Delta Virtual Airlines Water Cooler

Delta Virtual Airlines Water Cooler | Airline Operations | DVA Goals?

DVA10286
Captain, B777-200

Joined on November 05 2011
50 State Club
Globetrotter
Toulouse 250 Club
DVA Ten-Year Anniversary
Millennium Club
Two Million Mile Club

"ASEL - Instrument Rated"
San Diego, CA

1,067 legs, 4,681.0 hours
1,064 legs, 4,678.0 hours ACARS
CURRENTLY LOGGED IN

Posted onPost created on April 16 2014 15:48 ET by Thomas Weber

It seems every few months the question of "how do you pick flights?" pops up in the Cooler (with a set of responses that generally fall into one [or more] of 3 categories: whatever I feel like, connected [or near-connected] logbook, real-time flight). Because of the wonderful flexibility of DVA in what routes and planes you can fly, this still frequently leaves hundreds of options of flights to choose from for any given flight.

I'm interested to hear more about DVAers' higher level goals (if you have them). We only have 2 accomplishments that aren't based only on number of flights (50 State Club and Globetrotter) and the Unvisted Airports list, so what else do you use pick flights, or general types of flights?

As an example, a few months ago I had the goal of flying all the the Boston (KBOS) city pairs (as I used to fly out of Logan weekly for work and was familiar with the airport).

Thomas Weber (DVA10286)

DVA9733
First Officer, B747-400

Joined on April 29 2011
Everett 250 Club
Online Six Century Club
DVA Ten-Year Anniversary
Eight Century Club

"Northwest 238, contact departure.... G'day!"
Minnetonka, MN USA

816 legs, 2,270.3 hours
663 legs, 1,835.4 hours online
752 legs, 2,071.4 hours ACARS
8 legs, 15.2 hours event

Posted onPost created on April 16 2014 16:10 ET by Shane Vanhoven

I had one a while back where I was gonna do all the CRJ-200 flights out of KMSP, I got bored of that by Minot....

Now I just see where I want to go... and go there!

Shane Vanhoven

First Officer, B747-400

DVA11957
Captain, MD-11
OLP

Joined on February 02 2014
DVA One-Year Anniversary
Double Century Club
Online Double Century Club
Everett Century Club
Events Century Club

"Fly everything, it never hurts."
Centereach, NY

290 legs, 843.0 hours
256 legs, 779.3 hours online
276 legs, 797.1 hours ACARS
117 legs, 260.7 hours event

Posted onPost created on April 16 2014 17:00 ET by Darren Tung

I usually start where I last arrived. I go to the random flight list and choose the first flight that comes up. The exception is if the flight uses an aircraft type I am not yet rated for.

Darren Tung

Captain, MD-11

Posted onPost created on April 16 2014 20:01 ET by Thomas Weber

Shane Vanhoven wrote:

I had one a while back where I was gonna do all the CRJ-200 flights out of KMSP, I got bored of that by Minot....

Now I just see where I want to go... and go there!

I thought about something like that, but quickly realized I like flying a variety of types too much... I do like flying many flights to/from the same airport though, as you get to learn the SIDs/STARs...

Thomas Weber (DVA10286)

DVA11221
Captain, B777-200
OLP

Joined on January 01 2013
50 State Club
Century Club

Issaquah, WA

114 legs, 423.9 hours
37 legs, 94.4 hours online
114 legs, 423.9 hours ACARS

Posted onPost created on April 17 2014 00:51 ET by Shaun Oneil

Interesting question. I used to do the bit where I started my next flight at the airport my last flight ended. I dropped that after a while though, because inevitably you end up at an airport where the only flight is the return leg for the flight you just flew. I understand that's peak realism, but I came to the conclusion that for me that is where the words "virtual" and "simulation" kick in with my hobby. I recently upgraded to the 777 and so I intend to begin working on the globetrotter achievement with a bit more of a conscious effort. When I have a chunk of time I prefer to fly on VATSIM and will basically go where the controllers are staffed, because for me that's the fun part of VATSIM. I digress and have been talking about myself too long.

My suggestion: keep doing what you have been and ask around if you like ... but in the end identify what YOU want to do with your hobby and have at it!

Shaun Oneil

Captain, B777-200

DVA11380
Senior Captain, A330-300
OLP

Joined on March 20 2013
50 State Club
Globetrotter
Million Mile Club
Iron Dispatcher
US Coastal Club
Commuter Conquest
US Mountaineer Club
Everett Millennium Club
Events Century Club
Online Fifteen Century
Bi-Millennium Club
DVA Ten-Year Anniversary

"If cats could text you, they wouldn't."
Boston, MA

2,082 legs, 4,889.8 hours
1,722 legs, 3,657.3 hours online
2,060 legs, 4,813.2 hours ACARS
172 legs, 354.7 hours event
422 legs dispatched, 311.4 hours

Posted onPost created on April 17 2014 11:23 ET by Bob Donovan

I fly from where I left off as well - or I use a GA aircraft or something from my library to make an offline flight to my preferred departure. Flying GA is a nice break from the line runs and gives me a chance to fly some of my neglected aircraft.

MY flight selection is a combination of mood, available time, available ATC, and weather.

From a goal standpoint, I would like to knock out the un-visited airport list one day.

Bob Donovan (DVA11380)

DVA9716
First Officer, A330-300

Joined on April 26 2011
50 State Club
Century Club
Online Century Club
DVA Ten-Year Anniversary

"Take Offs are optional - Landing are mandatory!"
Killeen, TX USA

154 legs, 324.0 hours
102 legs, 218.1 hours online
153 legs, 321.7 hours ACARS
4 legs, 8.9 hours event

Posted onPost created on April 17 2014 12:17 ET by Kenneth Dickerson

A lot of times I base my flights on weather conditions, I like from time to time the challenging ones where the deck is at minimums. Another factor that I look at is time, I have all but the 747 and MD11 under my belt, but I just switched to the 727 program because the flight times are about right for me and the complexity and work load challenges me, flying ball and needle vs being a hall monitor appeals to me more right now.

Kenneth Dickerson

First Officer, A330-300

DVA11882
Captain, L-1011-100

Joined on December 23 2013
50 State Club
Century Club

Midwestern United States

102 legs, 189.8 hours
101 legs, 187.6 hours ACARS

Posted onPost created on April 17 2014 12:36 ET by Bob Baur

This may sound cliché but for me each flight is its own goal.

Allow me to elucidate. I try to make each & every flight as close to perfect as I can. Not only do I have the ACARS to demonstrate when I do something wrong but I also use FS Pax with all failures turned on (forget to turn on landing lights, extend flaps to soon etc & you get a penalty) to also watchdog me.

To add an extra level of difficulty I prefer to fly vintage metal (L-1011, 727, 707 & DC-9). Flying a SID or STAR without a FMC is very demanding. I also tend to hand fly the aircraft below 10000ft.

For me a perfectly flown flight is its own goal & reward.

Insofar as flying habits. I always depart the airport I arrived at. I also tend to fly rout pairs from hubs. I will take a heavy into the hub & then start hitting the rout pairs I feel like (typically dictated by time & weather) in the 727 or DC-9.

I just knocked out the 50 state goal & have now positioned myself at JFK for my 1st trip across the pond that I plan to make Friday to start on Globetrotter. I am going to eschew the INS & do it 100% old school in the 707 (Radio Nav to Newfoundland & then Doppler over the Atlantic to Ireland & then back to Radio Nav). I am really looking forward to the flight because with fuel management & navigation it will be its own adventure.

Bob Baur

Captain, L-1011-100

DVA8752
Captain, B767-300

Joined on January 01 2010
50 State Club
Triple Century Club

Sedalia, CO

338 legs, 1,236.8 hours
31 legs, 181.3 hours online
37 legs, 232.7 hours ACARS
2 legs, 8.4 hours event

Posted onPost created on April 18 2014 10:46 ET by Brandon Howell

I had a set schedule, looking like this: KDEN-KATL-PHNL-KATL-LIRF-KATL-KDEN, with maybe a stop at KLAX. It fit into Delta's schedule and with the exception of KDEN-KATL, all were long hauls which I like.

Brandon Howell (DVA8752)

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