Delta Virtual Airlines Water Cooler | Airline Operations |
Request For Comments: ACARS Usage and Promotion |
DVA043
Senior Captain, MD-11
OLP
Joined on June 10 2001
Event Half Century Club
Online Double Century Club
50 State Club
DVA Twenty-Year Anniversary
Everett 1500 Club
Bi-Millennium Club
Four Million Mile Club
"Col. Panic" Marietta, GA
2,241 legs, 8,967.3 hours
240 legs,
553.9 hours online 1,899 legs,
7,760.4 hours ACARS 75 legs,
196.3 hours event 2,277 legs, 9,102.2 hours total 91 legs dispatched, 66.4
hours
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Posted onPost created on
September 02 2006 12:38 ET by Luke Kolin
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As you're all aware by now, Delta Virtual Airlines and Aviation Francais Virtuel are somewhat different when it comes to promotions. We don't reward the pure logging of hours; we place a lot of priority on examinations and the ACARS check ride. We have the capability of determining wether you have the ability to fly the aircraft, instead of some other metric that is merely a proxy for that ability.
It's for this reason that we don't place a huge premium on verifying flights. We can operate based on trust because to be honest, if you submit a bogus Flight Report, there's no advantage to doing so. I strongly believe that the best way to ensure integrity in the filing process is to eliminate the incentives for doing anything different, and we've managed to do so in almost all areas except one.
There is still one area where we still do reward quantity, and that's the 10 legs required to become eligible to be promoted to Captain in an equipment program. I would therefore like to raise the notion of requiring ACARS usage for those 10 flights. Flights not logged using ACARS could still be approved, but they would not be count towards the legs required to promotion to Captain. I'd like to hear your thoughts on this matter, and wether it would work for you. If it wouldn't, I am certainly quite interested in your suggestions for how we can make it work, or achieve a similar result.
This is something I've been considering for a while, and we recently passed a few milestons that make me more comfortable requiring ACARS usage in more places. In the past two months, we've had over 5,000 successful ACARS flight reports filed, and just last month ACARS usage was a touch under 60% of all Flight Reports. You're going to need to use ACARS anyways in order to do Check Rides and get promoted, so I'd like to expand things just a bit more to clean up the system. There are no plans, and never have been, to require ACARS usage 100% across the board.
Cheers!
Luke KolinSenior Captain, MD-11
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DVA2855
Captain, MD-11
Joined on January 29 2006
Online Double Century Club
Long Beach Century Club
Quatercentenary Club
DVA Fifteen-Year Anniversary
"Cleared to Land, Delta 2855 Heavy!!!" Glenville, WV
467 legs, 1,453.6 hours
431 legs,
1,349.6 hours online 414 legs,
1,306.4 hours ACARS 10 legs,
40.7 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
September 02 2006 12:41 ET by Michael Holmes
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I totally agree Luke with this suggestion! It's so much easier anyways to just input before you fly and at the end just hit end flight and submit the pirep. I don't know what is so difficult about that lol.
Cheers!
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DVA2482
Chief Pilot, B777-200
Joined on July 16 2005
Online Double Century Club
50 State Club
Flying Colonel
Globetrotter
DVA Fifteen-Year Anniversary
Everett Millennium Club
Six Million Mile Club
"Master of Gravity" Boston, MA USA
1,906 legs, 11,953.0 hours
228 legs,
1,400.0 hours online 1,749 legs,
11,082.8 hours ACARS 7 legs,
57.1 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
September 02 2006 12:42 ET by Oliver McRae
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I agree whole heartedly, as you stated you will need ACARS to do the checkride so requiring it for the 10 flights for Captain i imagine would not stir any ill feelings. ACARS has become a very stable platform in recent times and i fully encourage its usage in all areas of PIREPing for our VA. I hope we get enough support on this that it may be implemented.
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DVA1933
Senior Captain, B727-200
Joined on September 19 2004
Triple Century Club
Monterrey, NL Mexico
357 legs, 860.4 hours
72 legs,
132.3 hours online 255 legs,
668.3 hours ACARS 1 legs,
1.9 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
September 02 2006 13:04 ET by David Eugenio Gomez
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I agree as well! Oliver is right, ACARS is a very reliable program which should be fully taken advantage of.
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DVA2569
Senior Captain, B757-200
Joined on September 12 2005
B757 100 Club
50 State Club
Everett 1500 Club
DVA Fifteen-Year Anniversary
Two Million Mile Club
Bi-Millennium Club
Midwestern United States
2,160 legs, 5,214.0 hours
77 legs,
140.5 hours online 2,112 legs,
5,093.5 hours ACARS 2 legs,
3.1 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
September 02 2006 14:03 ET by Manuel Hernandez
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I like the idea of requiring the ten flights to promote to Captain to be logged on ACARS. I think ACARS is another great perk of this airline. Why not utilize it.
Manuel HernandezSenior Captain, B757-200
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DVA2370
Senior Captain, B737-800
OLP, COMM, VFRADV
Joined on May 26 2005
Online Triple Century Club
Commuter Conquest
Six Century Club
Stage 1 Prop Triple Century Club
50 State Club
US Coastal Club
DVA Fifteen-Year Anniversary
Flagler Beach, FL USA
675 legs, 726.8 hours
319 legs,
311.4 hours online 179 legs,
146.1 hours ACARS 1 legs,
1.6 hours event 0 legs dispatched, 4.0
hours
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Posted onPost created on
September 02 2006 14:12 ET by Scott Clarke
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Here is my 2 cents worth....Do It... We already use it in the flight academy for two cross country flights verification and will be doing it again soon in the commercial and also in the instrument course...A great teaching tool and an easy way to regroup when knocked off line and also to file a correct Pirep.....Great job Luke
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DVA3355
Senior Captain, B777-200
Joined on July 19 2006
Online Century Club
Flying Colonel
Everett 1500 Club
Four Million Mile Club
DVA Fifteen-Year Anniversary
"guiding you home..." Denver, CO USA
1,959 legs, 8,711.6 hours
181 legs,
715.0 hours online 1,891 legs,
8,382.8 hours ACARS 18 legs,
67.1 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
September 02 2006 14:47 ET by Daniel Hodnik
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Since I came to DVA and began using ACARS, I simply do not want to go back to other means of logging hours etc. It is easy, it works, and I will continue to use - mandatory not.
dan h
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DVA734
Senior Captain, B767-300
Joined on July 26 2002
Online Century Club
Everett 500 Club
DVA Twenty-Year Anniversary
Million Mile Club
Millennium Club
Miami, FL USA
1,007 legs, 2,680.4 hours
172 legs,
490.3 hours online 970 legs,
2,604.7 hours ACARS 5 legs,
11.6 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
September 02 2006 15:13 ET by Luis Rivera
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Luke, in my honest opinion, ACARS should be used for the 10 flights and the checkride. I have been using it and it's a great tool. It will serve not only for the review of the flight but also for the pilot to see how well he performed all the different task.
Cheers
Luis RiveraSenior Captain, B767-300
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DVA544
Senior Captain, B727-200
Joined on October 24 2001
Online Century Club
Triple Century Club
Southeastern United States
329 legs, 661.4 hours
186 legs,
368.2 hours online 47 legs,
90.0 hours ACARS 7 legs,
22.1 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
September 02 2006 15:27 ET by Joe DeGregorio
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OK,heres a question...concerning FSUIPC and ACARS...I am aware that there are some pilots here that do not have a registered version of FSUIPC,therefore, the questions is,will ACARS work without and unregistered version of FSUIPC?
If not,then that would hamper the members here who want to advance but are not able to register/buy FSUIPC for one reason or another.
If ACARS will work with out FSUIPC being registered,then by all means lets move forward,if it wont,then I think it would be best to abstain form this move,until a workaround can found and implemented.
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DVA2054
Senior Captain, B767-300
Joined on December 15 2004
Online Century Club
Double Century Club
Northeastern United States
299 legs, 1,116.9 hours
194 legs,
651.8 hours online 217 legs,
791.1 hours ACARS 14 legs,
48.5 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
September 02 2006 15:30 ET by Andrew Dalrymple
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I agree Luke, I've used ACARs exclusively now for over a year with little to no issues. Its such a habbit to hit my clock timer and then Start flight on ACARs before pushback. I would strongly suggest that the 10 flight for promotion be ACARs only.
Cheers,
Andrew
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DVA2448
Senior Captain, MD-11
OLP
Joined on July 05 2005
Online Century Club
50 State Club
Triple Century Club
DVA Fifteen-Year Anniversary
Everett Century Club
Spring Lake, MI
343 legs, 971.5 hours
173 legs,
431.4 hours online 300 legs,
812.3 hours ACARS 7 legs,
36.1 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
September 02 2006 18:06 ET by Tim Fox
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I agree, as it is simply a matter of using what is already required for checkrides. After the ten, then a person is free to do as they will.
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DVA043
Senior Captain, MD-11
OLP
Joined on June 10 2001
Event Half Century Club
Online Double Century Club
50 State Club
DVA Twenty-Year Anniversary
Everett 1500 Club
Bi-Millennium Club
Four Million Mile Club
"Col. Panic" Marietta, GA
2,241 legs, 8,967.3 hours
240 legs,
553.9 hours online 1,899 legs,
7,760.4 hours ACARS 75 legs,
196.3 hours event 2,277 legs, 9,102.2 hours total 91 legs dispatched, 66.4
hours
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Posted onPost created on
September 02 2006 18:38 ET by Luke Kolin
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Joe, you can rest assured that no part of ACARS requires a registered copy of FSUIPC. Pete has graciously provided DVA and AFV with our own FSUIPC keys for ACARS, and the ACARS gauge has also received a free key.
More broadly speaking, this is one area that I believe strongly in and I've tried to enforce this in all aspects of our technology. We do support payware and commercial software, but operating on free software is the base minimum we must support, both for our users and our developers. DVA2006 runs on entirely free software and was developed entirely using free IDEs. The only software that does not fall into this category is ACARS, but ACARS 2.0 will be developed on the Express Editions of Visual C# which are free to download and use.
Cheers!
Luke KolinSenior Captain, MD-11
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DVA2253
Senior Captain, DC-8-61
COMM
Joined on April 01 2005
Everett 250 Club
Online Century Club
Eight Century Club
DVA Ten-Year Anniversary
"I'd rather be flying!" Church Hill, TN USA
862 legs, 1,344.5 hours
108 legs,
165.2 hours online 299 legs,
485.1 hours ACARS
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Posted onPost created on
September 03 2006 00:18 ET by George Lewis
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I believe Visual C# is free to download for 1 year from last year's release - not sure what will happen after that. However I think anyone who would be developing on Visual C# probably would already own it anyways.
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DVA1562
Senior Captain, DC-6
OLP
Joined on March 06 2004
50 State Club
Globetrotter
Everett 500 Club
DVA Fleet Master
US Mountaineer Club
US Coastal Club
Bi-Millennium Club
DVA Twenty-Year Anniversary
Three Million Mile Club
"Semper Paratus" Yellowstone National Park, WY
2,790 legs, 7,593.9 hours
81 legs,
119.2 hours online 2,573 legs,
6,706.1 hours ACARS
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Posted onPost created on
September 03 2006 11:23 ET by Tim Knight
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Luke, I agree.
Use ACARS for promotions and flight checks. If it would ever require paying to register something then my answer would be no.
I do not have a registered version of FSUIPC and have not had any problems with ACARS, other then the usual that I think we all seem to have.
I use ACARS for most of my flights just for the ease of logging, etc. And I get a chance to go back and evaluate the flight myself. Have jt downloaded your latest version and am looking at giving it a spin soon.
Regards.....
Tim KnightSenior Captain, DC-6
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DVA2944
Captain, B737-800
OLP
Joined on March 03 2006
50 State Club
Everett 500 Club
DVA Fifteen-Year Anniversary
Online Six Century Club
Eight Century Club
Western United States
836 legs, 1,496.1 hours
647 legs,
1,134.3 hours online 773 legs,
1,371.8 hours ACARS 3 legs,
5.9 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
September 03 2006 19:45 ET by Manuel Manigault
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I agree with the ACARS requirement.
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DVA3269
Captain, B757-200
Joined on June 25 2006
"What could possibly go wrong?" Southeastern United States
76 legs, 135.4 hours
54 legs,
99.3 hours online 35 legs,
69.0 hours ACARS 7 legs,
18.7 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
September 03 2006 20:41 ET by William Jerla
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Luke,
I agree with this requirement, especially as we go into the next generation of the ACARS client. With things like gauge integration, I believe that ACARS is becoming even easier to use, and more useful at the same time.
Maybe, as far as ratings go, rather than have a "minimum number of flights" requirement, you could require the submission of an ACARS logged flight every so often. For example, say I'm rated in the B737, B757, and B777. If I wanted to keep those ratings, I would have to submit an ACARS logged flight (that was up to checkride standards - no abnormal flight conditions, and a certain minimum length) in each type every so often (like 3 months or so). If I lost a rating because I failed to keep current, I could no longer log flights in that type until I did another checkride. Of course, you could never lose all your ratings -- I hired in as a B737 pilot, so that rating would always be there (and whatever other ratings I had when I initially hired in). This would discourage people from just going out and getting rated in every type possible for the heck of it, and make it so that you actually had to fly the aircraft to stay current. Also, when I say type rating, I really mean program rating. I could submit an ACARS flight in an A320 to stay current in the B737 program, for example. And of course, you could automatically send an email when you're 2 weeks away from losing currency in a type.
Anyway, just my two cents. I believe something along these lines is probably closer to reality, and still pretty flexible. It might require some new programming on the server end, or maybe another admin position in the larger equipment programs, but it's still doable, I believe.
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DVA2728
Captain, MD-11
E-MAIL
Joined on December 04 2005
Triple Century Club
Online Triple Century Club
DVA Fifteen-Year Anniversary
Tri-Jet Double Centruy CLub
Million Mile Club
"Exceeding the standard." March Air Reserve Base, CA
343 legs, 2,038.9 hours
317 legs,
1,833.0 hours online 292 legs,
1,778.6 hours ACARS 6 legs,
27.9 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
September 03 2006 21:13 ET by Shane Olguin
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Whatever forces people to conform, I'm all for. I say 100% use ACARS for everything.
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DVA2887
Senior Captain, A320
OLP, 737-ATP, VFRADV E-MAIL
Joined on January 30 2006
50 State Club
Globetrotter
Tri-Jet Triumph
US Coastal Club
Millennium Club
DVA Fifteen-Year Anniversary
US Mountaineer Club
Toulouse 250 Club
Online Eight Century
Charlotte, NC
1,252 legs, 1,761.1 hours
814 legs,
1,022.2 hours online 1,234 legs,
1,739.1 hours ACARS 31 legs,
49.6 hours event 3 legs dispatched, 2.5
hours
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Posted onPost created on
September 04 2006 12:43 ET by Andrew Vane
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Luke,
I'm all for the ACARS requirement to achieve CR's too. Keeps everyone honest too.
Andrew VaneSenior Captain, A320
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DVA1340
Captain, B737-800
Joined on September 29 2003
Fresno, CA USA
57 legs, 96.2 hours
26 legs,
38.7 hours ACARS
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Posted onPost created on
September 04 2006 13:22 ET by Bill Absher
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Truthfully, I can't see flying without ACARS anymore. It sure does save a lot of time figuring fuel consumption, times, and other things needed for a PIREP.
Even at another VA where there is no provision for ACARS, I still run it in private flight mode and just type in the data on my PIREP. Surely makes my life MUCH easier.
Bill AbsherCaptain, B737-800
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DVA3266
Captain, L-1011-100
Joined on June 23 2006
Century Club
"Stupid Hurts!" Newport News, VA USA
103 legs, 161.4 hours
62 legs,
102.2 hours online 90 legs,
143.4 hours ACARS 1 legs,
1.3 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
September 04 2006 16:52 ET by Steven Jones
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Yes, use ACARS for the 10 flights, CR's, even all flights! Great program that all should be required to use all of the time!
I admit that I was hesitant at first, now I will not fly without it. Luke, this is an awesome program!
Steven JonesCaptain, L-1011-100
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DVA1427
Senior Captain, MD-11
OLP
Joined on December 14 2003
Online Double Century Club
50 State Club
Tri-Jet Triumph
Globetrotter
Moose Club
US Capital Club
Everett 250 Club
Quincentenary Club
DVA Twenty-Year Anniversary
"Livin' in the Dog Pound!" Kannapolis, NC
558 legs, 1,984.3 hours
250 legs,
611.8 hours online 384 legs,
1,530.5 hours ACARS 38 legs,
82.7 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
September 04 2006 17:57 ET by Lewis Gregory
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I'm down with it. Let's start using it for promotion eligibility as well.
Lewis GregorySenior Captain, MD-11
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DVA2380
Captain, MD-88
Joined on June 06 2005
Century Club
Online Century Club
50 State Club
DVA Fifteen-Year Anniversary
"Go DAWGS!!!" Franklin, KY USA
176 legs, 301.6 hours
123 legs,
215.0 hours online 128 legs,
219.7 hours ACARS 3 legs,
10.2 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
September 05 2006 14:17 ET by Matt Douglas
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Another great idea, once you start using, its like crack, hard to stop.
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DVA2784
Senior Captain, B777-200
OLP, COMM, 737-ATP
Joined on January 01 2006
50 State Club
Globetrotter
Online Double Century Club
Quad-Jet Quartermaster
US Mountaineer Club
Everett 1500 Club
Bi-Millennium Club
US Coastal Club
DVA Fifteen-Year Anniversary
Four Million Mile Club
"The PAST...learn from it or repeat it." Highland Home, AL USA
2,297 legs, 9,670.9 hours
243 legs,
873.7 hours online 2,024 legs,
8,459.1 hours ACARS 22 legs,
51.7 hours event 0 legs dispatched, 0.5
hours
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Posted onPost created on
September 05 2006 16:11 ET by Rob Morgan
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This has my full support. I use ACARS to the max extent possible anyway.
Rob MorganSenior Captain, B777-200
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DVA2192
Senior Captain, A320
OLP
Joined on March 14 2005
50 State Club
Million Mile Club
Flying Colonel
Online Fifteen Century
DVA Fifteen-Year Anniversary
Long Beach 500 Club
Attleboro, MA USA
1,703 legs, 3,149.7 hours
1,635 legs,
2,989.8 hours online 1,667 legs,
3,076.4 hours ACARS 3 legs,
5.5 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
September 05 2006 16:28 ET by Richard Walsh
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ACARS lured me to DVA. It is the model for any VA. Everybody should be using it. I mean why wouldn't you? It keeps all needed info for pireps. When you flight is done, you click 2 buttons. It has other features, but just for the pirep filing,makes it worth it. One of the cool features is playing with the Live ACARS map when I am flying. This ACARS system is something DVA should be very proud of (I know Luke and others are) but all pilots should be too and use it.
Richard WalshSenior Captain, A320
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DVA3419
Captain, MD-88
Joined on July 31 2006
DVA Fifteen-Year Anniversary
"Propellers keep you kewl!" Newark, DE
67 legs, 89.6 hours
61 legs,
82.8 hours ACARS
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Posted onPost created on
September 05 2006 16:29 ET by Norm Hare
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Personally, I haven't been around long enough to agree either way, but if you are going to make someone use it for promotion purposes, you might as well make it a rule for all flights. No ACARS...no PIREP. It will free up those who volunteer their time to do other more important things.
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DVA2570
Senior Captain, B727-200
COMM
Joined on September 10 2005
Online Double Century Club
Everett 500 Club
50 State Club
Globetrotter
Million Mile Club
Millennium Club
US Coastal Club
US Mountaineer Club
DVA Fifteen-Year Anniversary
Mesa, AZ
1,242 legs, 3,308.9 hours
296 legs,
407.9 hours online 1,173 legs,
3,173.3 hours ACARS
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Posted onPost created on
September 05 2006 17:02 ET by Jim Pray
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I could not agree more with the use of ACARS. I can't imgaine flying without it. Go for it Luke.
Jim
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DVA1267
Senior Captain, B777-200
Joined on July 09 2003
Triple Century Club
"Tactless, Understood, Right" Colorado Springs, CO USA
368 legs, 1,943.8 hours
47 legs,
192.9 hours online 54 legs,
217.2 hours ACARS
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Posted onPost created on
September 05 2006 17:32 ET by Matt Reamy
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I think you're definitely on the right track, Luke. ACARS, as it's evolved, should be a requirement to filing flights. I'm aware of the reasons that it's as yet not required, but I'd say we should start looking at that in the near future.
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DVA3368
Captain, B767-300
Joined on July 23 2006
Moore, SC USA
63 legs, 158.3 hours
55 legs,
138.8 hours online 55 legs,
126.0 hours ACARS 11 legs,
38.8 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
September 05 2006 17:43 ET by Sean Owens
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I agree with you Luke. I have just started flying with you in the past month and use ACARs and find easy to use. I would go ahead require it for the 10 flights needed for being promoted to Captain.
Sean OwensCaptain, B767-300
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DVA043
Senior Captain, MD-11
OLP
Joined on June 10 2001
Event Half Century Club
Online Double Century Club
50 State Club
DVA Twenty-Year Anniversary
Everett 1500 Club
Bi-Millennium Club
Four Million Mile Club
"Col. Panic" Marietta, GA
2,241 legs, 8,967.3 hours
240 legs,
553.9 hours online 1,899 legs,
7,760.4 hours ACARS 75 legs,
196.3 hours event 2,277 legs, 9,102.2 hours total 91 legs dispatched, 66.4
hours
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Posted onPost created on
September 05 2006 18:40 ET by Luke Kolin
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Thanks everyone for your comments. I'm going to bring this up with the staff to determine how best to proceed. This is probably going to be an incremental thing, to ensure it's done right.
Cheers!
Luke KolinSenior Captain, MD-11
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DVA2626
Senior Captain, MD-11
Joined on October 16 2005
Triple Century Club
"Knowledge Is Power" Atlanta, GA USA
328 legs, 841.9 hours
324 legs,
833.9 hours ACARS
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Posted onPost created on
September 05 2006 18:45 ET by Brian Braden
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I dont have registered copy of FSUIPC and it works for me as Luke stated.and as others have stated its verry easy to use.i have allso noticed many VAs useing FS ACARS i dont know how much diffrence there is between that program and what we have here at DVA but is dose keep pilots honest about there flight reports and i am 100% for its use.
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DVA630
Senior Captain, B777-200
Joined on June 22 2002
Million Mile Club
DVA Twenty-Year Anniversary
Eight Century Club
Online Seven Century Club
Everett 250 Club
B757 100 Club
"Flightsimaroma therapy." Bainbridge, PA
873 legs, 2,775.4 hours
783 legs,
2,429.4 hours online 487 legs,
1,454.8 hours ACARS 19 legs,
64.1 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
September 06 2006 21:45 ET by Kenneth Rodriguez
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While I agree with the concept of using ACARS for promotional purposes, I have not seen anyone here that does not use ACARS nor are there any rebuttals. The responses here are from most of you whom I know use ACARS such as myself for every flight that we complete. I would like to see a valid reason not to move forward with this concept, although you'd be hard pressed to find a legitemate reason to convince me that this is not a good idea. I side with Shane that were it my choice, I'd attempt to incrementally implement ACARS for ALL PiReps submitted. As Luke states, it maintains a certain level of integrity for the virtual airline. It also removes the possibility of any virtual pilots filing any false reports (Yeah, I know that sounds harsh but it is true).
In keeping with the trend to not only have fun but to educate our virtual aviators, I'd like to see certain criteria used in the ACARS environment that would decide ultimately if a pilot is actually ready to move to the left seat of the aircraft they are flying. So you not only get the written exam, your 10 flights to reach the Captains rank would serve as your practical exam.
I know that there are some that would disagree with this concept however it is another tool to enhance the experience of the pilot. Of course there are some that just want to fly for a Virtual Airline and have fun and not have to worry about criteria. There are plenty of Virtual Airlines out there that cater to such a group of individuals. The one thing that I pride myself on here at DVA is that we are a close community of persons that share a common interest in aviation and the ability to simulate the real world.
I say that we take a few steps even further.
Best Regards and sorry for the long post.
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DVA043
Senior Captain, MD-11
OLP
Joined on June 10 2001
Event Half Century Club
Online Double Century Club
50 State Club
DVA Twenty-Year Anniversary
Everett 1500 Club
Bi-Millennium Club
Four Million Mile Club
"Col. Panic" Marietta, GA
2,241 legs, 8,967.3 hours
240 legs,
553.9 hours online 1,899 legs,
7,760.4 hours ACARS 75 legs,
196.3 hours event 2,277 legs, 9,102.2 hours total 91 legs dispatched, 66.4
hours
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Posted onPost created on
September 06 2006 22:04 ET by Luke Kolin
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I have a very long horizon in terms of what I want DVA and AFV to be doing. Many of these ideas can take two or three years before they reach fruition, and I think expanding ACARS is one aspect of that.
The staff is currently discussing requiring ACARS usage for the 10 legs, based on the generally positive feedback from the membership. This is going to get rolled out on a per-equipment type basis, probably with the smaller types to start with and then expanding to the entire airline if all goes well. We currently use ACARS for Check Rides, which are already providing a basic test of airmanship.
One caution I would throw out is that I have been keenly aware of the need to balance challanges and standards, with the the fact that this is a recreational hobby. This is supposed to be something where although we are challenged and place goals in front of people, we never lose sight of the big picture. There are many members who take their flight simming far more seriously than I do. I don't begrudge them their passion and I want to give them a framework to engage it in, but at the same time that model doesn't fit everyone and I don't want to ignore those individuals.
In fact, the one regret I have about the new site is the "Greased Landings" page. To be honest, wether you touch down at -30 fpm or -300 doesn't tell me a darn thing about how good a pilot you are, or how "good" your flight was. At the end of a good event, we're going to remember the ATC challenges, the scenery and the camraderie instead of how close we were to spot-welding our fuselage into the runway. The secret of DVA is not that we have good pilots, it's that we have caring pilots who constantly seek to improve themselves, and help others.
Cheers!
Luke KolinSenior Captain, MD-11
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DVA3083
Captain, B757-200
Joined on February 14 2006
50 State Club
Quatercentenary Club
"Always striving for excellence!!" Augusta, GA
474 legs, 1,105.4 hours
67 legs,
193.8 hours online 274 legs,
509.8 hours ACARS
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Posted onPost created on
September 07 2006 00:27 ET by Chuck Mcdowell
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Luke, I agree with you 100% on the use of ACARS for the 10 flights required for promotion. I also think that ACARS use on all flights is a good idea.
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DVA2040
Senior Captain, B757-200
Joined on December 07 2004
Online Quintuple Century Club
Six Century Club
"Still goin'" Harrisburg, PA USA
634 legs, 1,543.7 hours
508 legs,
1,299.7 hours online 509 legs,
1,280.6 hours ACARS 33 legs,
91.1 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
September 07 2006 13:54 ET by Adam Seiferth
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Well, the responses here seem pretty unanimous. I think the 10 flights on ACARS for captain status should be required. I would not require ACARS for all filed flights. I would expect, with the additional ACARS requirements, more and more pilots would end up using it anyways. It is easier than filing manually, in my opinion. It is also, perhaps most importantly for me, a great way to help learn and evaluate flights. My two cents here after much has already been said on this topic.
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DVA1994
Captain, B737-800
Joined on October 30 2004
50 State Club
US Capital Club
DVA Fifteen-Year Anniversary
Six Century Club
Long Beach 250 Club
Online Triple Century Club
US Mountaineer Club
"Every Day Is A Gift" Concord, NH
682 legs, 1,551.2 hours
301 legs,
859.8 hours online 495 legs,
951.2 hours ACARS 28 legs,
93.7 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
September 09 2006 22:13 ET by Tom Burrill
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Much has been said here and I want to weigh in as I think it is important for all members to contribute to concepts or ideas that effect the airline.
Acars is a fantastic program and has improved imensely in a short period of time I am shooting to use it 100 per cent on the time if at al possible. The accuracy and information provided to the pilot is fantastic. Use in the promotionaly and rating process is invaluable I work with the trainning division of another VA who uses videos for initial promotion and entry. This method does work but is very time consuming with the only feed back to the pilot being a written review to the pilot by the examiner. It appears that the acars data can all be found with the flight information on this site. Keep expanding and refinning this process it will only improve the oepration.
Tom BurrillCaptain, B737-800
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