Latest News & Updates for Members - June

[UKV1197 - Derek Butterworth]

Dear Members,

Once again, thank you for continuing to fly with us.
The past months activity at Fly UK had an average of 353 unique pilots per week filed a PIREP in May. We received 2,536 Mainstream PIREPs, 908 Tour PIREPs and 887 Flying Club PIREPs. Membership numbers currently stand at 1,107

Operations
Mainstream has some new routes from Gatwick. Gerona, Jersey and Leipzig are now featured on the destination list.
 
Fly2 is now well into its summer schedules carrying holiday makers far and wide. Leased A330's are still due to arrive at some point over the next few months, watch out for more news soon.
 
We also recently shared the launch information and reveal for our new franchise based in New Zealand. Topa Sky will start operating later this year.
 
And finally in Nordic Sky we hope to have a 717 repaint for Nordic very soon, watch the forums for info.

Tours
The tour review is starting to return dividends.  Two new tours have been added in May, The old and the New featuring some destinations that are not currently in service and some of our current destinations.  The tour starts and finishes in Liverpool and features the Airbus A320, Boeing 737-800 amonst others.  The IVAO 2017 Long Haul tour has also been added, which can be flown on or offline.
 
A new sub folder has been created in the forum, which as time permits will have a thread covering key information on each tour.  This is envisaged as a single reference point for each tour.
 
Work is under way to release two new tours in June, no hints or clues you will have to keep an eye on the section.  Of course that will mean two tours will be retired.  Tours that retire will be placed in the retirement home (tab) for a minimum of 6 weeks, any pilot nearly finished should email (david.campbell[at]flyuk.aero)  me or pm me and we can keep the tour live for a few extra weeks.
 
Training Academy
A new course is now available for honing your GA flying. We now have a comprehensive virtual PPL course. This encompasses most of the PPL Syllabus following where appropriate for flight simulation, the set exercises 1 to 19 as defined in CAP1298. Starting from aircraft familiarisation, basic aircraft handling leading up to competent aircraft handling in a basic instrument flight. Pilots are able to progress to IMC or IR rating level if desired. There is no minimum hours required as it is tailored to each individuals skill level. You can find the course in the Training Academy under Flying club courses.
 
Documentation
Lists of eligible aircraft have been added to the new Flying Club Retro Tour information pages. Thanks to UKV1684 – Katrina Hancock for the research.
 
Charters (Ad-Hoc)
Three charter aircraft have been utilised by a local tour company to destinations throughout Europe and beyond.  An Airbus A320 and Boeing 737-700 have been based in Liverpool and a further Boeing 737-700 has been based in Cardiff.
 
The last 4 remaining MD11F have been dusted down and passed their checks and are now being despatched to Shangai, Anchorage, Dakar and Frankfurt to their new respective owners.  These flights will remain until 1 July 2017.
 
Flying Club
Three new tours have been added to the flying club in May. A retro section has been opened within the tours allowing flights in vintage prop and jet aircraft to various airshows and exhibitions throughout Europe.  This is a new venture for the flying club and is being monitored by the staff team.
 
UKV1419 Andy Carroll has provided a new Pacific Coast Tour in conjunction with Orbx scenery, thanks Andy.
 
It is very early stages but plans are in the making for a new adventure starting in the Autumn, thats the Fall for our colleagues across the pond.  More details will become apparant in the coming months.
 
A fly-in is also in the planning for Sunday 18 June 2017, encouraging all pilots to converge on Manchester at 15:00z.  We have requested ATC for this event.  Keep an eye for more details on the run up to this event.  Events page can be found here
Wednesday Evening Flying Club Flights
 
Wednesday 7 June 2017 18:15z - Chile
 
Wednesday 14 June 2017 18:15z - London Circular (ATC Rerquested)
 
Wednesday 21 June 2017 18:15z - Norwegian Fjords
 
Wednesday 28 June 2017 18:15z - Bonnie Scotland (ATC Requested)

Online Events:
A message from one of our new to IVAO group
The IVAO events has simply been an extraordinary experience for me. it has been great fun so far and I have no complaints.

I can't say that I had any worries about the events itself, my biggest worries had been taking place a bit back in the time, before joining Fly UK, as well as the IVAO network. The worries of getting me understood by others and my "poor" English made me think one more time. It's something that has kind of blown my mind through the hours I've spent participating on events, doing shared cockpit and just having a chat with loads of people on teamspeak. I'm much more comfortable with everything now and that's because of you, the whole community at Fly UK. If anyone is new to the VA has similar thoughts as I had, just get online get introduced to this community!

I have enjoyed the IVAO events more than lot's of other things I've done in flight-simming. Waking up 6am in the morning to say hi to Peter, Derek and the others, that makes you feel like you are part of the community. For me, it's simply the reason that I joined Fly UK, this is why I'll try to join each and every week in the future.

I can't say anything else accept than I can't wait for the events to come around, come and join us.

Cheers, Ivar UKV1764 (Sweden)
 
The Boeing 717-200 Nordic Sky has been added to the event aircraft list and pilots flying events have no rank restrictions
Events are held on IVAO, Saturday at 0600z and repeated on VATSIM, Tuesday at 1830z and Thursday at 1300z.

IVAO/VATSIM
Week 1 La Palma to Madeira and then return 2 legs
Week 2 Nassau to St. Marten
Week 3 Valencia to Turin
week 4 Prague to Corsica

FSD Event
18th June Sunday IFR fly in to Manchester EGCC to arrive around 1500z, please keep a lookout for GA  VFR traffic in the area as the Fly UK flying club are also flying into Manchester please book your flight here

View Event Page
Please visit our online events page for more information or to register your attendance.

Screenshot Competition - Sponsored by UK2000 Scenery

Congratulations to UKV1685 - Matthew Lewis in the May Screenshot Competition. His winning shot was "Then it dawned on me!" Well done!

The theme for the June Screenshot Competition is " Coastline". For more information and how to the enter the competition, please see the link below:

June Competition - Coastline


---ENDS---

Derek Butterworth - Buisness Support Director
derek.butterworth[at]flyuk.aero

Matthew Lewis- Operations Director
matthew.lewis[at]flyuk.aero

On behalf of the Fly UK Staff Team