, we'd probably better start acting like it.

 

[Publishers]

I have an eleven year old son. He has about 15 hours in a 150 and 172. He flies Flight Simulator every night. If you are not familiar with the level of upgrades and add on's for the program that exist today, you probalby cannot really appreciate the challenge nor interest of people doing this.

There are products that add on that give you real world weather, complete FMS and control panels, passengers, etc. that are incredible to me.

The funny thing was when we last went up in a 172 that had the Garmin complet package, he was looking around for the auto throttles to set up his airspeeds.

I personnally find it a fun deal to do with him and fly approaches in hurricanes etc.

 

[zonker]

I used to play Microsoft Flight Simulator on my Apple IIe constantly when I was a kid. In fact, I'd do the same things these guys do but on a smaller scale. I'd take the biggest plane they had, which was probably a twin Cessna or something, and then pretend to fly passengers/cargo from Meigs Field to Champaign/Urbana or something. Of course I was 12 at the time...but hey I still play Xbox and I'm pushing 40.

So no, I don't really see anything wrong with having a "virtual airline". It's no different than any other type of video game that people play. Probably not the best way to pick up chicks, though.

 

[Doug Parker]

.

If you need a virtual Copilot for those long overnights, try www.realdoll.com



.

 

[Bavarian Chef]

So this is the type of things the Navy Seals say when we play first person shooters...

What I think we've illustrated from this thread isn't that there are dorks out there who want to be pilots, but rather that there are egotistical pilots who will take whatever chance they can get to point out that another group is inferior to them.

With attitudes like these, its no wonder pilots are losing the public relations war. If we want to be paid like professionals, we'd probably better start acting like it.

Come on dude, smile. Laugh. Have some fun. You can do it. It's okay, we all get crazy every now and then.

 

[100LL... Again!]

Flight sims are fine, but a real-time trip across a virtual Atlantic?

 

[Clyde]

Apparently there's this whole subculture of psychos that get really deep into Microsoft Flight Sim. They get together somehow online with each other and fly trips on their PC's in REAL TIME. They even link up with guys running some sort of ATC simulation software who work them accross the country. They have Virtual Scheduling, Virtual Chief Pilots, Virtual Probation. Guys will use computer screens instead of CRTs and build cockpit mockups (like a CPT) in the basement, come home from work and do the EWR-SFO run, in REAL TIME.
I'm not sure if they sit in the basement reading Virtual newspapers, bitch about Virtual ALPA, do their Virtual Bid, or what.

Google Virtual Airline. It's just Amazing.

Geeks. Real, not virtual.

 

[Sailpilot]

Ha. So would you similarly defend someone with a "virtual girlfriend" (i.e. inflatable)?quote]

Hey!

Leave my girl out of this!

She's sensitive (repaired with Duct-tape)

 

[Sailpilot]

So this is the type of things the Navy Seals say when we play first person shooters...

What I think we've illustrated from this thread isn't that there are dorks out there who want to be pilots, but rather that there are egotistical pilots who will take whatever chance they can get to point out that another group is inferior to them.

With attitudes like these, its no wonder pilots are losing the public relations war. If we want to be paid like professionals, we'd probably better start acting like it.

Easy Francis...