Delta Virtual Airlines Water Cooler - Website/Route updates

Delta Virtual Airlines Water Cooler | Airline Operations | Website/Route updates

DVA13558
Captain, B727-200

Joined on November 06 2018
Everett Century Club
DVA Five-Year Anniversary
Triple Century Club
Online Triple Century Club

Western Europe

345 legs, 814.3 hours
331 legs, 769.2 hours online
344 legs, 812.0 hours ACARS
1 legs, 1.9 hours event

Posted onPost created on March 22 2019 23:37 ET by Lorenzo Nesta

Hi All,

Are there any plans to update the website to a modern standard?

How often are our routes updated?

Regards
Lorenzo

Lorenzo Nesta

Captain, B727-200

DVA5385
Captain, A330-300

Joined on September 13 2007
Two Million Mile Club
DVA Ten-Year Anniversary
Everett 500 Club
Eight Century Club

North Yorkshire GB

857 legs, 5,275.1 hours
1 legs, 0.8 hours online
843 legs, 5,256.0 hours ACARS

Posted onPost created on March 23 2019 16:58 ET by Will Prince

I asked this a while ago and if i remember correctly it had somethng to do with cost of getting an updated schedule. However, this was a while ago and i am also curious to see if there has been any movemenet on this?

Will Prince (DVA5385)

Posted onPost created on March 24 2019 19:51 ET by Lorenzo Nesta

Alot of the info is pretty easy to get hold of too.

Cheers
Lonz

Lorenzo Nesta

Captain, B727-200

DVA9080
Senior Captain, DC-6
OLP
E-MAIL

Joined on September 30 2010
B757 100 Club
Everett 250 Club
DVA Ten-Year Anniversary
Carolina Club
Online Seven Century Club
Eight Century Club
Events Century Club

Elizabethtown, KY

865 legs, 2,390.3 hours
778 legs, 2,126.8 hours online
821 legs, 2,255.0 hours ACARS
107 legs, 261.1 hours event
70 legs dispatched, 109.8 hours

Posted onPost created on March 25 2019 00:46 ET by Nathan Cox

If we need a new data source for Delta schedule information, we could potentially use the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The data is historical in nature, but seeing as the current schedule is circa February, 2015, it would potentially allow a much more recent set of schedule data.

From the BTS's profile for their Marketing Carrier On Time Performance Database:

> Marketing Carrier On-Time Performance (Beginning January 2018)
> Marketing carriers market flights for themselves and, in some cases, for regional code share partners. Table shows on-time data for the marketing carrier network, if applicable, the marketing carrier that is the reporting carrier and the marketing carriers code-share affiliates as a group. Reporting carriers that do not market flights are included in the regional code share group. Table shows: on-time arrival and departure data for non-stop domestic flights by month and year, by marketing network, marketing carrier that reports and regional code-share group, by origin and destination airport. Includes scheduled and actual departure and arrival times, canceled and diverted flights, taxi-out and taxi-in times, causes of delay and cancellation, air time, and non-stop distance. Use Download for individual flight data.

This database would allow us to compile a schedule of all domestic flights marketed by Delta on any given day. Unfortunately, however, this database does not include international flights.

Nathan Cox (DVA9080)

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

1,283 legs, 1,792.7 hours
837 legs, 1,044.3 hours online
1,265 legs, 1,770.7 hours ACARS
31 legs, 49.6 hours event
3 legs dispatched, 2.5 hours

Posted onPost created on March 25 2019 09:04 ET by Andrew Vane

This has been a conumdrum for while. We have found some good sources for getting the information. however, the big work is getting it into a format we can incorporate into our system. Entering all the flights manually is not an option. I calculated that if I took the latest Delta schedule and spent 2 hours per day ever day entering data until its complete, there would be a schedule update before I could complete it and it would all be outdated.

We did get a good source for some updated Delta flights but its on the programming list for Luke and he still has to do some work to manipulate it into something we can use.

Our schedule is a 7 day cycle from some time ago that we just re-run every day. As someone above noted, the cost of purchasing the schedule in the format we need for just one cycle is 3-4 times our total yearly operating budget.

The good thing is that I can easily create a DVH flight if there is a route missing from our schedule. So, if you see Delta is now flying from SLC to Hong Kong or something, please create a help desk or email me the info and I'll get it into our schedule database so our pilots can fly it. We appreciate everyone's patience. For us staff, this schedule thing has been the thorn in our side for too long.

Also, there are some bigger things we're wanting to focus on here and now so while the schedule update is important to us all, there are some other things taking precedent at the moment that will benefit us all in a bigger way.

Lorenzo: Regarding your question on the web site and being updated: Everything is working great. One thing we do appreciate is the familiarity of the web site. Pilots who return after a long leave of absence have no problem finding their way around. We could spend time adding flash animations and visuals. But, we'd rather concentrate on content and community. This has served us well for 17+ years and 13,000+ pilots through our doors. Actually, we're 18 this month! biggrin

As always, feel free to email staff or open a help desk issue if you have any questions.

Andrew Vane (DVA2887)

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

2,306 legs, 9,290.0 hours
240 legs, 553.9 hours online
1,964 legs, 8,083.1 hours ACARS
75 legs, 196.3 hours event
2,342 legs, 9,424.9 hours total
91 legs dispatched, 66.4 hours

Posted onPost created on March 25 2019 11:03 ET by Luke Kolin

Andrew Vane wrote:

We did get a good source for some updated Delta flights but its on the programming list for Luke and he still has to do some work to manipulate it into something we can use.

Actually, I'm waiting. I posted some questions a while back and never heard anything. Is this still being worked on?

Cheers!

Luke Kolin

Senior Captain, MD-11

Posted onPost created on March 25 2019 12:21 ET by Andrew Vane

My bad Luke. Lets take it to email. Let me know what info you need specifically and I will work to get it for you (and answer your questions).

Andrew Vane (DVA2887)

Posted onPost created on March 25 2019 13:51 ET by Luke Kolin

Cool, let me dig through my archives.

Cheers!

Luke Kolin

Senior Captain, MD-11

Posted onPost created on March 26 2019 10:47 ET by Nathan Cox

It's good to know we've found good sources for new data! If you folks are ever interested in getting some additional hands working on the schedule updates, I'd be happy to help! I'm not a programmer or software engineer by trade, but I do have a fair amount of experience with the sort of programming for data processing it sounds like this task would require.

Nathan Cox (DVA9080)

For flight simulation purposes only. Not a commercial website. In no way are we affiliated with Delta Air Lines, its affiliates, or any other airline. All logos, images, and trademarks remain the property of their respective owners. Delta Virtual Airlines is a non-profit entity engaged in providing an avenue for flight simulation enthusiasts.