A Year of Tuesday Night Flying on VATSIM

Every Tuesday at 7pm, Fly UK pilots meet on Discord before connecting to VATSIM for a group flight. From the USA and Europe to Rovaniemi and a Hogmanay finale from Paris to Edinburgh, it’s been a year of memorable group flying - and everyone’s welcome to join.

Fly UK Group Flights – Looking Back, Flying Forward

Every Tuesday evening at 7pm, something special happens. A familiar set of callsigns begin to appear, flight plans are filed, and flight sims come alive as the Fly UK community gathers once again on VATSIM.

Over the past year, our Tuesday group flights have grown into a real fixture on the Fly UK calendar. What began as a simple weekly meet-up has become a welcoming, dependable group of regular flyers - with many others joining whenever work, time zones and life allow. That mix of familiar faces and new voices has been part of what makes these evenings so enjoyable.

From the USA to the Arctic Circle

Together, we’ve covered an incredible variety of flying:

• Sweeping routes across the United States,
• Challenging and rewarding multi-leg adventures around Europe,
• And, of course, our now-traditional seasonal trip to Rovaniemi, proving that no Fly UK year is complete without a touch of Arctic magic.

Each flight has offered something different - new airports, unfamiliar airspace, and plenty of shared learning along the way. Whether you’re flying your first group event or your fiftieth, there’s always something new to enjoy.

ATC That Makes the Difference

A huge part of what elevates these flights is the outstanding ATC on VATSIM. We’ve been incredibly fortunate to experience block-to-block coverage on several legs, transforming a good flight into a truly immersive one. Clearances, handoffs, holds, and approaches all come together to create the kind of realism that reminds us why we fly online in the first place.

To every controller who has controlled us on our flights - thank you. You’ve played a big part in making Tuesday nights something we all look forward to.

Hogmanay or Bust

We wrapped up the year in fitting style with our final event: Hogmanay or Bust, flying from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Edinburgh. It was a perfect way to close out the calendar - a classic European city pair, winter conditions, and a real sense of occasion as we headed north to see in the New Year. A memorable flight that captured everything these Tuesday events are about.

A Special Thank You

None of this would happen without Ron, who consistently arranges, plans, and organises these events and adventures for us to enjoy. From route planning to coordination, his effort behind the scenes ensures that all we need to do is turn up, fuel up, and fly. On behalf of everyone in the group - thank you, Ron.

Looking Ahead

Most importantly, thank you to our regular Tuesday flyers. Your consistency, friendliness, and enthusiasm are what make these flights feel like a community rather than just a schedule entry.

If you’ve never joined us before, or if it’s been a while since your last group flight, consider this your invitation. Whether you can fly every week or just occasionally, you’ll always find a welcoming bunch on Discord and a shared destination waiting on Tuesday evenings at 7pm.

Here’s to another year of great routes, busy frequencies, smooth landings - and, no doubt, a few memorable go-arounds.

We look forward to seeing you on future events.