Pontchartrain Virtual Airlines - Help Wanted

Virtual Airlines Virtual Airlines Discussion
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Pontchartrain Virtual Airlines-Help Wanted

Two and a half years ago I came up with an idea to develop a virtual airline that would work as a business lab for my high school Free Enterprise students. In that time Nabeel has worked very patiently with me to help me bring this idea into reality. Hence I owe him a debt of thanks that I wish to make public here. Moreover, Pontchartrain Virtual Airlines would not even be on the drawing board without Nabeel’s help, guidance and understanding.

The Readers Digest explanation of the concept is as follows. When the VA goes on line, it will be as though it were the early 1950’s. As a result we will fly the DC-3 only. I have a back story, that although is fictional, is based on the historical development of the US commercial aviation industry. This historical fiction will proceed from it’s early 1950’s pick up point and develop an airline that will evolve though the jet age, through de-regulation to the contempory incarnation of the industry. When working with something that will be used to teach high schoolers it is vital that no short cuts are taken and every detail of historical fact is addressed. So one of the key stone concepts of Pontchartrain VA is attention to detail and adherence to historical fact. This reliance on fact and real world operation will hopefully make the airline unique and as such will be a drawing card to pilots. This is the main reason that the first phase of development has taken two and one half years to complete.

During that time I have come to understand that the concept should run on line as a functional VA and then later as a classroom interactive business model for my students. In that light I have purchased a Fivedev site powered by phpVMS Virtual Airline administration. Additionally I have created a very detailed route system that boasts over 1,000 flights a day and now serves 52 US cities. This time table is a true route system. It takes into account crew layovers and equipment layovers that comply with real world FAA regulations. In fact Nabeel has taken the time to write new code that will allow this schedule to operate as designed.

Despite all of the development that has gone into the project I have run into a brick wall. Where I am very comfortable creating detailed components like the historical fiction back story,

the route time table, the crew layover schedules, real world equipment maintenance schemes, and operating the business end of the operation I have little or no experience with the technical aspects of brining the site live and on line.

As a direct result of all of the above, the help wanted sign is out. Please understand that I am seeking individuals that take this so called “hobby,†seriously and as such want to produce something of value that advances the community as a whole. To attract that type of professional dedicated individual I am more than willing to explore a wide range of possible arrangements that will adequately compensate their efforts.

I am specifically seeking individuals who will work with me to design a web site. I have already created the majority of the content that will populate the site. Hence I am looking for help to take that information and turn it into a working site. I can not stress enough my lack of computer programming understanding and ability to execute even the most basic of tasks in that arena. I say this only to make anyone interested in jumping on board, fully aware of the environment they will be entering into. That said I do pick up on concepts easily and want to be a working partner. So I am not looking for someone to do all the programming work for me, rather I am interested in partners, that I can develop a working relationship with.

Secondly, I am looking for someone to help me transfer my route system data base into a working VA. Please understand that Nabeel is at this point working to resolve the final issues surrounding the code necessary to make the schedule work; so I think the chance to down load the data base is forthcoming. Again I am looking for partners more than I am looking for someone to do the work for me. Once that partner teaches me how these things do I fully intend to take an active part in the future development of the route system.

Third is the painting of the aircraft. Sometime ago one of the members of this site was kind enough to provide a prototype of what the aircraft would look like. Unfortunately, I have misplaced that person’s contact information and do not know how to get in touch with that most helpful person. As mentioned above, I will start with one type of equipment the DC-3. To complete my route system will require a fleet of 151 aircraft. Naturally my historical fiction will properly explain how the airline was able to muster such a fleet. My paint scheme will consist of three colors. The paint schemes I have in mind is purposely simply, yet make a bold statement. (It is based on the prototype provided to me by the member if this site 2 years ago)Naturally I do not expect to find someone willing to paint 151 DC-3’s rather a partner that will show me the ropes and share the burden of the work load.

Forth, I seek a web master. Someone willing to keep thinks running and that can speak the language of someone like Nabeel to solve problems with simple explanations rather than the detailed explanations a person like me has to provide in order to put in plain words what is more than likely an easy problem to solve. Again I am looking for a partner and not someone to do it all for me.

Fifth, I have noticed that other VA’s sometimes seek station managers. In the real world I understand exactly what an airline station manager would do. However in the VA world I am somewhat confused by how a station manager would function. Nonetheless, I am convinced that if other VA’s bring this function into their system then they must play a vital role.

Pontchartrain Virtual Airlines will be home based in New Orleans, LA. There will be hubs in Washington DC, Columbia, Mo, Knoxville, TN, Lubbock, TX and San Francisco, CA. If these hub cities sound strange remember, we are talking about a 1950’s airline that started with east west airmail routes in the 1930’s. Moreover Hub evolution will take place over time Think of routes that would be an airborne Pony Express. The cities service is as follows;

  1. ALEXANDRIA, LA

ALEXANDRIA INTL

AEX

  1. ATHENS, GA

ATHENS/EPPS

AHN

  1. ATLANTA, GA

Hartsfield Intl

ATL

  1. AUBURN, AL

AUBURN-OPELIKA-PITS

AUO

  1. AUSTIN, TX

Bergstrom

AUS

  1. BATON ROUGE, LA

RYAN-METRO Intl

BTR

  1. BOSTON, MA

Logan Intl

BOS

  1. CHARLOTTE, NC

Charlotte Intl

CLT

  1. CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA

Albemarle

CHO

  1. CHICAGO, IL

MIDWAY

MDW

  1. CLEVELAND, OH

Hopkins Intl

CLE

  1. COLLEGE STATION, TX

EASTERWOOD

CLL

  1. COLUMBIA, MO

Columbia Regl

COU

  1. DALLAS, TX

LOVE FIELD

DAL

  1. FAYETTEVILLE/SPRINGDALE, AK

NW ARK REG

XNA

  1. FORT COLLINS, CO

FT COLLINS-LOVELAND MUNI

FNL

  1. GAINSVILLE, FL

GAINSVILLE REGL

GNV

  1. GREENSBORO, NC

PIEDMONT INTL

GSO

  1. GREER, SC

GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG INTL

GSP

  1. HOUSTON, TX

WILLIAM P. HOBBY

HOU

  1. KANSAS CITY, MO

KANSAS CITY INTL

KCM

  1. KNOXSVILLE, TN

MCGEE/TYSON

TYS

  1. LAFAYETTE, LA

LAFAYETTE REGIONAL

LFT

  1. LAKE CHARLES, LA

LAKE CHARLES REGL

LCH

  1. LEXINGTON, KY

BLUE GRASS INTL

LEX

  1. LOS ANGELES, CA

LOS ANGELES INTL

LAX

  1. LUBBOCK, TX

PRESTON SMITH INTL

LBB

  1. MEMPHIS, TN

MEMPHIS INTL

MEM

  1. MIAMI, FL

MIAMI INTL

MIA

  1. MINNEAPOLIS, MN

MINNEAPOLIS-ST.PAUL INTL

MSP

  1. MONROE, LA

MONROE REGL

MLU

  1. NASHVILLE, TN

NASHVILLE INTL

BNA

  1. NEW ORLEANS, LA

NEW ORLEANS INTL

MSY

  1. NEW YORK, NY

KENNEDY INTL

JFK

  1. NORMAN, OK

UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA

OUN

  1. OXFORD, MS

UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI

UOX

  1. PHILADELPHIA, PA

PHILLY INTL

PHL

  1. PITTSBURGH, PA

PITTSBURGH INTL

PIT

  1. RALEIGH-DURHAM, NC

RALIEGH-DURHAM INTL

RDU

  1. RICHMOND, VA

RICHMOND INTL

RIC

  1. SOUTH BEND, IN

SOUTH BEND REGL

SBN

  1. SAN FRANCISCO, CA

SAN FRANCISCO INTL

SFO

  1. SAINT LOUIS, MO

Lambert-St. Louis Intl

STL

  1. STARKVILLE, MS

GOLDEN TRIANGLE-COLUMBUS Muni

GTR

  1. STILLWATER, OK

Stillwater Muni

SWO

  1. TALLAHASSEE, FL

TALLAHASSEE REGL

TLH

  1. TAMPA

TAMPA INTL

TPA

  1. TOLEDO, OH

TOLEDO EXPRESS

TOL

  1. TUSCALOUSA, AL

TUSCALOUSA REGL

TLC

  1. WACO, TX

CNW

  1. WASHINGTON DC

WASHINGTON NATIONAL

DCA

I have invested quite a bit of time and effort into this project. I have a passion and vision for the final product. Hence if individuals with the talents I seek are not available for the type of partnerships I have described above I would be willing to exchange services. Eg, a trade for a route system, business model, crew scheme for completion of the things I need done. I look forward to hearing from the VA community and the development of good working partnerships.