Attracting new pilots?

[Andrew17]

Not an issue for me but I'm sure many others would appreciate this.....

What are some tips for Attracting pilots to a new VA?

[Sava]

I will post a more general guide but alll of these contribute to the overall quality of the VA and that is required to get new pilots

There are many VAs these days so you really have to try hard and be patient!

First of all, don't make a VA that already exists! We do not need 100 AAL VAs, RYR VAs etc. you get the point.

Second, start off with a small team of people you really trust and that are actually interested in the VA. Posting on many forums looking for 50 staff positions is not good. The only thing you will achieve is a roster full of people that just want a title next to their name and that are not flying and being active. As you grow, open up more staff positions but only recruit from your existing active members. At the time I have 4 staff members. Me as the CEO, a Training Director, HR Director and Flight Operations Director but really I could do all the job myself with the TD, but the staff team makes it easier for me and they have been with the airline from the start and have over 300h each.

Third, many people do not realize that having an attractive website is everything. Please do not misunderstand me, it is important, but not as much as others think. Pretty much all the VAs have the same systems running and with similiar layouts etc. The only option to stand out in this field is to have a custom ACARS and a never-seen-before layout with great features, options etc. If you can not get that or do not want to, your best bet is to focus on other things which are equally or even more important. First of, having an active and friendly community. Encourage your members to post screenshots and be active on the forums and TS if you have one.

Four, provide things for your pilots. Aircraft liveries, make scenery databases so it easier for pilots to find sceneries for the airports you fly to. Also try and fulfil their wishes and make them see they are important to you but do not go too far so they end up running your VA. Get discounts for VAs from addon manufactorers

Do not have double criteriums. If someone with 4h makes the same mistake as someone with 1000h and that mistake is for example considered a serious infraction by your OM, treat both the members the same.

I am in a hurry now so I will rush things but edit my post later.

Be patient, it may take a while for your VA to become succesful, but also be ready to accept that it maybe won't. It is important to keep it close to the original idea. Try and make it for a certain 'niche'. Maybe not many people for example like bush flying in Congo, but are you pationate about it, and do you think you can offer more than other similar VAs. If so, I wish you all the luck!

Hope this helps

[HighFlyerPL185]

That's very useful, thank you for those tips as I am starting a VA too, and it will be hopefully online in a couple of weeks. The only trouble with the web based systems is that some of them, like custom ACARS, are harder to make, and paying for them can be bit of a pull on your cash. I am not saying this to criticize the programmers, because they certainly put their hardest effort into constructing these softwares, but seriously, I've got a good blockbuster game for that price bracket. Additionally, languages like C++ are hard to learn especially when you're not studying them at uni or school, the tutorials are usually vague, because they tell you what to do sometimes in quite a detail, yet if you have any problems, you have to experiment yourself.

[Sava]

That is true although you can run a VA pretty much without any cost if you know right people.

For example, I got my repaints from the virtual alliance I am in, the hosting is paid by a friend of mine who I am helping with his website as the webmaster so he provides the hosting etc

.

You just have to look

Good luck with the VA

[flyalaska]

Another useful tip, Don't post pilots wanted in these forums. Everyone is a owner of a VA and it makes no sense to advertise here. Regards to staff. You may have to manage solo for awhile untill you find some trusted pilots on your end. I ran everything for the first year till I found some trusted members. I agree 100% on a unique layout, so many cookie cutter sites. If you have to use a premade template, you can always alter the look so it doesn't look like another.

[tgycgijoes]

Like all new va's we are looking for dedicated pilots. In another post I made the mistake of looking for pilots here because we are all serious pilots but.....did not realize that almost everyone here is also the CEO of their own va ooops. I learned and also got some good advice. Good luck with your new va. Everything said here take to heart as I am.