Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is British Virtual Airways?
A: British Virtual Airways is a virtual airline for Microsoft Flight Simulator partially based on the real carrier British Airways Plc. BVAir.com will provide you with a fleet of modern and realistic aircraft, a comprehensive route network, quality flight plans and more. We thrive in providing an operational environment as close as possible to the real thing. Like real pilots, you will receive flight briefings containing information on passenger and cargo loads, routing, estimated time of departure and arrival and special instructions. After flying your assigned duty, you will have to report the flight back to us. Your reports get analysed and added to your flight history. In time, your mileage counter will build up to allow you to be promoted. If you register with us, you will receive your very own staff number which will allow you to download all the necessary files and login to your personal page. When senior enough, you can choose to operate on Regional, European or Worldwide services and we are always at hand if you need support. In a nutshell, BVAir.com is a community of virtual pilots who want to get more out of Microsoft Flight Simulator.
  
Q: Do I have to fly online with BVAir.com?
A: No. Pilots can choose to fly each flight either offline with IFR navigation and Virtual ATC in Flight Simulator OR online with VATSIM. It's up to you!
  
Q: How long after registration will my account be accessible?
A: Depending on your registration type. You should hear from us within 12 to 48 hours following your online payment being accepted. If you selected the Gold membership, you will be able to access your account and download the basic files to get you started, the rest of the package will come through the post in between two to ten days, depending on the country of destination.
  
Q: What can I use to pay for my registration?
A: It all depends what type of card you hold. Our credit card processing system will accept Debit cards as long as they have the Visa symbol printed on the card. The system will also accept all credit cards issued by Visa, MasterCard and American Express. We also accept payment via PayPal, without transaction fees!
  
Q: How long is my membership valid for?
A: Silver registration is valid for one year. Gold membership is valid for two years.
   
Q: How do I use the Autopilot facility in Flight Simulator?
A: You have different autopilots within the dashboard: speed, altitude, heading, climbing and descending rate or GPS navigation autopilot. Depending on the panel you're using, you should see a switch called "A/P", you can set up the altitude (ALT), speed (SPD) and heading (HDG) with the mouse by simply clicking on the relevant display. Then, when  you want the autopilot to take over, select A/P "ON". Alternatively, if you wish to use the autopilot for the GPS navigation (in which case the aircraft will follow the green route on the GPS map), switch the "GPS" on as suppose to "NAV".
 
Q: Why do I have to pay to join BVAir?
A: British Virtual Airways runs a complex operation that requires powerful servers and programming. Since the introduction of the "new BVAir" in January 2001, we have been charging a one-off annual fee to maintain the quality of the service we offer and avoid closure of the airline by lack of infrastructure like so many other virtual airline have suffered.

We do think you get a whole lot more with us than any other airline on the internet, and therefore believe a small charge is acceptable to support the work of the team behind BVAir.com. Also, the Gold membership offers a comprehensive package of extras and saves you the download of data over the internet.
  
Q: Can I import some mileage or hours from another airline?
A: Yes, if the airline is recognised by our staff as a legitimate and operating airline. Up to 100% of your mileage or hours will be recovered without limitation.
  
Q: Why is recruitment not always open?
A: Because British Virtual Airways runs on an actual schedule of flights, we need to ensure that all registered pilots can fly frequently. It is the actual number of flights available that dictates the staffing levels with need to operate the whole schedule.
 
Q: I own my own Payware planes, can I use these for BVAir?
A: Absolutely! If you have your own aircraft, either from Payware or even shareware, you are welcome to use them as a replacement to the British Virtual Airways fleet. However, you must ensure that the aircraft type remains the same. For example, you cannot fly your Boeing 767-200 when the flight you selected is operated by an Airbus 320! You could fly your own Boeing 737 as a replacement to the standard BVAir B737.