US Airways Virtual Airlines

 Airline Operations Handbook Revision 4.0 1 December, 2009 Updated By: Derrick Coston, Executive Vice President of Operations, COO Approved By: Steve Bumpus, President, CEO Published by: Marcus Smallegan, Vice President of Public Relations US Airways Virtual Airlines is in no way affiliated with US Airways Group, its subsidiaries or affiliates. We are a group of Flight Simulator enthusiasts. Date: 1 December, 2009 From: President/CEO, US Airways Virtual Airlines (USAVA) To: All USAVA MEMBERS Subject: Airline Operations Handbook 4.0 1. INTRODUCTION. The staff and management of US Airways Virtual Airlines (USAVA) are dedicated to enhancing the experience of flight simulation enthusiasts by providing a realistic simulation of US Airways airline operations. We know that our pilots all fly for different reasons. Some may want to utilize their time with USAVA for the development a hobby, while the many real-­‐world pilots amongst our pilot base may strive to further develop (and practice) their skills. Regardless of their reason for choosing to fly with USAVA, we pledge to give our pilots the resources they need to get the most out of their experience. This manual is designed to diffuse all of the policies and procedures that govern the day-­‐to-­‐day operations of the organization to our personnel. Every effort has been made to ensure that this manual contains useful and applicable information in respects to the many different facets of USAVA. In the event that any of these policies are unclear or an issue you have is not addressed specifically, please contact your Vice President of Operations for further assistance. The diverse nature of our operations prevents this manual from touching on every unique situation that may arise. Ultimately, your success as a virtual pilot will depend on a mixture of acceptable practices, sound judgment, and common sense. 2. APPLICABILITY. The policies and procedures outlined within this manual are applicable to all USAVA personnel. Acceptance into the organization and use of its systems signify your agreement to review and abide by the guidelines put forth in document. The Executive Vice President of Operations is responsible for the maintenance of this manual. Any changes shall be approved by the President/CEO prior to implementation. 3. CANCELLATION: This document cancels Airline Operations Handbook, Version 3.0 (Released: 22 August 2008) Steve Bumpus President and Chief Executive Officer US Airways Virtual Airlines 1.0 Legal Information and Disclosure 1.1 Real World Affiliation and Copyrights US Airways Virtual Airlines (USAVA) is a virtual airline. The organization is not a real world airline, nor are there any real world offices in our "hub" or "focus city" locations. The organization does not hire individuals for any sort of real world employment. USAVA exists in whole to be a community of virtual aviation enthusiasts who enjoy flight simulation using the varied versions of Microsoft Flight Simulator. All published virtual flight information (including charts, airport diagrams, flight schedules, etc) is for the use of USAVA pilots in their simulation experience and are not be substituted for use in real world aviation. USAVA's sole purpose is to provide entertainment and education to its voluntary members. Any operation or documentation that is similar to any actual airline is purely coincidental and is no way intended to violate any copyrights, trademarks, or other protection laws. All US Airways logos and trademarks displayed on the USAVA site remain the property of US Airways. USAVA is in no way associated with US Airways Group, its subsidiaries, or affiliates. The USAVA website is not for any commercial purpose. USAVA is a non-­‐profit entity and generates no revenue whatsoever. The USAVA publicly accessible web site does not have the ability to accept or allow consumers to purchase actual airline tickets. Purchasers of US Airways tickets carefully research price, itinerary, etc. and the USAVA publicly accessible website does not have flight schedules or booking pages available which could confuse a customer to believe they were booking a flight with USAVA instead of US Airways. 1.2 USAVA Copyright Statement No part of the USAVA website design or layout may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any other means electronic or mechanical (this includes photocopying, recording, reproducing, or electronically storing). Any such act represents a copyright violation and theft of intellectual property solely owned by US Airways Virtual Airways. Our website clearly disclaims any affiliation with or endorsement by US Airways and is not a commercial website. Additionally, we do not use the US Airways trademark(s) to suggest ownership or sponsorship. 2.0 Corporate Leadership Structure The USAVA corporate leadership structure is designed to make clear the responsibilities of each staff member. A fully developed administrative website management system allows us to have a smaller executive team fully committed to developing an excellent pilot experience. The USAVA Human Resources department is currently predicting continued organizational growth, so new/modified staff positions will likely be created as we continually re-­‐evaluate the level and quality of service provided to our pilots. Our corporate leadership team does not subscribe to the idea that the responsibilities of management simply revolve around administrative upkeep; we believe that our responsibility is to serve the needs of our pilots. Each staff member strives to provide excellent service through intelligent leadership, and focus on operating within a sound virtual business model. The current corporate leadership structure is comprised of three divisions: Administration, Operations, and Human Resources. There are currently four management levels: President, Executive Vice President, Vice President, and Director. 2.1 Corporate Structure Executive Management Team • President / Chief Executive Officer (CEO) • Executive Vice President, Chief of Operations (COO) • Executive Vice President, Human Resources (EHR) Regional Hub / Operations Management • Vice President, Charlotte Operations (VP CLT) • Director of Operations Charlotte (DO CLT) • Vice President, Philadelphia Operations (VP PHL) • Director of Operations Philadelphia (DO PHL) • Vice President, Phoenix Operations (VP PHX) • Director of Operations Phoenix (DO PHX) • Vice President, Boston Operations (VP BOS) • Vice President, Las Vegas Operations (VP LAS) • Vice President, Pittsburgh Operations (VP PIT) • Vice President, New York Operations (VP NYC) • Vice President, Washington DC Operations (VP DCA) • Chief Pilot (CP) • Vice President of Fleet and Scenery Management (VP FSM) • Director of Training Operations (DT) • Director of Scheduling (DS) • Director of Corporate Events/Events Coordinator (EC) Administration & Human Resources Support • Vice President of Public Relations (VP PR) • Vice President of Personnel (VP PERS) 2.1.1 Administrative Division: President / Chief Executive Officer (CEO): The President/Chief Executive Officer is directly responsible for the continuing development and administrative oversight of the organization. He/she leads the Executive Management Team that is charged with developing policies and procedures, and is responsible for strategic planning of goals, objectives, and operations within the entire enterprise. Through their influence and leadership, the CEO also is responsible for overseeing the implementation and ensuring long-­‐term success of the decisions and programs developed by corporate leadership. The CEO establishes and maintains the corporate leadership structure (modifying it as organizational needs evolve) and delegates authority to all staff members. He/she communicates with members of the Executive Management Team to ensure that USAVA staff members are carrying out their responsibilities as outlined within this manual. In doing so, the CEO is responsible for providing the tools and resources necessary for staff to succeed in their duties. The CEO maintains the overall responsibility and authority to hire, suspend, demote, and terminate personnel (staff and pilots) and is authorized to hear and determine a course of action on all personnel complaints. Staff who report to the CEO: Executive Vice President /Chief Operations Officer, Executive Vice President / Human Resources Director, Vice President of Public Relations, Vice President of Technology Vice President of Public Relations (VP PR): The Vice President of Public Relations is appointed by the CEO and is charged with maintaining all internal and external communications. To execute the enhancement of USAVA’s external image and perception, the VP-­‐PR utilizes a diverse mixture of organizational announcements, public press releases, and external publicity for USAVA (and applicable activities/events). In addition, the VP-­‐PR is responsible for researching, identifying, and implementing creative and innovative methods for promoting USAVA. The VP-­‐PR also develops, implements, and maintains the corporate brand identity of the organization (graphically and stylization of content). To promote the overall brand, he/she is responsible for locating potential alliances/partnerships with other VA’s or virtual aviation entities (including VATSIM groups) and working to develop the details of those partnerships to submit to the CEO for consideration. Additionally, the VP-­‐PR serves as the Editor-­‐in-­‐Chief of Destinations Magazine. He/she solicits, authors, and edits articles and content submissions, develops graphics, and publishes each issue of the magazine on a monthly (or, if content submissions cannot support a monthly edition, bimonthly) basis. Vice President of Information Technology (VP IT): The Vice President of Information Technology (IT) is appointed by the CEO and is responsible for maintaining the overall functionality and operation of the USAVA website, forums, and flight-­‐tracking software. The VP-­‐IT will work directly with the CEO to establish and maintain data backup procedures in an effort to ensure continuous availability of all IT systems and applications. In addition, the VP-­‐IT is responsible for cooperating with Executive Management and corporate leadership on any additional development projects or programs that involve website/IT systems. 2.1.2 Operations Division: Executive Vice President of Operations / Chief Operating Officer (COO): The Executive Vice President of Operations / Chief Operating Officer (COO) is appointed by the CEO and is responsible for managing of day-­‐to-­‐day operations (Events, Schedules, Route Development, Fleet, and Hub Operations) of the organization. He/she is a member of the executive management team and assists with the development and achievement of all organizational goals. The COO's primary function is to ensure that the airline runs smoothly. Specific Responsibilities include: •
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Overseeing and directing hub/focus city activities and ensuring compliance with company directives and policies. Recommending the modification of existing or implementation of revised policies, procedures and programs based on operations/organizational status. Working with the Director of Scheduling to advise the CEO of necessary route/assigned aircraft changes based on current real-­‐world US Airways operations. Working with the Director of Corporate Events to organize and release new events. Working with the Director of Training Operations to provide up-­‐to-­‐date operations information including, but not limited to scheduling, approach charts, SIDS and STARS. Determines the agenda for the USAVA Management Team meeting and schedules the meeting on a monthly basis. Staff who report to the COO: Vice Presidents of Hub Operations, Chief Pilot, Director of Scheduling, Director of Training Operations Vice Presidents of Hub Operations (VP CLT, PHL, PHX, BOS, LAS, NYC, DCA, PIT): All Vice Presidents of Hub Operations are appointed by the COO and are responsible for the day-­‐
to-­‐day-­‐operations of their hub. Specific responsibilities include (if the hub has a Director of Operations, some operational duties may be delegated to the DO): •
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Processing Pilot Reports (PIREPs) and ensuring they are submitted via an accepted source and comply with all applicable USAVA flight standards prior to approval. Attending regular (monthly) staff meetings and utilizing TeamSpeak to communicate with all staff and pilots. Selecting his/her hub’s Pilot of the Month and notifying the COO (must be submitted within the first seven days of the following calendar month). Criteria utilized (and submitted) should include: hours flown, landing rates, fuel consumption, on-­‐time arrivals, etc. Maintaining his/her hub page with the up-­‐to-­‐date statistics to include (at a minimum) individual and team flight hours flown, pilot of the month, new hires, promotions and transfers at a minimum. Additional requirements/requests may be made by the VP-­‐PR, and should be followed up on and implemented. Providing assistance to all personnel within their hub in regards to any issue related to flight operations and airline procedures. Serving as the first-­‐line supervisor in an effort to screen and resolve minor personnel issues before they are sent to administration/human resources. Communicating with executive management regarding pilot conflicts/situations and working to find and implement an acceptable solution within the confines of policy and code of conduct. Issuing verbal warnings to personnel within his/her hub and ensures that verbal warnings are documented by HR in personnel files. Adheres to and promotes policy and code of conduct compliance within their hub. Reviewing applications, hiring, and terminating Directors of Hub Operations (if applicable, to their own hub). Must submit an approval request to the COO for the hiring and firing of any Director of Hub Operations. Directors of Hub Operations (DO CLT, PHL, PHX): The Directors of Hub Operations are appointed by their respective Vice President of Operations and are responsible for assisting in the day-­‐to-­‐day operations of their hub. Duties include (but are not limited to): •
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Reviewing and approving PIREPs (manual reports cannot be approved by the Director of Operations). Acting as a part of the first-­‐line supervisory team for his/her hub to all hub personnel. Assisting with the management and oversight of Hub Operations. He/she is accountable to their respective Hub Leader for the assistance in administration and training of members of their hub. Chief Pilot (CP): The Chief Pilot is an executive captain appointed by the COO and is responsible for assisting all personnel with the aircraft currently serving in the USAVA fleet (to include current and heritage aircraft types). He/she will be expected to monitor all applicable flight simulator-­‐related websites for updates or new versions of aircraft (or corresponding related files such as a panel, sound package, livery, etc.) in the USAVA fleet. If a better file is located, the Chief Pilot must investigate and test the aircraft/component and (if determined to be of a higher quality) report the findings to the fleet department for inclusion and release. The Chief Pilot also assists the COO with oversight of pilot proficiency through reviews of submitted PIREPs. He/she will assist the Vice President of Training with the development of training programs and flight standards designed to improve the proficiency of all USAVA personnel. Director of Training Operations (DT): The Director of Training Operations is appointed by the COO and is responsible assisting the Chief Pilot and COO with the maintenance of a comprehensive USAVA training program in accordance with USAVA flight standards. He/she is expected to work closely with the Chief Pilot both to identify organizational training needs and implement the training program. The Vice President of Training Operations will also cooperate with individual Vice Presidents of Hub Operations to identify common flight deficiencies specific to each domicile and diffuse new training programs to all personnel. Vice President of Fleet and Scenery Management (VP FSM): The Vice President of Fleet and Scenery Management is appointed by the COO and is primarily responsible for developing and maintaining the USAVA aircraft fleet. He/she will work with the Chief Pilot in a continual effort to locate, test, and publish high-­‐quality freeware models and panels to keep our fleet in alignment with US Airways. Additionally, he/she must have the ability to create and publish customized liveries for USAVA when an acceptable/quality third-­‐party livery is not available. (Applicant will need to submit an aircraft painted in the US Airways livery that was done by scratch from a paint kit) Working with the Chief Pilot, the VP-­‐FSM will also ensure the accuracy of all aircraft configuration files. The VP-­‐FSM will also locate, test, and release a listing of freeware scenery (applicable to USAVA routes and destinations) that can be used to enhance a pilot’s flying experience. Director of Corporate Events (Events Coordinator) (EC): The Director of Corporate Events is appointed by the COO and is responsible for developing and planning USAVA events (including, but not limited to group flights, fly-­‐ins and special operations). The EC also is responsible for coordinating event management (ATC coverage, etc) with VATSIM, VATUSA, or individual ARTCCs as necessary. Additionally, he/she will assist the VP-­‐PR and COO in representing the organization to VATSIM personnel and leadership. Director of Scheduling (DS): The Director Scheduling is appointed by the COO and is responsible for developing, updating, and maintaining the USAVA Flight Dispatch System. His/her primary responsibility within the USAVA FDS is to ensure that USAVA virtual flight schedules are in sync with the most current release of real-­‐world US Airways flights. 2.1.3 Human Resources Division: Executive Vice President of Human Resources (EVP HR): The Executive Vice President of Human Resources provides leadership and coordination of Human Resource functions and ensures the ongoing development and implementation of corporate Human Resources policies and procedures. His/her responsibilities include (but are not limited to) • Monitoring all aspects of HR operations and delegating tasks as necessary to the Vice President of Personnel. • Reviewing and approving Leaves of Absence. • Managing all thirty (30) day terminations and their implementation. • Auditing all promotion requests and implementing pilot promotions • Overseeing the overall hiring process of new staff members. In addition to daily responsibilities, the EVP-­‐HR is also responsible for managing the USAVA Conflict Resolution process (outlined below) and ensures that issues or violations relating to organizational policies (to include the Code of Conduct) are addressed in a timely and professional manner. Additionally, the EVP-­‐HR coordinates with Operations personnel to ensure proper documentation of action taken by VPs and DOs. Staff who report to the EVP-­‐HR: Vice President of Personnel Vice President of Personnel (VP PS): The VP-­‐PS reports to the Executive Vice President of Human Resources and is responsible for day-­‐to-­‐day employee issues. Duties include the management of new pilot applications, fourteen (14) day terminations, assisting with LOAs and managing hub transfers. Additional duties may be required as determined by the EVP-­‐HR. 2.2 Staff Vacancies If there is a vacancy in the Corporate Leadership team, an announcement will be made to the organization by the VP-­‐PR in three ways. First, a post in the Announcements forum will be made; second, a press release will be made to the main page of the website; third, a mass e-­‐mail will be sent to qualified applicants. If deemed necessary, the vacancy may be announced on third-­‐party industry websites. Applicants must submit a virtual resume to the Executive Vice President of Human Resources, who will document that the member posted for a position. (Requirements for the resume will be frequently updated on the HR forums) Upon receipt of a qualified candidate, the EVP-­‐HR will forward the resume on to the appropriate reviewer (the CEO for administrative vacancies, the COO for operations vacancies, or the appropriate hub VP in the case of a Director of Operations vacancy). The hiring staff member will conduct a required interview with the candidate (preferably via TeamSpeak, alternatively through a written response to submitted questions). At the conclusion of the interview process, the hiring staff member will notify the EVP-­‐HR, COO, and CEO of the selection. Once the hire is approved by Executive Management, the VP-­‐PR will release an announcement utilizing the same three methods above and the new hire will be granted all website and forum rights needed to execute his/her position. 2.3 Domicile (Hub and Focus City) Operations: USAVA emulates the flight operations of US Airways Group and its subsidiaries by maintaining the same domicile structure. We offer our pilots an opportunity to select their domicile (if available) and later transfer to others. Between our three hubs and five focus cities, our pilots are able to experience domestic and international flight operations. The current hub cities include: • Charlotte/Douglas International Airport (KCLT), Charlotte, North Carolina • Philadelphia International Airport (KPHL), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (KPHX), Phoenix, Arizona In addition to these hubs, we operate several non-­‐stop flights to and from our focus cities. Due to their size, only a limited number of pilots may serve in these domiciles. Our focus cities include: • General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport (KBOS), Boston, Massachusetts • Pittsburgh International Airport (KPIT), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • New York-­‐LaGuardia International Airport (KLGA), New York, New York • Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA), Washington, DC • McCarran International Airport (KLAS), Las Vegas, Nevada 3.0 Membership USAVA does not require its new members to have prior virtual aviation experience to join. However, as USAVA operates as intermediate level virtual simulation, we expect new members to have basic understanding of flight operations and air navigation. It is for this reason that all new pilots must successfully pass our entrance exam. The training materials provided to you prior to taking your test are designed to be a refresher of the basics of flight. In addition, you are expected to understand the basic functionality of Microsoft Flight Simulator prior to joining. Membership is free and open to individuals thirteen (13) years of age or older. US Airways Virtual Airlines operates from within the United States of America, and must operate in compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) regulations. This law states that identifiable personal information cannot be collected from minors below the age of thirteen. Under no circumstances will an applicant under this age be hired. Any pilot who is found falsifying their age will be banned from USAVA indefinitely. When applying for membership, it is the applicant's responsibility to supply valid and truthful information. USAVA reserves the right to reject all applications with information found to be falsified in any way. In addition, all members are required to submit and maintain an active e-­‐mail address for communications. Members found to have an invalid e-­‐mail account are subject to removal from the USAVA roster. Notice: USAVA will periodically issue announcements to pilots via e-­‐mail. This process will reveal if a user's e-­‐mail address is no longer valid. In such cases, the membership account may be removed at our discretion. It is the user’s responsibility to keep the e-­‐
mail address up-­‐to-­‐date at all times. Please use your profile management in the Crew Center to update your e-­‐mail address when it changes. We reserve the right to decline membership from any individual at our discretion, with or without any means of notification or explanation regarding the decision. 3.1 Application Guidelines Prospective members will be required to complete and submit an online application for membership via the “Join US” link on the USAVA web site. Applications must be completed in their entirety pursuant to the instructions, rules and regulations located on the application and within this document. 3.2 Transfer of Hours New members are allowed to transfer prior hours accumulated while serving at a different Virtual Airline. The total transfer will be one-­‐third (1/3) of verifiable* hours, the total not to exceed 100 hours. Any transfer hours should be submitted along with the application for employment. However, you may submit your hours within fourteen (14) days of your hire for inclusion. Submitted hours after that period will be rejected. *Hours submitted must be verifiable by our Human Resources division. In the comments section of your application, please indicate the organization you flew with to accumulate those hours and submit a direct link to a roster page that shows your full name and hours earned. VATSIM hours are not verifiable for transfer purposes. Only hours on a VA’s roster are accepted. 3.3 Rehires & Inactivity Rehires to the organization are handled and processed directly by the Human Resources department. Any member who had left the organization voluntarily (did not have disciplinary activity taken against them) should contact the Vice President of Personnel to begin the process of reactivation. All members returning from a voluntary leave will be reinstated. Should a member wish to return after being terminated for inactivity, that member must immediately contact the Executive Vice President of Human Resources, outlining the reasons behind their unexcused absence and to confirm that they are committed to fulfilling the minimum flight requirements set out in the Operations section below. It is important to note that once membership with USAVA has been confirmed and the member has been returned to active status, he/she is immediately subject to the Minimum Flight Requirements outlined within this document. The decision to rehire inactive members is made at the sole discretion of the EVP-­‐HR. 3.4 Multiple Virtual Airlines: US Airways Virtual Airlines recognizes that we cannot provide some virtual experiences to our personnel (747 service, cargo flights, etc) that can be provided elsewhere. Therefore, pilots are permitted to maintain relationships with as many virtual airlines as they desire. However, multi-­‐airline membership does not serve as a waiver to any flight requirements with USAVA. Pilots must meet all minimum requirements for continued employment with USAVA. In an effort to curtail any possible conflict of interest, all USAVA corporate leadership personnel are permitted to maintain relationships with other virtual airlines in the capacity as a pilot; service on another airline’s staff is not permitted. Filing multiple PIREPS amongst several Virtual Airlines is strictly prohibited. If a pilot flies a route from Boston to Washington, DC (a route available to both US Airways and United) and is a member of USAVA and United Virtual, he/she may only file the subsequent PIREP with EITHER US Airways Virtual Airlines OR United Virtual Airlines, NOT both. Should this behavior be noticed, the pilot may be terminated at the discretion of HR. 3.5 Initial PIREP and Minimum Flight requirements USAVA has set an initial flight requirement for all new hires within the organization. New members are required to submit their first flight report (PIREP) within the first fourteen (14) days of membership. If a new member fails to file a PIREP in the first two weeks of membership their account will be deleted. During this probationary period, you are unable to file for a LOA, so you MUST fly a flight within the first fourteen (14) days. We recognize that each USAVA pilot has activities outside of USAVA that affect their ability to fly on FS. So as not to interfere with those pilots whose time is very limited, we have developed a flexible flight requirement that will allow everyone to maintain their active status. To remain active and prevent a termination warning, a pilot must fly one flight per month. (Not per 30 days, but per calendar month) Failure to meet this flight requirement will lead to a termination warning. If this happens, a pilot has fourteen (14) days to file a report before termination. If unable to meet these requirements, you have the ability to file for a Leave of Absence. 3.6 Pilot Profile It is the responsibility of each pilot to ensure that contact information is correct and current in the Crew Center area of the website. If management needs to contact you regarding a PIREP or other issue, they will utilize the e-­‐mail that is listed on your profile. If an attempted e-­‐mail receives a “Mail Delivery Subsystem” bounce back, and is not contacted by the pilot, USAVA can suspend the member. Continued failure to update the contact e-­‐mail may lead to termination. 3.7 Membership Suspension Failure to comply with USAVA Policies and Procedures (to include the attached Code of Conduct) is prohibited and may lead to a suspension from the organization. Should you receive a suspension notice, please contact your Vice President of Operations for more information. If necessary, Human Resources may intervene. 3.8 Terminating Membership Each member of the organization retains the right to terminate their membership at ay time by contacting Human Resources. USAVA Corporate Leadership may terminate a member at any time should it be deemed necessary by the contents of this document or for the protection of other members experiences. 3.9 Leaves Of Absence As mentioned above, all personnel have the right so file for a Leave of Absence should they be unable to meet the minimum flight requirements set by this document. To do so, you must contact the appropriate staff member to begin processing. When you request a Leave of Absence, please make clear its anticipated duration and the reasons you cannot meet the minimum flight requirement. •
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Should you require between 30 and 90 days of leave, your Vice President of Operations will approve your Leave of Absence and coordinate with Human Resources on your behalf. Should you require over 90 days of leave (or need to extend your current LOA past the 90-­‐day threshold, contact your Vice President of Operations? The Executive Vice President of Human Resources will review the leave request and approve or deny the request. Upon the completion of your Leave of Absence, please contact your Vice President of Operations, who will ensure your account is reactivated and your flight privileges are restored in a timely manner. 3.10 Virtual Salary/Pay USAVA utilizes a system of virtual pay to pilots that increases as the pilot is promoted to higher ranks. This pay is used to cover jumpseat costs and is evaluated prior to promotion. Each time you depart from an airport other than the one you last arrived into, you’ll be charged a fee based on the distance from the airport you were scheduled to depart from. Virtual Pay is as follows: $79/hour for Probationary First Officers, $101/hour for First Officers, $136/hour for Captains, $148/hour for Senior Captains, and $160/hour for Executive Captains. Note that this pay has no value outside of USAVA, and is used exclusively for simulation purposes. 3.11 Promotions The USAVA website notifies management when a member has reached the necessary hour threshold to be promoted to the next level. It is important to note that promotions are not automatically granted when you reach the required hours for the next rank. USAVA management will review all pending promotions prior to issuance. It may take up to a week for management to grant a promotion. During this review, PIREP hours are validated and virtual pay is checked (for a positive balance) before a promotion is granted. Promotions may be held if a review demonstrates significant errors on the pilot’s behalf during flight or if the pilot has a negative pay balance. If it has been over one week and you have not been promoted (or received notice of why you haven’t been promoted), please contact your Vice President of Operations. 3.12 Resignation USAVA recognizes that oftentimes, real-­‐world circumstances prevent a pilot from giving any time to flight simulation. As such, pilots have the option to resign their position within USAVA at any time. (Please note that a LOA is a secondary option) To resign, please notify your Vice President of Operations via e-­‐mail. If a pilot resigns voluntarily without disciplinary action levied against him/her, they are eligible for rehire in the future. 3.13 Conflict Resolution In the event that a member should find him/herself in conflict with another member of the organization or a member of Corporate Leadership, the member should utilize the following chain to resolve the situation: • Vice President/Director of Operations for their domicile • Executive Vice President of Human Resources • Chief Operations Officer • President & Chief Executive Officer Members are expected to enter the conflict resolution process in accordance with the following chain of communication (this is based on who the member is in conflict with). If you are in conflict with: • Another member, contact the Vice President or Director of Operations for your domicile. • Your Director of Operations (if applicable to your domicile), contact the Vice President of Operations for your domicile. • Your Vice President of Operations, contact the Chief Operations Officer. • Any Administrative Staff (Non-­‐Executive), contact the Executive Vice President of Human Resources. • The Chief Operations Officer or Executive Vice President of Human Resources, contact the Chief Executive Officer. • The Chief Executive Officer, contact both the Chief Operations Officer and Executive Vice President of Human Resources. 4.0 Code of Conduct In order to succeed at meeting our goal of providing the most realistic and enjoyable virtual aviation experience to every pilot, we have established a General Code of Conduct. This code serves to set minimum standards of conduct by which all members of US Airways Virtual Airlines (USAVA) are required to adhere to. The code is not designed to confine or restrict our member’s activities, but rather ensure that USAVA remains a safe, friendly, and fun environment for all. Submission of a pilot application and acceptance into the organization signifies your agreement to read, review, and abide by all parts of our code of conduct. Failure to be in compliance with any section will result in disciplinary action up to (and including) termination. It is important to note that this code is not all-­‐inclusive; no listing of rules can cover every conceivable circumstance. Therefore, members should always use common sense in any situation they find themselves in. Should a member conduct him/herself in a disruptive/inappropriate manner, disciplinary action will be taken in accordance with published guidelines throughout this document. 4.1 Our core values Above all, USAVA will always strive to create and maintain an excellent reputation within the community with specific regards to Professionalism, Integrity, and Trust. • Professionalism: We will maintain an atmosphere of professionalism through our website, forums, and other communications, conducting our operations in an efficient and business-­‐like manner. • Integrity: We will present ourselves with honesty and disclose to all members of the public truthful and reliable information about our operations and organizational goals. We maintain respect for others at all times. • Trust: We will focus on operating an organization that others can trust. At the same time, we will trust our members and members of the community without prejudice. 4.2 Code of Conduct Contents We understand that from time to time there will be differences in opinion. While we respect these differences and promote active discussion, the following are classified as unacceptable behavior. Participation in any of the following constitutes violation of the USAVA Code of Conduct: • Use foul or unsuitable language toward ANY member of the USAVA community via any means of communications (to include the forums, e-­‐mail, TeamSpeak, etc.) • Defame, abuse, harass, stalk, threaten, or otherwise violate the legal rights of others. • Publish, post, upload, distribute or disseminate any inappropriate, profane, •
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defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent or unlawful topic, name, material or information to any USAVA venue. (To include pornographic/sexually explicit materials) Upload files that contain software or other material protected by intellectual property laws (or by rights of privacy of publicity) unless you own or control the rights thereto or have received all necessary consents. Upload files that contain viruses, corrupted files, or any other similar software or programs that may damage the operation of another's computer. Restrict or inhibit any other member from utilizing and enjoying the communication services available to them by USAVA. Harvest or otherwise collect personal/identifiable information about others (including e-­‐mail addresses), without their explicit consent. Violate any applicable US/local laws or regulations. Hacking, or attempting to hack, any of USAVA’s online systems (which will result in immediate termination of membership). 4.2.1 Forums The forums are a place for friendly discussion, debate and making new friends. They are not the place for inappropriate or aggressive arguments of any sort. Any persons found to be engaging in aggressive arguments on the forum will be subject receipt of a code of conduct violation. 4.2.2 TeamSpeak All members of the organization are welcome and encouraged to utilize TeamSpeak. During your chatting and discussion on TeamSpeak, you are expected to respect all members participating in the discussion. We encourage free thought and free expression (you may discuss your personal views), but know when to stop. Comments classified as derogatory to any group of people, including but not limited to any race, any sexual orientation, political/religious affiliation and/or nationality, will not be tolerated. Harassment, name-­‐calling, constant channel switching, spamming, etc. will not be tolerated. Always be positive, be friendly, and be helpful. If your conversation is limited to only certain members connected to the server, you should move to another channel. In other words, try to have one conversation per channel. If you are unable to follow the rules on TeamSpeak, you will be warned, kicked from a channel, or banned from the server entirely for a period of time. That period of time will vary in length depending on the nature of the offense. Abusing Server Administrator (SA) privileges will result in an immediate suspension. 4.3 Disciplinary Procedures If any member intentionally violates any sections of the USAVA Operations Manual or aforementioned Code of Conduct, the following actions will occur: • First Offense-­‐-­‐A verbal warning that comes from the offender’s Vice President of Operations. (The VP will notify HR of the action taken, and it will be noted on the offender’s personnel file) • Second Offense -­‐-­‐A verbal warning and a written letter of reprimand sent by the Executive Vice President of Human Resources to the offender informing them of the repeat violation and the consequences of a 3rd Offense. • Third Offense -­‐-­‐Automatic suspension from the Website, Forums, TS, and ACARS until the USAVA Disciplinary Board meets to discuss the offense with the member in question. The Disciplinary Board (appointed by the CEO and rotating on a regular basis) will meet within one week of the offense and will request the presence of the offending member on TeamSpeak in a private room.* The board will interview the member and consider all mitigating circumstances of the offense. Once the interview is complete, the Board will determine necessary consequences (if any) that should be taken against the member. The board will draft and forward its recommendation to the Chief Operations Officer and Chief Executive Officer for review. The CEO will make a final decision on the matter within a 24-­‐hour period. The CEO has the authority to execute any level of punishment (up to and including termination), but will primarily consider the recommendations of the board. Once a decision is made, the CEO will notify the EVP-­‐HR who will contact the member inform him of final decision, executing the consequences as published. *The offender must meet with the Disciplinary Board on TeamSpeak if he/she desires to defend him/herself and present any evidence or testimony in the issue. E-­‐mail correspondence is not permissible. If you waive your right to an interview, you are signifying your acceptance of whatever disciplinary action is levied against you and understand that you will not be able to appeal the final decision. 5.0 Flight Operations US Airways Virtual Airlines (USAVA) does not attempt to place any undue pressure on its members. We realize that members can only commit a certain number of hours and time to this hobby; as such we have established reasonable minimum flight requirements that must be adhered to in order to remain an active pilot for the organization. These requirements are designed to ensure that all pilots are able to remain active, regardless of their commitments elsewhere. The primary flight requirement states that each pilot is required to fly at minimum one flight every calendar month. If you fail to meet this requirement, your account will be placed on termination warning. Once placed on termination warning, you will have a period of fourteen (14) days to file a report. After that period, you’ll be removed from the roster. If you know in advance that you will not be able to complete the flight time requirement, contact your Vice President of Operations to request a Leave of Absence. We want to work with our pilots to ensure that they remain active. However, it is important for our pilots to maintain contact with domicile management to determine the best way to remain active. The submission of fraudulent PIREP’s will result in the immediate termination of your membership with USAVA. 5.1 Category Flight The category of aircraft a pilot can utilize to accumulate flight hours is based on their rank within the airline. Please refer to the rank chart in this document to determine the category of aircraft your rank can fly. PIREPS that are submitted utilizing an aircraft in a higher category than one’s rank will permit are automatically rejected. 5.2 Jumpseating In order to provide the most realistic flight environment possible all pilots are encouraged to depart from the last place they landed. Flights flown from an origin other than the last arrival airport are subject to a jumpseat fee to be taken out of your pilot virtual salary balance. 5.3 Schedule As our name suggests, we strive mirror US Airways flight operations in as realistic a manner as possible. This includes utilizing a current schedule of flights from US Airways. In order for flight hours to count, pilots may only operate flights that are listed in the current USAVA schedule (accessible by choosing “Itinerary” in the Crew Center). If you notice that we do not have a flight route that is included in the current US Airways timetable, please contact our Director of Scheduling to ensure it is added to our online schedule. Utilizing the “Itinerary” tab provided to you through the Crew Center, you will be able to search for flights and add them to your itinerary. Once you select your flight, we recommend that you dispatch the flight by clicking on “Dispatch”. This will provide you with specific details regarding your flight including route, departure time, map, etc. All pilots must depart from the listed departure airport and at the specified time for your flight. This means you must set your simulation to the proper date and time for the flight. Flights flown that do not have the proper date and time reported are subject to rejection. 5.4 Flight Routing USAVA does not allow direct-­‐to GPS routing. All pilots are required to follow a published flight plan in order for flight credit to be awarded. The preferred US Airways route is documented on the USAVA dispatch page for your flight. You can download that flight plan and load it into Flight Simulator’s Create a Flight feature. Additionally, you may fly other published routes that are available through websites such as FlightAware and Simroutes. 5.5 Flight Procedures The following provisions will be applied to ALL flight operations: • Time Acceleration is not permitted. All flights must be flown at 1x simulation speed, regardless of the scheduled flight length. • All flights must be completed according to the published timetable in order for flight credit to be rewarded. You must takeoff from the published airport at approximately the published departure time and land at the destination airport at approximately the published arrival time. • Each pilot must adhere to proper FAA outlined cruising altitudes. In the United States, eastbound (heading 0-­‐179 degrees) IFR flights must cruise at an "odd" flight level in 2000 foot increments starting at FL190 (i.e., FL190, FL210, FL230, etc.); westbound (heading 180-­‐359 degrees) IFR flights must cruise at an "even" flight level in 2000 foot increments starting at FL180 (i.e., FL180, FL200, FL220, etc.). However, Air Traffic Control (ATC) may assign any flight level at any time if traffic situations merit a change in altitude. 5.6 Breaks During Flight Pilots are permitted to take a break(s) during flights and therefore are permitted to leave their computer during the break. The maximum length is 30-­‐minutes. Only one break is authorized for flights of four hours or less. For flight exceeding four hours, breaks are at the discretion of the pilot after the fourth hour but never exceeding 30-­‐minutes per break. Pilots who fly online using VATSIM shall contact their ATC and request permission to vacate the flight deck before taking their break. If the controller does not grant permission, the pilot must wait for clearance to leave the cockpit from ATC. Note: VATSIM also has a policy regarding being away from the computer during flight. Should a pilot be contacted by a VATSIM supervisor and the pilot does not respond within 30-­‐
minutes, the pilot will be disconnected from their server and suspended for several days. 5.7 Online Flying Although not required, every pilot is encouraged to join and fly with an online ATC network such as VATSIM. Flying online with live ATC coverage will add a new dimension of realism to your experience at USAVA. With VATSIM, you'll be working around other aircraft flown by real people with USAVA and other VAs. In addition, USAVA operates and participates in many events on VATSIM. For more information on VATSIM and online flying, consult the appropriate discussion board on the forums or contact a member of the corporate leadership team. Whenever you are flying online (and therefore representing USAVA), we require pilots to follow these procedures: • You will need to register for a free new pilot account if flying on VATSIM. • You must have an Internet connection and a valid copy of FS2004 or FSX. • To connect to VATSIM you will need to download the pilot client software. (See our forums to obtain instructions on how to obtain VATSIM Software) • To communicate with ATC via voice, you will need a working headset or microphone. • You must present yourself in a professional manner, recognizing that when flying online, you are representing USAVA. • No foul, vulgar, or racially charged remarks will be tolerated here at USAVA or while operating on any online network (Compliance with the Code of Conduct is required on VATSIM as well). Any complaint received from anyone at VATSIM will be grounds for immediate termination. • The flight prefix and call sign should be AWE followed by your Pilot-­‐ Id (ex AWE1001) as their call sign. Flight numbers as call signs are no longer permitted. Your voice call sign to controllers is “CACTUS,” NOT US Airways. You don't need to be an aviation expert. However it is important that: • You are already familiar with your version of Microsoft Flight Simulator (FS2004 or FSX) • You are comfortable flying in the aircraft you will use online. • You have a basic understanding of Air Traffic Control and have read the network manuals and documentations. • You are able to fly a SID/STAR and follow an IFR flight plan with waypoints. 5.7.1 Assistance to Pilots for Online Flying Contrary to popular belief, online flying isn't that difficult. It is meant to add another dimension to your flight simulator experience in terms of realism, but also in terms your level of enjoyment. If you are still not comfortable with VATSIM flying, the USAVA training department will be scheduling classes and providing online documentation to assist you in using VATSIM. Remember that the VATSIM community is friendly, and informative. Don’t worry about making mistakes (because everyone does from time to time), just remember to identify yourself to any online controller and they will assist you in every possible way. 5.8 Time Reporting In order to maintain consistency with our timetable and route schedule, all reported departure and arrival times must be listed and filed in the local time zone of the airport you depart and arrive in. (e.g., If you depart an east coast airport at 7:00a and arrive at a west coast airport at 8:00a, your report times would be 0700 departure and 0800 arrival showing your flight time as 4.0 hours.). 6.0 PIREP Filing Procedures 6.1 Accepted Filing Methods USAVA uses the phpVMS reporting system for all flight reporting. This system allows for three types of pilot reports (PIREPS) to be filed. Any other form of filing cannot and will not be accepted. USAVA has some requirements and restrictions for each method of filing. • US ACARS (Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System) Pilots may use US ACARS program to file a USAVA flight report. USACARS is a free program (downloadable on our website through the crew center) that communicates with USAVA online servers and your Microsoft Flight Simulator. It captures flight information and periodic position and status updates to the “current flights” section of our website as well as to a file in your “My documents” folder. • FS Passengers Pilots may use FS Passengers (a payware third-­‐party program) and use the built-­‐in "Export Flight to VA" feature. Configuration settings can be found on the USAVA Forums. FS Passengers is recommended for all pilots but USAVA does not offer any external support for it other than troubleshooting tips posted in the forums. Members using FS Passengers are encouraged, but not required to fly online. • Manual Flight Report Manual reports are no longer accepted unless one or more of the following conditions is present: • US ACARS is not functional. • US ACARS crashes during flight • US ACARS does not allow you to file a flight • Malfunction with FS Passengers or US ACARS during a flight. • Prior approval by domicile Vice President of Operations. 6.2 Reporting Malfunctions & Manual Reporting We understand that malfunctions occur from time to time so we have established new guidelines in order for manual reports to be filed: YOU MUST PROVIDE DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE THAT YOU FLEW YOUR FLIGHT IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR PUBLISHED TIMETABLE FROM A RELIABLE SOURCE IN ORDER FOR YOUR PIREP TO BE APPROVED. IF THE EVIDENCE YOU PROVIDE CAN BE EASILY MANIPULATED, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE THAT SOURCE AS PROOF. RELIABLE SOURCES ARE AS FOLLOWED: •
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FSPASSENGERS USACARS VATSIM FS FLIGHT TRACKER ANY OTHER FLIGHT TRACKING SYSTEM THAT MUST BE VALIDATED BY THE COO PRIOR BEFORE THE PIREP WILL BE APPROVED. We recommend that you fly with two of the above flight tracking systems in the event the primary system fails you can file your flight information with the secondary system. Please use the following guidelines when your reporting system fails. You must meet these requirements and submit them to your Vice President of Operations for your manual report to be approved. 6.3 Evidentiary Support Requirements 6.3.1 While in Flight Take a series of three (3) screenshots of your Electronic Kneeboard Navigation Log. The first screenshot must show your flight plan information (Departure and Arrival airports, distance, estimated fuel and ETE, and your first waypoint entry including the Route, Heading, Distance, GS and Fuel). Your second entry must show the current waypoint information and the previous waypoint recorded entry. Your third screenshot must be of your Automated Tracking Program (USACARS, FSPassengers, VATSIM, etc) screen with any error messages showing. If you missed the messages, we just need a screenshot of the current tracking system. 6.3.2 Upon Completion of your Flight Immediately after you land, you must take another screenshot of your Electronic Kneeboard Navigation Log showing that last 4 waypoint entries. 6.3.3 ACARS Documentation You will need to obtain your US ACARS tracking file. This file is located in your “My Documents” folder under the US ACARS subfolder. Please note: support from another pilot who confirms your flight on ACARS is not sufficient evidence, and will be denied without additional documentation as noted in this section. 6.3.4 Evidentiary Screenshot Submission All screenshots with any tracking files from the automated systems must be emailed to your Vice President of Operations within an hour of your landing. When you file your manual PIREP, it will be immediately held pending the validation of the flight. If the supporting files are not sent your PIREP will not be approved. 6.3.5 Additional Manual Reports Before you can file a second manual PIREP, you will be required to send your Vice President of Operations a screenshot of your next flight’s kneeboard showing your flight plan information. Once you land, you will be required to submit screenshots of the entire electronic logbook within 1 hour of your flight. Prior to your third flight, you will be required to email your Vice President of Operations to make arrangements for a meeting with him or her on TeamSpeak so you can work on resolving the any issues with your automated recording systems. Please CC the COO on this e-­‐mail. 6.4 For Additional Reference To access the Electronic Kneeboard with pre-­‐flight information showing: •
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Click the checkmark icon on the instrument panel. OR Press SHIFT+F10 OR On the Aircraft menu, point to Kneeboard, and choose one of the kneeboard pages. To obtain a screenshot the display, place your cursor anywhere in the screen and hold the ALT and PRT SCR (Print Screen) buttons on your keyboard simultaneously. The image will be copied to your clipboard. Open Wordpad and then hold the CTRL and V keys together or from the menu line select EDIT and click Paste and the image will appear within your document. Save the document with the following information included: USAVA ID Number, Name, Flight Number, and Date of Flight. E-­‐mail this file to your Vice President of Operations. If you have an automated recording system that you want USAVA to consider, please forward the information to the Vice President of Information Technology and this program will be reviewed and considered. 7.0 Member Support 7.1 Training One of the most enjoyable aspects of any hobby is working to become better at what you do. We want to help all of our members grow through their experiences in their abilities. While outlined more specifically in subsequent operations manuals for training, our training program will be designed to provide pilots of every level the opportunity to grow their knowledge of operating a vast variety of aircraft. It will also provide a way to refresh prior knowledge for our most experienced pilots. Our training department continually strives to provide a dynamic learning environment for all of our employees. Our initial pilot training program will include a briefing on airline rules, regulations and procedures and general aircraft handling exercises. Our dedicated training staff is also working to create advanced training courses that will allow pilots of all skill levels to improve. Topics may include handling emergencies, international flying, advanced simulator techniques, fuel management, and cockpit resource management. 7.2 Website In developing our user interface, we have made every attempt to offer unique features to our pilots. Remember to begin each visit to our web site by logging in using your Pilot ID and your password. If you forget your password, contact your Vice President of Operations. The Crew Center is the heart of activity for the airline. Visiting the pages contained within it will help direct your activities. 7.3 USAVA Forums Because there is a vast amount of information developed on our forums, we require all members to register with the forums. In addition, forum membership provides you with the opportunity to enjoy person-­‐to-­‐person interactions and experience the benefits of discussing airline operations, flights, VAs, and a host of other topics from other like-­‐minded people pursuing the same hobby as you. The forum requires its own registration. Once your application has been accepted and approved, you will receive an email with forum access instructions. You are expected to conduct yourself in a professional manner when using the forum by abiding by the Code of Conduct. Any violation of the Code of Conduct may result in the suspension and/or termination of your forum account and termination of USAVA membership.