Virtual Air New Zealand

[ronindanbo]

Is anyone in this community from the real virtual Air New Zealand http://www.virtualairnz.org.nz/ Id love to know what you guys are up to etc? maybe you need me to provide up to date paints?

[Alex]

I was in there till lately. The website was scheduled to undergo an update; but has been delayed many, many times. It has changed very little since I first saw it about 5 years ago. Recently it has become more active as registrations have been enabled.

The fleet section is still very out of date, with many downloads not present and newer aircraft not shown (although you can actually fly flights with the newer aircraft). The last time I believe that was updated was circa 2005, with no entry on the Dash-8, 777, and only half the number of A320's shown (with a message saying something to the effect of "12 to be delivered by 2006"). Not all of the links in the menu take you to pages, some seem to have nothing attached, and have been for as long as I can remember. The fictional codeshare alliances are well out of date; the virtual codeshare partners' websites stopped working a long time ago, yet the links are still there (or at least were there when I left). And the member-side tools for finding flights are un-intuitive at best.

They have recently changed from using custom-made vANZ flight logging software to the FSAcars platform. There are more staff at the VA now, and it seems that some are active. There has also been a revamp of the ranking system (publicly visible if memory serves).

I left vANZ because I didn't have the time to fly regularly, and one can only fly so much in the Beech (~80 hours to be able to fly a larger aircraft) before they've had enough. Also, when changes do happen, they don't seem to be well tried out, and the few changes that have happened have not been remarkably smooth.

While I've been there (would have been roughly 1-1.5 years) I have seen many announcements proclaiming change, but very little actual change. The only notable things I can think of would be the appointment of about 5-6 new people to staff positions about 6 months ago, a new flight logging system FSAcars, and the change in ranking requirements; which was along the lines of adding new ranks (there used to be only about 4-5) and changing the system so that you only got access to one new aircraft per rank increase.

It was nice to be a member of a New Zealand VA, but the fact that it is a New Zealand VA is the only reason I would join it again. Otherwise I would say it is not up scratch; definately below-average (no offence to anyone from there; this is my honest opinion).

Alex

Edit: Oops, seem to have got the wrong message there. I thought you were asking about the VA. Well, this still stands anyway...

[Jimmy]

I don't think theres much more you could say about it. Thats a fair summary.

I am a member there, and have recently become involved as a training captain, the few things we have been asked to do, have gone nowhere that I can see, as a training captain there has been nothing I have been asked to do in the advancment of the airline for almost as long as I have been a training captain.

If your happy with the way it is now, then there wouldn't be any problems, but I wouldn't expect to much change, or to see changes that everyone agrees with. The new flight logging system is an improvment, as is the rank structuring. It is possible to have hours transfered frmo other airline you may have flown with, to get past the initial 80, otherwise I would not have had the time or paitence to do the 80.

It is prety good, I am happy there, as I am at the others I am with.

Thanks
James

[AlisterC]

Unfortunately vANZ had a Fleet Manager, but he must have dropped out so nothing got done. It was then up to the already overworked (bless his soul) HR manager to take over the Fleet page as well. He posted this at vanz:

After the postings and a couple of other investigations I have decided to recommend the following Aircraft for inclusion as the Officially Recommended Freeware Models:

Vincent/Eagle Beech B1900D - Mike Stone
Vincent Beech B1900C - Henry Tomkiewicz AI Model
Air National Jetstream J32 - HJG Model
Vincent Dash 8-100 - MS Default
Air Nelson Dash 8-Q300 - Premier Aircraft Design
Mt Cook ATR 72-500 - Sanchez Castenar
Air NZ Boeing 737-300 - Vistaliners
Air NZ Airbus A320 - Project Airbus
Air NZ Boeing 767-300 - Project Open Sky
Air NZ Boeing 777-200 - Meljet
Air NZ/Atlas Boeing 747-400 - Project Open Sky

Next stage is to revamp the fleet hanger pages to reflect these changes

This was on the 14th of November 2007.

So suffice to say Dan, you are the only NZ vistaliner paint I recommended your work highly, and put forward all the reasons we should be flying vistaliners at vanz (EXCELLENT repaints, fsx compatible, excellent model) so your repaints will hopefully be included in the fleet hanger, if and when it gets updated.

[ronindanbo]

sweet I might just have to paint the complete set then (which would be wise as I am using them for AI on my machine)

[ZK-MAT]

Alex, the ranking structure has changed a bit - probably after you left?

0 - 50 hours B1900 and Dash 8 100
50 - 80 hrs Dash 8 300
80 - 130 ATR

Regardless, there has always been a 80 hour apprenticeship in the droning turboprops. I actually liked the idea that I had to get through 'washing the dishes' before I could move on lol. Some like Jimmy transferred other VA hours over so missed out on the fun of regional hops!

Although the fleet planes are not updated due to the amount of planes out there (free and payware) I never found it an issue finding a plane to fly, in fact I don't think I flew many of the 'official' planes. I think the fleet manager did a bunk months ago ... he will probably pop up again ...

I haven't flown for vANZ for months, not due to anything about the VA, I just haven't had the time or inclination to fire up flight sim. We are in the summer months so traditionally things slow down till winter anyway (spending too much time outside to want to sit in front of the PC at the moment).

Dan, I would suggest you contact vANZ management and ask if you can assist mate.

[Alex]

Yea, I had clocked up about 45-50 hours in the Beech, but just lost enthusiasm...

Yea, it does look like they've taken the 80 down to 50 (happened just prior to my leaving ); you mean the ones on this page?

Alex

[deeknow]

QUOTE (Alex @ Jan 5 2008, 10:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It was nice to be a member of a New Zealand VA, but the fact that it is a New Zealand VA is the only reason I would join it again.

This was the main reason for me too after deliberating whether or not to dive into some VA action, plus I like the idea of putting about in turbo-props anyway.

As a total noobie in VA-land I found the FSACARS logging thing easy to use and the docs helpful. I did a leg in a B1900D from Hamilton to Nelson (I'm NZ192 by the way) which wasnt rejected when the log was posted so I guess that means I didnt *totally* #### up the flight. ;-)

Only thing I'm left wondering about is the life of the community in the VA, there arent many posts to the forum, but there are a few active pilots. So is it worth clocking up a few more flights do you reckon? Even just for the experience? I have an addictive personality so fear I may be logging more flights over time than I should

[Alex]

It's up to you really, what do you enjoy?

Alex

[chickenman]

I think Alex pretty much summed it up,

I'm the beleagured HR manager and things are rolling quite nicely at the moment and I'm just gearing up to fire some website work at a nice chappy that appears to have put his hand up - Hi Dino

If I had to put it out there I'm just doing too much and starting a new surveying business last year really put the brakes on the process as well as losing the Fleet Manager (Again! he'll show up again somewhere won't he Matt?). There is a game plan and things are moving along a lot better.

From within the VA I think there is one thing that really bugs me - Hour Punching. We have a number of pilots that rack up huge hours and haven't visited the forums in over two years! That's not a community if you ask me. As a part of the upgrade we have completely re-written the operations manual and you don't get a promotion for just getting the hours -you're going to have to earn it.Online involvement, forum activity, quality of flights & economy will be a part of the assesment criteria.

From within the management team there are rumblings about more online involvement - probably with VATSIM. Some guy was promoting IVAO a lot but we don't hear much from him anymore. What was his name again;)

As far as repaints go - yes! As you know most of the models in the list come with adequate Air NZ paintjobs but really need the following one:

IFLY 747-400.

There are probably a few others that need updating as well.

Alister sure put a big sales pitch in for vistaliner 737-300 - thought the boy was on comission for a sale or something!

I've been with VANZ since 2001, it got a bit static in 2005 so I bailed out to Britsh Airways Virtual. I came back in late 2006 to find nothing had changed. So I completely coded a new Airline (Virtual Ansett New Zealand) but never launched it, I threw my hat in the ring to update Virtual Airnz which was a much greater undertaking than anticipated. I just wanted to see a VA of the 'national carrier' running a hell of a lot better than it was.

Feel free to contact me about the Virtual Airline: hr at virtualairnz dot org dot nz

Jamie Marshall
NZ251 - Fleet Commander
Assistant CEO
HR Manager
Fleet Manager
ATR72 Training Captain
Beer Tester
Webmaster
Everything except the sodding tea lady (Is that still you Alister or Ian White?)
www.virtualairnz.org.nz

[AlisterC]

I guess since Ian was promoted to CEO, that leaves me with Tea Lady Jamie

NZ306 Fleet Commander Alister J Curnow
Virtual Air New Zealand B737-300 Training Captain ... and Tea Lady .... and Chief Tyre Kicker..

[Alex]

QUOTE (chickenman @ Jan 12 2008, 10:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Some guy was promoting IVAO a lot but we don't hear much from him anymore. What was his name again;)

Hahaha yes, I had time crunch down on me, so dropped a whole lot of attachments. IVAO and vANZ among them.

Alex

[Matthew]

QUOTE (Alex @ Jan 13 2008, 02:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hahaha yes, I had time crunch down on me, so dropped a whole lot of attachments. IVAO and vANZ among them.

Alex

I had the same problem NCEA Level Two tends to put a spanner in the works

Matt