On Tue, 2008-11-18 at 13:57 +1100, dave wrote: > I think that > if you need to have serious, "trying to fly as realistically as > possible" events, then go ahead and organise more of them and publish a > code of conduct for those attending. Who knows? you could have it as > often as weekly. Weekend flightschool/control tower practise anyone?
I'd like to pipe up on this topic as well. I fly for two Virtual Airlines - A small bush pilot outfit (http://pierglass.com) and the VUSN (http://vusn.org). The two groups could not be further apart in their organizations if you tried. PGA flies when, where, what, and how pretty much as we like - it's pure social with a heavy bent on writing up PIREPS (aka stories). It started out in the old days of Flight Unlimited I. The VUSN, on the other hand is about as organized and disciplined as it can get. Pilots request, get training in, and fly specific aircraft models. They earn their "Wings of Gold" and go to advanced training much of which focuses on formation flight and use of weapons and sensors. I have developed an add-on for MSFS (X-Plane and FG are in the works) That allows real-time simulated warfare which the VUSN is testing for me. Restricting FG to IVAO would certainly kill any prospect of using it (FG) as the VUSN flies on VATSIM. Indeed one of the problems I have with VATSIM is their insistence on a closed source interface with their network. They seem to believe that if the source is closed no one will interfere with their network. Believe me, a packet sniffer and a couple of hours later and I figured out their protocol. If security you want, closing the source won't give it to you. However, despite that, the VATSIM network is too slow for decent formation flight, so we use another product (free) IBNET which uses peer-to-peer. I am in the process of developing my own system because of server/latency issues. Now for the "kids". In the VUSN we get a lot of applicants. The first hurdle they must pass is the application. It is amazing how many people can not follow instructions even when the important parts are large font and red in color. Probably 95% of all would-be pilots do not make it through our TRACOM (Training Command). It's not hard to do - it just takes perseverance which, sadly, most folks just don't have. Most who want to join simply want to hop in an F/A-18 and take off and land on a carrier. We try to emulate the real world as best as possible, so they start out on the T-6 Texan II just as in the real world, though the training is considerably less. Heck you're not going to die if you splat a virtual plane. I have not tried to tie in my simulator with the IVAO because I have heard (rightly or wrongly) that they are even more restrictive than VATSIM. So tying FG to IVAO - or for that matter - any specific online flight community would be a mistake IMHO. Present several options. I have also heard that it is getting harder and harder to get controllers (at least on VATSIM) because the flight sim environment has become ho-hum since now it is pretty realistic and people lose interest in the mundane. So their viability is, perhaps, questionable. IVAO (and VATSIM) went through some pretty tough times a while back. Indeed I used to fly in IVAO but when they has serious problems I went to VATSIM where I found the VUSN and joined. There is room in the online world for all type of "kids" - those serious - and those not so - and they will sort themselves out. The serious - by the book ones will find an airline or military VA that fills their needs - just as the free spirits will find VAs that allow them to be part of a social group and do their thing. I would agree that if using a controller's service one should abide by aviation's rules of the road, but don't force FG into one online service or another. There's room for all. -- Geoff McLean McLean Research Associates Senior Pilot, PGA Commander, VUSN, CO Helicopter Composite Squadron-5 Author, Naval Engagement! and Underway! "To be good is not enough when you dream of being great." ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This SF.Net email is sponsored by the Moblin Your Move Developer's challenge Build the coolest Linux based applications with Moblin SDK & win great prizes Grand prize is a trip for two to an Open Source event anywhere in the world http://moblin-contest.org/redirect.php?banner_id=100&url=/ _______________________________________________ Flightgear-devel mailing list Flightgear-devel@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/flightgear-devel
