Virtual Airline Managers website

[mjkerr]

I am putting the final touches to a website specifically for people looking to start or progress in Virtual Airline Management.

As well as the practical OnLine assistance, via MSN Messenger, a forum and other resources will be available in due course.

A central resource of downloads will also be available.
This will be ideal for those of you concerned about bandwidth and storage issues.

I am the former Chairman of "easyJet VA" before it was closed by eprico last year, due a disagreement over the Domain Name used!

One skill I lack is design and I am looking for someone to design a new logo for me... that reflects the website title
"Virtual Airline Manager website" or even better a new title!

[mjkerr]

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Jul-05-02 AT 12:59PM (EDT)[/font][p][link:members.lycos.co.uk/virtualairlines|Virtual Airlines Managers website]

To prevent access by the REAL-world airlines and any chance of future legal issues, you MUST register to obtain access.

Please feel free to submit your own downloads, ideal for those concerned about bandwidth issues...

[mjkerr]

Due to the rapid expansion and demands of my own Virtual Airline, this website is now closed.
Many thanks to all those who visited.

[747lvr]

DARN! Thats to bad that you had to close it. I was just going to go there. It would really help with my VA that I am starting. I dont know much about starting a VA and I could have used some tips. Oh well.

[mjkerr]

Ask away, what would you like to know?
I've been involved in VAs since 1998, everything from being a pilot to Director, both fictitious and real-world.

[747lvr]

I cant think of any specific questions right now, I just thought it would be nice to have somebody to consult when something went wrong, or something like that.

[747lvr]

Well, do you have any specific tips on starting my VA? Right now I am making a time table, if you want, i could send it to you when I am done and you can give me tips on what to change.

[mjkerr]

1.
Webspace :
This is your portal and access point between yourself/management and your members. Take time to test different webhosts, and make sure they can cope with expansion and demands over time.

2.
Web Address :
Otherwise known as the URL, you can decide whether to use something easy to remember (beware of "passing off" if you are based on a real-world airline).
Try to avoid anything too long (example http://www.mywebiste.isp-provider.com).

3.
Cost :
You might not think about this too much, but from your decisions from above there "may" be some costs involved. If you have decided to use a TLD (.com, etc.) then you WILL have costs, and you simply wish to meet these yourself. Beware though, if you place adverts, paid banners, etc. on your website (not placed by a free webhost) then you will considered as a commercial website (ie non-personal) and again, the real-world airlines "may" consider that as passing off. They have been known to pursue for outrageous use of terms and phrases "even the use of the word "Airline"!).

4.
Microsoft :
Provide a reciprocal link to Microsoft Flight Sim website, as the majority of your visitors have purchased this product. Also include a disclaimer absolving yourself of any failure due to use of this product (and any other MS products).

5.
Real-world or fictitious :
Only you can decide what direction your VA takes. Fictitious VAs are relatively safe from "passing off" as a commercial concern.
However, if you plan to base your VA on a real-world Airline, then make sure you cannot be accused of "passing off", or any other such copyright breaches. The real-world airline can demand you desist at any time, but they will normally find your website within 6 months!


The next steps...

There are loads of ways to advertise your VA. However, I found search engines, etc. to be less than efficient and I have found most new applicants actually come from Flightsim.com, AvSim.com, VATSIM and IVAO. My last VA had over 200 links, of which only about 20 provided regular new members. You may also want to restrict the impact your "real-world" VA has, making it more difficult the Airline concerned to find you!
As an example, my VA is based on "easyJet", but by viewing the website there is very little linking it with the real-world Airline. Furthermore there is a very comprehensive Application Form so that members and visitors understand it IS a Virtual Airline, and ultimately if "easyJet" do gain access to the website I will have their details on record (they would then have gained access to the website by providing false/misleading information!).

eMail/contact.
Due to the large amount of malicious codes, you may also want to remove this risk. This requires the use of eMail forms. You can also send outgoing "anonymous" eMails, but use these wisely.
eMail forms are great when you want members to send "standard" forms/reports or requests for changes to their membership, etc.


Hope that gets you started and thinking on your next step.

[BenB]

I'm considering making a VA too, thanks for your post.

Do you have any tipss about making the schdule? Plus choosing aircraft, and more of the like (For not real-airline).

Thanks again

[mjkerr]

Making a schedule from scratch, is quite easy, but it depends on how realistic you want it to be!
You could easily create a fictitious schedule, but in reality find the turnaround times would not work. The best way is to create a spreadsheet with days along the top (Monday to Sunday) and then numbers down the side.
Your first aircraft would then start from A at time xx:xx and then arrive at B at time xx:xx. You then allow time for unloading/loading/refuelling. And then continuing to work down place a depaerture time from B and an arrival time either back at A, or another destination, and so on...
When that day is used up, the aircraft then starts its next diagram for the next day.

Once you have done this for all your aircraft, you can then work out the timetable, between A and B, and any other routes.
For example (times are fictitious),
06:00 LTN - AMS 07:05
07:35 AMS - LTN 07:50
08:15 LTN - GLA 09:30
10:10 GLA - LTN 10:30
11:00 LTN - AMS 12:05
12:30 AMS - LTN 12:45
and so on...
This leads to,
LTN - AMS departures of 06:00, 11:00
AMS - LTN departures of 07:35, 12:30
LTN - GLA departure of 08:15
GLA - LTN departure of 10:10

Once other aircraft diagrams are added the timetable will then be very realistic AND operationally possible.

As for aircraft choice, that depends on the rou