We measure success by people and fun.
Answers are published as the CEO wrote them, spelling included.
About the CEO
Can you tell us a bit about yourself? For example; how old you are, what your background with flying in general is and what brought you to creating your own Virtual Airline.
My handle is ‘ravenblade’, I am in my 50s. I am an active duty military officer in the Army (Colonel) but have always loved flying. Like many, I started my fight sim experience on an Apple II in the late 70s / early 80s. Later, I used Microsoft products, but I switched to Laminar’s X-Plane platform with X-Plane 8 and have been there ever since. Many people look for purpose for their flight simulation experience. That is when I discovered FSEconomy, then Fly the World, and now what I have come to appreciate the most, FSAirlines.net.
How it started
When did you start your Virtual Airline?
Latitude24 started our airline originally as the Square Grouper Airline a couple years ago. I started All American on Fly the World in February of 2020. Since then we have migrated and merged our airlines onto the FSAirlines platform.
Success
Do you consider your Virtual Airline successful?
We measure success by people and fun. As long as pilots are flying and having fun, then we are a success. If we can not sustain our business while having fun with our people, then it is time to find another hobby.
Best moment
What is your most interesting experience with your Virtual Airline, what has happened that makes you think so?
Having fun events, such as simulated emergency relief / resupply missions to McMurdo Station in Antarctica, Flying the historic Berlin Airlift with planes and routes used for the Airlift, and flying the Bermuda Triangle. We award medals to our pilots who participate in Airline Missions.
Hard times
Did you have any bad experiences with your Virtual Airline?
Yes. In previous platforms I have had some poor experiences with developers who would not listen to users or who would silence voices that were contrary to their opinion. Developer choices caused the demise of the virtual airline on that platform. Fortunately, we have a good experience with FSAirlines and the client is stable.
Pilots coming and going
What do you think of your Virtual Airline’s flow of new and leaving VA pilots? Is there something you do to attract more pilots? And why do you think some pilots leave your Virtual Airline?
The philosophy of the airline and of the platform has much to do with the way a pilot is attracted and retained in a VA. Some platforms focus on freelancing and the independence of the pilot. Other platforms focus on being your own boss with AI pilots. Still other platforms focus on the realism of the flying experience. The VA and pilot must be aware of the philosophy of the platform. Some pilots are interested in building an empire and need help getting started. That should be communicated up front and embraced by the airline. Mentoring can make a friend and partner down the road. Some pilots want realism and structure. There are airlines that provide this. We believe the VA owes it to the prospective pilot to be upfront about who they are, their operating philosophy, values, and expectations. We also believe the pilot owes the same to the airline. Pilots leave our airline when they are ready to start their own airline or if their interest takes them to other hobbies.
Fleet and liveries
What types of planes does your Virtual Airline use and do you have all the custom liveries available for your VA?
We fly single engine, multi-engine and turbo prop general aviation; narrow-body and heavy airliners and cargo, military cargo, helicopters, bush planes and sea planes. We have very limited liveries for X-plane and are looking for a livery painter for our VA. Notable aircraft include the C-17 Globemaster III, the historic Concorde, the An-225, and the Airbus Beluga.
Online networks
Does your VA fly on a network? If so, what do you think about it? Do you feel it supplements the general flying experience, what do you think of the network in general and is it required for your pilots to fly on this network?
We have the capability to fly over network connections with our platform on FSAirlines.net. This attracts some pilots to our airline. With the option of two plugins, one which works across flight simulator platforms, pilots are able to share cockpits and be paid for flights in our airline. This certainly enhances the experience and builds a sense of community. This is a feature and is not required for use. Several pilots are active on VATSIM and IVAO.
Flight tracking
Do you use any flight tracking software? If so, which one, and are you happy about the service it provides? Would you like to improve it for example?
Other than the client that accompanies FSAirlines.net, we do not use any tracking software.
Developer offers
Do you make use of the offers some developers / distributors have for Virtual Airlines? Do you think these developers / distributors have good offers? And does it fit your Virtual Airline policy?
No, we have not had the opportunity to do so.
Website
Does your Virtual Airline have a custom made internet web page or do you use, for example, PHPVMS and equivalents? Are you happy about your VA’s web page?
Yes, we have a website: www.allamericanairlines.com. FSAirlines.net has a rich suite of integration features we integrate into our website. The website meets our basic needs, and like most things, could use refreshing and more development.
The year ahead
And lastly, what are your expectations for your Virtual Airline in the coming twelve months?
Growth, systems, and professionalism. We desire to grow our pilot base. We look to develop systems for pilot familiarization and training in VATSIM and shared cockpit as well as package management. Finally, we desire our airline to develop into a professional feel without loosing a low-stress, fun environment… the look of our future website, liveries, and manuals will help toward this goal.
The original questionnaire
This is the questionnaire as ravenblade sent it to us, in PDF.
