«Virtual Airlines of Baltic» Virtual airlines simulates in VATSIM environment operation of real Baltic airlines:

Airline Fleet consists of airliners used by real airlines and includes Airbus A220, Airbus A320/330, Boeing 737NG, Boeing 737MAX, Dash Q400, CRJ700/900, ATR-72, Hawker 750, BAe 3102 Jetstream 31 and cargo aircrafts: Antonov An-26 and SAAB 340A.

Route network and schedule and schedule based on real world network and schedules of Baltic airlines.

Pilots – enthusiasts of virtual aviation, real pilots and air traffic controllers.

Pilot Software is developed by VAU (www.vau.aero) creators and provides the following information to a pilot:

• Calculation of passenger and cargo load, total payload for particular aircraft for each flight, updated daily
• 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
• Upon completion of flight, information is logged into pilot logbook on website

Virtual Airlines of Baltic system provides sufficient information to perform flights within VATSIM network.

Required Software to fly with Virtual Airlines of Baltic:

• Microsoft FS2004, Microsoft FSX, Prepar3D v1-5, MSFS2020, X-Plane v10-11.
• Registered version of FSUIPC
• FSInn or SB for VATSIM flights
• Current AIRAC
• FS Agent, Pilot Client – downloadable from this website

Virtual Airlines of Baltic is open for pilots with 100 or more online hours in VATSIM.

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

System Description

Virtual Airlines of Baltic Virtual Airlines emulates online operations of real Baltic Airlines in VATSIM and IVAO environment.

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

The site uses the following units: feet, pounds, nautical miles, knots. All times are in UTC.

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 BTI401).

Flying online with the pilot’s personal call sign (for example, VAB121) 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 VATSIM).

Booking and Flying

The booking is performed on the 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. For IVAO register flight manually.

To be able to register Flight Plan in VATSIM it is necessary to allow pop-up windows for site https://baltic-va.org/ in Internet Explorer.

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.

To perform the flight it is necessary to start Flight Simulator and FS Agent, login to VATSIM (via FSInn, SqawkBox, vPilot or xPilot) 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, 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 FS Agent 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.

Schedule

Flights schedule based on real airline schedule. Recommended commercial loading and number of passengers are generated daily for each flight considering that weight of passenger is equal to 170 lbs 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/YLBAE (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=VAB121.

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 400 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)

 First Officer Trainee

Initially each new pilot is qualified as «First Officer Trainee»/ This rating allows to perform only training flights with according missions. No other permissions required.

 First Officer

After successful completion of four assessment flights the pilot gets promoted to the rank of «First Officer». Thins rank gives access to flights within the Commonwealth of Independent States. In order to achieve access to international flights, the pilot must pass both practical and theoretical tests (optional). The practical test implies a training flight to one of the European cities. This flight can be requested after at least 10 flights as a «First Officer». All tests are held by one or several authorised VATSIM ait traffic controllers with CTR rating or higher. The tests are performed at least once in two weeks. The details are distributed to the involved pilot(s) several days prior to tests. The necessary program includes radio commucation test with English phraseology, general ATC commands, ability to perform VOR and NDB approaches along with RVSM technics, METAR, NOTAM and other essential skills needed during online flights. After successful completion the pilot receives access to international flights (except B777 and B747).

 Captain

The «Сaptain» rank allows gives access to all international flights using any aircraft type. The pilot can request this promotion after successful completion of twenty flights as a First Officer.

   

These shoulder straps meet overall online hours: up to 500h, up to 1000h, up to 1500h, up to 2000h

parameter	VAB	description
Reference period to flight number	60	During these days a pilot should perform the required number of flights
Minimal number of flights per period	1	Minimal numbers of flights required to fly during reference period to confirm a membership
Reference period to average rate	91	Numbers of days to count average pilot rating
Aircraft idle time out of hub	0	Maximum days of aircraft idle time out of hubs
Min flight time, min	4	Flights shorter than this (minutes) are not recorded
Auto divert-continuation	Yes	Offer to finish a diverted flight; count misses, penalise and suspend
Diversion miss penalty	20	Rating penalty for a 2nd+ miss (landing not at dep/dest/alt) in a flight chain
Misses before suspension	3	Number of misses in a chain after which the pilot is suspended (needs admin approval to fly)
Pilot should report low-rate flight	1	Pilot should report about flight if penalty is above specified value
Permit charters	Yes	If Yes, charters are permitted. The pilot could fly any available aircraft by any route.
Permit cargo charters	Yes	If Yes, CARGO charters are permitted. The pilot could fly any available cargo aircraft by any route.
Plane must fly from its current location	No	If Yes, the pilot could fly only airplanes located in departure airport. For example, the pilot cannot fly from UKCC using airplane located in UKBB.
Pilot must fly from his current location	No	If Yes, the pilot could fly only from his current location. For example, if the pilot is in UKBB, he cannot fly from UKCC.
Check route number (RTE) in flight plan	Yes	Require the booked flight number in the flight plan (as the callsign or RTE=...). Off = no check, and the prefile does not add RTE=. Does not change which route the flight is logged as.
Pilot can use any callsign	Yes	If Yes, the pilot could use any callsign. If No, the pilot should use flight number (for regular flights), or tail number (for private charters), or personal VA callsign.
Contact-loss minutes that send a flight to review	10	If the flight loses network/agent contact for more than this many minutes, it is flagged for manual review (it can still be flown to the end and is held, locking the aircraft/route, until reviewed). 0 = never flag.
Permit landing to other airport	Yes	In general, any flight should be finished in destination or alternate airfield. If the parameter sets as Yes, the pilot could land to any airfield, but perhaps with some penalty (according to parameter 'Penalty for not arrival at destination'). If the parameter sets as No, in case of landing to not destination or alternate the flight will be ignored by the VA system.
Permitt time rate changes	No	If No, in case if timerate was changed during the flight, it will be ignored by VA system.
Plane is locked for flight task	Yes	If there is flight mission for the aircraft, other flights are not permitted
Average payload (%)	90	Average load of aircraft. Required to generate recommended aircraft loading.
Optional cargo loading	2	0 - No additional cargo, luggage only; 1 - Always maximum payload; 2 - Random
Crew member weight, lbs	170	Average weight (in pounds) of crew and cabin crew members
Passenger weight, lbs	190	Average weight (in pounds) of passenger with carry-on baggage
Luggage weight, lbs	40	Average weight (in pounds) of checked luggage
Book flight to VATBOOK	Yes	If Yes, booked flight is registered in EUROBOOK.
Register flight to VATSIM	Yes	If Yes, Flight Plan could be registered to VATSIM.
Minimum vertical speed for perfect landing	10	The minimum vertical speed of touchdown, when landing is still treated as perfect
Maximum vertical speed for perfect landing	240	The maximum vertical speed of touchdown, when landing is still treated as perfect
Maximum vertical speed for normal landing	400	The maximum vertical speed of touchdown, when landing is still treated as normal. If above the landing is hard.
Vertical speed of severe hard landing	700	If vertical speed of touchdown is above, the landing is severe hard: gear damage is possible
Bonus for accurate loading	5	Possible bonus if aircraft loading is equal to recommended within 10%.
Bonus for long range flight	10	Possible bonus for long range flight. The longer flight, the bigger bonus.
Bonus for perfect landing	10	Possible bonus for landing with vertical speed within 80-240 ft/min.
Bonus for bad weather takeoff	2	Possible bonus for take-off in bad wather conditions.
Bonus for bad weather landing	2	Possible bonus for landing in bad wather conditions.
Bonus for return back to hub	5	Possible bonus for return airliner to hub
Bonus for flight task	10	Possible bonus for the execution of the flight task
Bonus for completing a fly-in (event) flight	0	Rating points added when a pilot completes a fly-in (event) flight. 0 = off.
Penalty for crash	99	Crash is detected by signal 'CRASH' from FSUIPC, or in case of hit the ground with vertical speed over 1600 fpm.
Penalty for stall	15	Stall is detected by FSUIPC signal.
Penalty for overspeed	2	Overspeed is detected by FSUIPC signal.
Penalty for overspeed flaps extending	15	Exceeding flaps extending speed limit.
Penalty for overspeed gear operating	2	Exceeding gear operating speed limit.
Penalty for unsafe terrain clearance	15	Descending below 500 ft with gear up and flaps retracted.
Penalty for hard landing	5	Touchdown vertical speed is over 340 ft/min.
Penalty for landing accident	20	Touchdown vertical speed is over 700 ft/min.
Penalty for exceeded landing weight	2	Landing weight exceeds limit.
Penalty for not arrival at destination	0	Possible penalty if the plane landed to airfield, which is not destination or alternate.
Penalty for minor mistake	1	Possible penalty for non-critical pilot mistakes.
Penalty for aerial refueling	20	Possible penalty for "refueling" during the flight.