Virtual Airlines of Ukraine (VAU) simulates in VATSIM and IVAO environments operation of real Ukrainian airlines. Route network and Schedule based on real world network and schedules of Ukrainian airlines.

Airlines Fleet consists of airliners used by real airlines and includes Airbus A320 and A321, Boeing B737 Classic, B737NG and B767, Embraer E145 and E190, some other airliners.

Virtual Airlines of Ukraine system provides sufficient information to perform flights within VATSIM and IVAO network. We are not asking pilot to know aircraft documentation in details, aerodynamics, navigation, meteorology and all other necessary stuff. Each individual have his own understanding to fly "as real as it gets" and there are a lot of available information for self education through internet. We appreciate our pilots to know aircraft, local procedures and all basic information necessary to perform professional and safe online flights.

Virtual Airlines of Ukraine is open for all pilots!

• System Description
• Call Sign
• Booking and Flying
• Regular Schedule
• Routes
• Flight Plan
• Dispatch
• Pilot and Plane Location
• Weather

System Description

Virtual Airlines of Ukraine (VAU) emulates online operations of Ukrainian airlines in VATSIM and IVAO environments. Pilots, having proper permissions, could fly any regular flight on behalf of any airlines. Special subdivision Challenge Aero was created especially for private charter flights.

Own Software designed to simplify the process of preflight preparation by providing the following services to the pilot:

• Flight route calculation including Flight Plan according to latest AIRAC
• Fuel calculation for each scheduled flight for major aircraft types
• Automatic booking of flight into VATSIM
• Actual charts and weather information (METAR, TAF) for departure and destination airports

Upon completion of flight, the pilot get detailed information about the flight on Google Maps.

Required Software to fly with Virtual Airlines of Ukraine:

• Microsoft FS2004 or Microsoft FSX (X-Plane is partially supported)
• Registered version of FSUIPC (XPUIPC for X-Plane)
• vPilot, FSInn or SquawkBox for VATSIM flights (IvAp for IVAO)
• Flight Data recorder Soyuz FDR

The basic sources of data for flight system are VATSIM or IVAO statistics and network client. The client utility (Soyuz FDR) is designed to transmit to the website more detailed information about the flight.

Call Sign

When performing scheduled and charter flights specified in the airline schedules pilot shall use a call sign corresponding to the Flight Number (for example, AUI101, WRC243, UDN505).

Flying online with the pilot’s personal call sign (for example, UKR7188) allowed for group flights or fly-ins as well as when it is not possible to use Flight Number call sign (call sign is in use by another pilot in network).

Booking and Flying

The booking is performed on the VAU website. A pilot selects an available scheduled flight, specifies some flight parameters and confirms the booking. The flight is registered in EUROBOOK and Flight Plan could be registered in VATSIM.

The pilot could book the flight in 24 hours prior to departure. But VATSIM keeps Flight Plan two hours only and, because of this, Flight Plan could be registered in 2 hours prior to departure. The airplane and the flight stay booked during 30 minutes after planned departure. But if the flight is not started by this moment, the booking is canceled.

IVAO pilots file the Flight Plan in IvAp client.

To perform the flight it is necessary to start Flight Simulator and Soyuz FDR, login to VATSIM (via vPilot, FSInn or SqawkBox) or to IVAO (via IvAp) with proper callsign, check the Flight Plan (if it was registered in VATSIM) or create a new one. VATSIM renews its statistic every two minutes (IVAO statistics renews every five minutes), so it could take a couple of minutes to confirm the flight in VAU system. It is recommended to make sure that the flight is accepted by VAU system before engine start, but it is possible by take-off.

If during the flight Internet connection is lost (or Soyuz FDR is off) longer of 20-30 minutes, the flight is cancelled.

The flight is considered as completed, if the pilot entered VAU system before take-off, was airborne, covered 5 nm or more, landed, speed reduced below 20 knots, engines were off. Only online flights are registered by VAU system.

It is prohibited to change time rate during the flight. In this case the flight is ignored and will not be included to statistic.

Regular Schedule

Regular flights schedule based on real airlines schedule. Recommended commercial loading and number of passengers are generated daily for each flight considering that weight of passenger is equal to 190 lbs with carry-on baggage plus 40 lbs of luggage independent of aircraft type or cabin class.

Departure and arrival time, length of route are supplemental information and could be specified during flight planning. On each flight could be assigned one or more types of aircraft by ICAO code. The pilot could choose any aircraft from available.

The company could include charters in common schedule, but these charters system treats as regular flights.

Routes

Recommended routes for regular flights are checked by administration and validated by current AIRAC. During flight planning system suggests a recommended route and flight level, however the pilot could enter own parameters.

Flight Plan

To provide normal work of the VA system, it is necessary to put aircraft tail number in Remarks field of a Flight Plan in standard format REG/URDME (without hyphen). It is strictly recommended to use flight number as a callsign. In case if callsign is not corresponding to flight number, it should be included to Remarks in special format RTE=PS101.

Dispatch

Dispatch check route in accordance with current AIRAC and perform simplified fuel planning for some aircraft types. The total fuel quantity required to fly is the sum of the following quantities:

• TAXI: quantity required for startup and taxi, including APU fuel within 15 min
• TRIP: fuel required from departure to destination including takeoff and climb on selected speed, cruise on selected speed, descend from cruising level to altitude 1500 ft, approach and landing
• ALTERNATE: fuel required to fly from destination to alternate airport. It includes go-around, climb to cruising level, cruise at long range speed, descend and approach procedure (minimal distance to alternate 200 nm)
• HOLD: fuel for 30-min holding at 1500 feet
• RESERVE: contingency fuel (5% from a trip fuel)

Pilot and Plane Location

The system keeps the last landing airport as locations of pilots and planes. The company could allow flights of pilots and planes from current location only, or set more flexible rules.

Weather

The VA system registers weather conditions during take-off and landing: intensity of perceptions (by five-point scale), lateral component of wind, horizontal visibility. The weather conditions are treated as complicated if intensity of perceptions is higher of 3 points, or lateral component is 10-20 knots, or horizontal visibility is lower 1,1 nm.

Minimal horizontal visibility for last six months stated as RVR (runway visual range) for each pilot.

Flight Data Recorder is used for analyzing air safety issues.

For each aircraft type next operational parameters are defined and controlled:

• Maximum landing gear extended and retracted speed
• Maximum flaps extended speed
• Pitch limit during take off and landing
• Maximum landing weight

This parameters are published on aircraft page in "Limitation" part and on Dispatch page when flight is booked.

For all aircraft types next parameters are controlled:

• Overspeed (detected by simulator)
• Stall (detected by simulator)
• Vertical speed at touchdown. The landing treated as:
  • hard - if vertical speed is above 340 fpm.
  • accident - if vertical speed is above 700 fpm 
  • crash - if vertical speed is above 1600 fpm
• Bank limits at low altitude. Banks are limited to:
  • 20° below 400 ft
  • 10° below 100 ft
• Vertical speed limits on descend. Vertical speed is limited to:
  • 2000 fpm below 2000 ft
  • 1500 fpm below 1000 ft
  • 1300 fpm below 400 ft
• Unsafe terrain clearance - below 400 ft with retracted flaps and gear
• Landing on nose gear (negative pitch at touchdown)

  Trainee

Pilots without experience in VATSIM or IVAO network could be ranked as Trainee with some probation period. However, the better way is to start with Challenge Aero.

  First Officer

As a rule, all new pilot get First Officer rank and could fly regular domestic flights on some aircraft of Ukrainian Aviation Group. First Officer should make at least 10 flights without rude mistakes before apply for higher rank and clearances. The pilot could contact VAU management via forum or "Contact Us" form.

  Captain

To get Captain rank the pilot has to pass online practical test to prove his knowledge and skills within VATSIM Online Pilot rating requirements. Depending on test results Сaptain could get limited clearance for international flight (Ukraine and CIS) or unlimited.

Captain's shoulder strap depends on flight hours: above 500h, 1000h, 1500h or 2000h