Air France / KLM Virtual Airlines Airline News

DATE	SUBJECT	AUTHOR
04/12/2014	New Boeing stage 3 program released.	Paul Hale
It gives me great pleasure to announce that as of now we have a new Boeing stage 3 program, the 767 program. Following on from feedback and a vote from our pilots as to whether this was a good idea, an overwhelming percentage voted for the idea to become real and active. We now have clear virtual career progression paths in both the Boeing and Airbus aircrafts which we felt was needed. The 767 program will remain operational until such time as it is replaced sometime in 2016 with a 787 program when that aircraft is scheduled to commence real world service with KLM. I will personally lead the 767 program as acting Chief Pilot from the start and vacancies will be advertised shortly to join the 767 program as a staff member. As with any new program there may be minor teething issues right at the start so i would appreciate it if you would email me with any problems you may encounter. Lets us all welcome our new program and I hope you all enjoy flying in it! Paul Hale Vice president,Operations Air France/KLM Virtual Airlines
04/08/2014	New Academy Assignments	Brian Hankey
All - it is with great pleasure that I announce the promotion of two individuals to the AFVA Flight Academy. Kerem Yogurtcugil has been promoted to the position of Flight Academy Director. Joining him in the staff room of the Academy will be James Lightbody as a Flight instructor. Congratulations Gentlemen! Best Regards, Brian Hankey AFVA President & CEO
03/02/2014	New B737 Chief Pilot	Brian Hankey
Please welcome our newest Chief Pilot - Daniel Healy. Due to personal time commitments, we have switched Alan and Daniel's positions. Please join me in welcoming Daniel to his new office. Brian Hankey CEO & President, AFVA
02/23/2014	New AFVA and codeshare schedules released.	Paul Hale
Our AFVA flight schedule is updated quarterly. The most recent update valid for the next 18 months occurred on February 21, 2014. We update our schedules quarterly using an external commercial service. The update includes true codeshare flights. Airlines frequently change schedules. Our schedule is dynamic with daily updates. Please check the schedules before each flight to insure that your flight is in our schedules for the particular day you fly. In the latest schedule update we now have a new codeshare partner (Insel Air) based out of Curacao with some interesting new routes. Enjoy them!
02/15/2014	A340 Program Relaunched	Brian Hankey
It is with great pleasure that I announce that we have relaunched the A340 program as a Stage 4 program. Leading the program is Kerem Yogurtcugil, most recently the Chief Pilot of the combined A330/A340 program. As a result of this promotion, I would like to announce the promotion of Salvo Montalbano to Chief Pilot of the A330 program. Please join me in welcoming both these gentlemen to their new offices. Congratulations gentlemen! Brian Hankey CEO & President, AFVA
02/15/2014	New Fleet Manager	Brian Hankey
It is with great pleasure that I announce the filling of a sorely needed staff position with AFVA. Bill Gardiner has accepted the position of Fleet Manager for both AFVA and DVA. As an AFVA pilot he will be directly reporting to Paul Hale, VP Operations. For DVA, he will report to Sterling Widmer, Paul's counterpart. Bill's job is a daunting one as he will now be the person responsible for updating and creating the fleet installers that both AFVA & DVA pilots use on a daily basis. If you have any fleet questions, please do not hesitate to log a help desk issue or contact him directly at fleet@afva.net. The Help Desk would be preferred so that all requests can be tracked and triaged accordingly. Welcome to your new office Bill! Brian Hankey CEO & President, AFVA
02/11/2014	Staff Member promotions	Fabien Bergeret
Dear pilots, It is with a great pleasure and honor that I inform you about two promotions into the Air France Virtual Airlines staff. Due to Jad Khalife retirement, Mark Stead is now the Chief Pilot of the Airbus A380 program and Duncan Shiplee is immediately promoted Chief Pilot of the Boeing B747 program. Mark Stead and Duncan Shiplee made an amazing job during the last years for managing the Boeing B747 program and they were the natural choice for managing these both very technical programs. Congratulations Mark and Duncan!!! Best regards, Fabien Bergeret Executive Vice President Air France Virtual Airlines
01/25/2014	Small Change to Senior Staff	Brian Hankey
I have the pleasure to announce a change in the Senior Staff. Effective immediately, Fabien Bergeret has been promoted to Executive Vice-President while still remaining in charge of Human Resources. Please join me in congratulating Fabien on his well-deserved promotion.
01/09/2014	Jad Khalife retirement and A380 Chief Pilot position opened	Fabien Bergeret
Dear pilots, I have the regret to announce that Jad Khalife has given his resignation due to his real job commitment. First, I would like to point out the really good job that he has done as A380 Chief Pilot and staff member during all these years. He will be a huge lost for our Virtual Airlines. Thank you very much Jad for all. Second, due to Jad retirement, an A380 Chief Position is currently opened. The job description and requirements to postulate are available online on your pilot center. Applications must be submitted online. Best regards, Fabien Bergeret Vice President of Human Resources
10/20/2013	Staff Member Changes	Brian Hankey
At the beginning of September, Terry Ward requested to return to being a reserve staff member for personal reasons. The Senior Staff agreed to this. As a result, we have had to fill the position of Vice-President (Operations). It is with great pleasure that we announce that Paul Hale has been promoted to said position. As a result of this appointment, Paul is also now member of the Air France Virtual Airlines Senior Staff and is fully involved in helping the day to day management of the virtual airline. On a related note, Yves LeCabec has also submitted his resignation from the head of the AFVA Flight Academy. His role will now be filled by Chris Hannigan as the new Director of the Flight Academy. Chris will dotted-line report to the new Vice-President of Training and Documentation, Mark Hubbard. Chris reports on a full-time basis to the new Vice-President of Training at DVA, Michael Brown. Congratulations to all of the above-mentioned individuals and THANK YOU to Terry and Yves for all they have done for AFVA. Best regards, Fabien Bergeret Vice President of Human Resources Brian Hankey, President and CEO
09/24/2013	Duncan Shiplee has been promoted B747-400 Assistant Chief Pilot	Fabien Bergeret
Dear pilots, It is my pleasure to inform you that Duncan Shiplee has joined the Air France Virtual Airlines staff for managing the Boeing B747-400 program as Assistant Chief Pilot. Duncan was a Boeing B747-400 Senior Captain and was fully dedicated to the Boeing B747-400 program. Duncan will assist Mark Stead, our Boeing B747-400 Chief Pilot, in his work and together they will continue to contribute to the success of this program. Congratulations Duncan!!! Best regards, Fabien Bergeret Vice President of Human Resources Air France Virtual Airlines
08/22/2013	Zach Dupont joins B737 Program as newest ACP!	Brian Hankey
I'd like to introduce you to the newest member of staff. This recognition is bit overdue only due to oversight on my part. Please join me in welcoming Zach to the staff of the Baby Boeing program. He joins Alan and Gary in managing the 2nd largest program we have at AFVA. Zach joined AFVA in 2012 after flying for several other virtual airlines. He started in the ERJ-145 program and worked his way up to 747 captain before being hired as 737 Assistant Chief Pilot. Zach currently studies at his local high school, he plans to move to Norway after to pursue his dream of becoming a commercial pilot. Welcome aboard Zach!
06/20/2013	Gary Fournerat joins the Boeing B737 program.	Fabien Bergeret
Dear pilots, It is my pleasure to announce that Air France Virtual Airlines have a new Boeing B737 Assistant Chief Pilot: Mr Gary Fournerat. Professionally, Gary is graduated of Colorado Tech's School of Business. Then, he joined the U.S Army where he was involved in several military programs including aeraunotic programs. He is now the Chief Operations Officier of Lark Chillers in Dallas, Texas. Gary has also a huge experience in flight sim. In 1983, he bought his first computer, a Ti-99/A and a payware aircraft: the Falcon by Spectrum Holobyte that became Microprose. He joined Delta Virtual Airlines from April 2006 to 2011, flying 585 legs and 1540 hours. He has also been involved in the management of Southwest Virtual Airlines, Virtual Air Force and the Simulated Air Force. Then, I hired Gary in May 2012 into the Boeing B737 program as First Officier. Rapidly Gary has demonstrated impressive skills for flying with the B737 and he has been moved from the right seat to the left seat. Now, Gary will assist Alan Meiling for managing one of our biggest program. Congratulations Gary!!! Fabien Bergeret Vice President of Human Resources Air France Virtual Airlines
06/02/2013	Concorde Retirement	Brian Hankey
It is with a heavy heart that we announce the retirement of the Concorde program. This decision was not taken lightly, however the staff has decided to move the Concorde to the Boeing 707 program. Paul Hale is being reassigned from being the Chief Pilot for the Concorde program to becoming the Chief Pilot for the Boeing 707 program. Please note that with the retirement of the Concorde program, the new flagship program at AFVA is the Airbus A380 program. A key factor to note in this retirement is that the rating is not going away. You will be able to still request the Concorde rating. It will now be requested via a Help Desk ticket. If you have any questions, please email ops@afva.net or contact a member of staff.
02/17/2013	Air France Virtual Airlines Director of Documentation	Fabien Bergeret
Dear pilots, It is my pleasure to announce that Mark Hubbard has been hired as Director of Documentation. Mark will be in charge of reviewing all Air France Virtual Airlines documents including Staff guides and AOM guides. Marks has a huge experience in flightsimming. He started in 1993 on a 286 machine with no Joystick, a green screen and only a keyboard to pilot the aircrafts. During his career as flightsimmer, Mark has managed numerous Virtual Airlines and has acquired a very important knowledge that will be extremely usefull for Air France Virtual Airlines. Moreover, Mark has worked several times in Virtual Airlines with Brian Hankey, President of Air France Virtual Airlines, and he perfectly knows working in team in VA. Finally, Mark is currently holding a Private Pilot License with a rating for a Cessna 172 and his knowledge of real aviation world will be very helpfull for improving our documents. Please join me for congratulating Mark!!! Fabien Bergeret Vice President of Human Resources Air France Virtual Airlines
01/30/2013	ACARS 3 Released	Luke Kolin
I am pleased to announce that after several years of effort, we have released version 3 of our industry-leading Aircraft Communication and Reporting System, or ACARS. ACARS 3 builds upon the functionality of previous releases, and includes a number of new features including payload loading, voice support, FSX multi-player capabilities and integration with new payware offerings from PMDG. ACARS 3 is available in the Air France Virtual Fleet Library, and existing ACARS3 beta users should be prompted to upgrade. Please note that Air France Virtual will continue to support ACARS 2 for the indefinite future.
12/29/2012	Three major changes in our staff	Fabien Bergeret
Dear pilots, It is with a great pleasure that I announce you three significative changes in our staff. Paul Hale, Assistant Chief Pilot of the Boeing B737 program has been promoted Assistant Chief Pilot of the prestigious Concorde program. Paul will help Ryan Wilson for managing this very technical program. Duncan Shiplee, Chief Pilot of the Embraer ERJ145 program has been promoted Assistant Chief Pilot of the Boeing B737 program. The Boeing B737 program is the major program of our Airlines in term of number of pilots. Alan Meiling, Chief Pilot of the B737 program will need the help and the skills of Duncan for managing this program. Finally, Florian Dassonville, Assistant Chief Pilot of the Embraer ERJ145 has been promoted Chief Pilot of this program. Florian has an impressive knowledge of the ERJ145 and has all the skills for managing the ERJ145 program. I would like to congratulate Paul, Duncan and Florian for their promotion. Best regards, -- Fabien Bergeret Vice President of Human Resources Air France Virtual Airlines
11/16/2012	James Lightbody joins the Air France Virtual Airlines staff	Fabien Bergeret
Dear pilots, I am glad to announce that James Lightbody has recently joined the Air France Virtual Airlines staff as Assistant Chief Pilot of the Boeing B777 program. James will support Sahil Verman for the management of the Triple Seven program. Please join me in congratulating James. Best regards, Fabien Bergeret Director of Human Resources Air France Virtual Airlines
10/31/2012	MAJOR CHANGES IN THE AFVA SENIOR STAFF	Fabien Bergeret
It is with much regret that I announce some changes to the senior staff at AFVA. Ryan Wilson has tendered his resignation due to real world commitments. Ryan has played a key role within AFVA since the early days. He started at DVA in 2004 as a CRJ first officer and moved up through the ranks to become a senior captain in the 777 program at DVA before making the move to AFVA. He accumulated more than over 1,500 hours with DVA before making the move across the pond. Ryan started flight simulator with FS98 and became hooked ever since. Ryan is currently in college in the United States pursuing a degree in accounting. Effective November 1st, 2012, Brian Hankey has been tapped to take over as CEO. Following in his footsteps will be Roger Taylor who will be promoted to Executive Vice-President. Brian has been an effective manager and leader at AFVA having started the A380 program and then after Ryan Wilson's promotion to CEO, became the EVP in charge of day to day operations. The operations department will not be left wanting as a familiar face has been tapped to come back to lead the team - Dan Biddle. Until about a year ago, Dan was the VP of HR and only retired due to real-world commitments. Please join me in welcoming all three to their new respective offices and positions. Fabien Bergeret Director of Human Resources Air France Virtual Airlines
09/05/2012	Jad Khalife promotes to the A380 Chief Pilot position	Fabien Bergeret
Dear pilots, I am very happy to announce that Jad Khalife is our new A380 Chief Pilot. Jad made a great job as A380 ACP and his now ready to manage the program. Congratulations Jad! Fabien Bergeret Director of Human Resources AFVA
08/02/2012	Robert Armstrong is our new Events Coordinator	Fabien Bergeret
Dear pilots, Robert Armstrong, the Chief Pilot of the Airbus A320 program takes the lead of the Events department. Please join me in congratulating Robert. Best, Fabien Bergeret Director of Human Resources AFVA
06/09/2012	Air France Virtual Airlines hires new ACPs	Fabien Bergeret
Dear all, During the last months, Air France Virtual Airlines has grown up in term of number of pilots and with the introduction of two new programs. For these reasons, Air France virtual Airlines has opened several Assistant Chief Pilots to assist the Chief Pilots. Numerous very good pilots have applied and we would like to thank all of them for their motivation and interest. Six new Assistant Chief Pilots have been hired in four programs. - Florian Dassonville (AFV414) has joined the ERJ-145 program to assist Duncan Shiplee - Paul Hale (AFV611) has joined the B737 program to assist Alan Meiling - Jad Khalife (AFV437) and Fernando Antao (AFV137) have joined the A320 program to assist Robert Armstrong - Cyriac Jose (AFV397) and Salvo Montalbano (AFV405) have joined the A330 program to assist Kerem Yogurtcugil Congratulations for these six gentlemen!!! Fabien Bergeret Director of Human Resources Air France Virtual Airlines
04/27/2012	Changes to Senior Staff	Brian Hankey
All, It is with great regret that I announce that Steve Orloff has requested to step down as Vice-President, Operations. He requested this move for personal reasons and after much soul-searching, Ryan Wilson and I agreed to his resignation. As a result, we have decided to promote Roger Taylor, effective immediately, to the position of Vice-President, Operations with all the duties and responsibilities commesurate with this new position. Steve will not be going far as he has requested to remain in the Operations area and so is now going to become the Director of Operations reporting to Roger Taylor. Please join me in welcoming these two faces to their new offices.
04/06/2012	ACP Vacancies posted	Brian Hankey
All - it is with great pleasure that I announce the posting for the ACP vacancies for the ERJ145, A320, B737 and A330 programs. Please click on Career Opportunities for more information and to apply. Good Luck to all! Brian Hankey Executive Vice President Air France Virtual Airlines
02/07/2012	New Changes	Fabien Bergeret
Air France Virtual Airlines would like to announce some staff changes that have taken place recently. Senior Staff is making some adjustments to the staffing structure to introduce a new staff member as well as to re-fill a position that has been unintentionally left vacant for a while. Roger Taylor has tendered his resignation as the Chief Pilot of the 707 / Historical program to be able to more fully concentrate on his duties as Director of Operations reporting to Steve Orloff. This position is important in that he will be responsible for ensuring that the multitude of codeshares that exist for AF/KLM are recreated in the AFVA world properly. He will also be able to ensure that any requests for historical schedules are reviewed accordingly. Terry Ward, who most recently was the A320 Chief Pilot has accepted to transfer over to the Historical program and is expected to continue with the efforts led most recently by Roger. Robert Armstrong was asked and he has graciously accepted the unenviable role of A320 Chief Pilot. We will be posting and filling his now vacant position shortly. In the Boeing 737 program, there has also been a change of command as Jesse and Alan are switching roles to allow Jesse to focus on personal matters at his request. Last but by no means least, I would like to introduce you to our newest staff member – a gentleman who recently transferred over to us from DVA and who in the short time that has been with us has already presented us with a layout for the long dormant AFVA “in-fight” magazine. Paul Hale has been nominated by Senior Staff to be our magazine Editor with the rights and priveledges commensurate with that position. As Editor, Paul will be reporting directly to Steve Orloff, Vice-President, Operations. Please join me in welcoming these folks to their new positions! Fabien Bergeret Director of Human Resources AFVA
01/03/2012	New Year and New Changes	Brian Hankey
It is with great pleasure that I announce the following changes effective immediately to the AFVA structure: 1) The F100 has been retired and now our Stage 1 program is hereby known as the ERJ-145 program. The Fokker 100 rating has been moved to the Historical program and will be given out as a secondary rating in that program. Leading the new ERJ-145 program will continue to be Duncan Shiplee who has demonstrated exceptional leadership in his short tenure. He has been working diligently to convert the program documentation to the new specifications and is doing an excellent job. Please join me in congratulating him on his "promotion". Please note that the Fokker 50 and Fokker 70 ratings will still be given out with the ERJ program. 2) To further cement the reality of the A330 program, we are hereby dividing it into two programs, the A330 and the A340. Leading both programs will be the current Chief Pilot of the A330 program, Kerem Yogurtcugil. He will in turn be assisted by an ACP in each program. The ratings will be such that the A330 program will continue to have the twin-engine aircraft that it already posesses. The secondary A340 ratings that used to come with it are now only offered as a part of the A340 program. Similar to the ERJ program, Kerem has the unenviable position of modifying the documentation to reflect the new layout. We will be looking for an experienced member to be filling the shoes of the new A340 ACP position, so please be on the lookout for this position to be posted soon. 3) Following a recent top to bottom review of policies, it was determined that a significant percentage of new hires that were hired into the Stage 3 and higher programs did not have the skills commensurate with controlling and managing that level of airframe complexity. As a result, going forward, new hires to AFVA will now be hired directly into either stage 1 or stage 2 programs only. We feel this will help pilots gain the necessary skills required to progress to the higher more complex stages. Best Regards, Brian Hankey Executive Vice President Air France Virtual Airlines
12/25/2011	Happy Holidays from Air France Virtual Airlines	Brian Hankey
The staff at Air France Virtual Airlines wants to thank each and every one of you for an awesome 2011 and we look forward to an even better 2012!. Happy Holidays to all!!
12/17/2011	Staff members promotions	Fabien Bergeret
Dear pilots, It is with a great pleasure that I announce you that Terry Ward has been promoted A320 Chief Pilot and Duncan Shiplee has been promoted F100 Chief Pilot. Congratulations gentlemen Fabien Bergeret Director of Human Resources AFVA
11/22/2011	New staff members	Fabien Bergeret
Dear pilots, I have the pleasure to announce the entry of new staff members. As Director of Human Resources, I have to highlight their excellent profiles, their professionalism and I'm sure that they will reinforce the high level of quality of our airlines. - Kerem Yogurtcugil now manages the A330 program as Chief Pilot - Sahil Verman is our new B777 Chief Pilot - Mark Stead is our new B747 Chief Pilot - Duncan Shiplee, as F100 Assistant Chief Pilot, helps Terry Ward to manage the F100 program - Alan Meiling is our new B737 Assistant Chief Pilot and helps now Jesse Rouse to manage the B737 program - Robert Armstrong joins the A320 program as Assistant Chief Pilot and manages the A320 program with me Congratulations guys and welcome into the staff. Fabien Bergeret Director of Human Resources A320 Chief Pilot
10/13/2011	Air France Virtual Airlines launches the Flight Academy	Brian Hankey
Delta Virtual Airlines and Air France Virtual Airlines jointly announced today that our newest Flight Academy course, Online Pilot (OLP) course is now available online to all Air France pilots. The Online Pilot (OLP) course is designed as a self-study course with 8 sections including online tests and a check-ride to be flown on the VATSIM network and using our ACARS program. Students will study the required documents and take the tests at their own pace. The tests are open book. Upon successful completion of the written tests, the students will fly the check-ride by choosing one of the check-rides listed. Upon completion, the student will be awarded the Online Pilot (OLP) completion. The successful completion of this course qualifies the pilot to be awarded the VATSIM P1 rating. Leading the Academy will be Yves Le Cabec. Please do not hesitate to contact him or any staff member if you have any questions.
08/25/2011	Fabien Bergeret Promoted to Director of Human Resources	Ryan Wilson
It is with great pleasure to announce Fabien's promotion to Director of Human Resources. He has excelled in the Assistant Directors position and I look forward to working with him! Congratulations Fabien! Ryan Wilson President Air France Virtual Airlines
08/25/2011	Dan Biddle Stepping down as Director of Human Resoruces	Ryan Wilson
After many years of service to Air France Virtual Airlines, Dan is stepping down as Vice President, Director of Human Resources. He has held several positions at Air France Virtual and has played a crucial role in its success. I cannot thank you enough for all of your hard work and dedication and I wish you well! Ryan Wilson President Air France Virtual Airlines
08/25/2011	New changes in the AFVA Staff	Fabien Bergeret
I have the pleasure to announce the promotion of Michael Schlabowske as Boeing 747 Chief Pilot and the recruitment of Roger Taylor as Fokker 100 Assistant Chief Pilot. Mike's experience and devoutness in managing the Airbus A330 program as Assistant Chief Pilot made him a natural choice for this role. Roger has a long experience in flying short range aircrafts that will provide him the knowledge to manage this program with Terry Ward. Please join me in congratulating Mike and Roger !!! Félicitations !!! Fabien Bergeret Director of Human Ressources Chief Pilot A320 Air France Virtual Airlines
08/10/2011	Boeing B707-320 program released!	Steve Orloff
Pilots, Effective immediately, Air France Virtual Airlines Boeing B707-320 program has been released! This program will not only focus on the B707, but also all of the historic aircraft available to AFVA. Leading the program will be Chief Pilot Dirk Weimer. Dirk helped design the program from the ground up and is extremely knowledgeable in the historic aviation sector. We know Dirk will do extremely well in this role! Ratings included with the B707-320 are as follows: B727 all variants, DC-8 all variants, B717 all variants, DC-3, DC-4, DC-6, and DC-7. Please take note of this change as historic ratings previously given with other program has been removed from those programs. See you in the sky! Steve Orloff Vice President of Operations Air France Virtual Airlines sorloff@afva.net
06/25/2011	New Chief Pilots	Ryan Wilson
It is my pleasure to announce the promotions of the following pilots! Jesse Rouse has been promoted to 737 Chief Pilot Terry Ward will become the F100 Chief Pilot Fabien Bergeret will take over the A320 Chief Pilot's position. Congratulations to them and I look forward to working with them! Ryan Wilson President
05/10/2011	Brady Molloy returns as B747 Chief Pilot	Dan Biddle
Brady has recently returned from a long trip overseas, and prior to that had plenty of staff experience with us. Please join me in congratulating him on his new role! Dan Biddle Vice President Human Resources Air France Virtual Airlines
04/25/2011	Find Air France Virtual Airlines on Facebook!	Ryan Wilson
I am pleased to announce that Air France Virtual is now integrated with Facebook! The app has the ability to link your Facebook profile with your pilot ID. Go check it out on the bottom of the home page and Like us today! Ryan Wilson President Air France Virtual Airlines
04/22/2011	AFVA Director of Operations - Robert Taylor AF has passed away	Steve Orloff
It is with great sadness and heartache that I announce AFVA's Director of Operations, Robert Taylor, passed away at approximately 0230 Monday from complications of his cancer. Robert was a tremendous friend, colleague, and Director of Operations. He was instrumental in establishing much of our historical routes section, our historical aircraft section, and in overseeing the day to day operations of AFVA. We were fortunate enough to have Roberts father share with us a quote that we feel speaks volumes about Robert: “Robert was always talking about flying for your airline and ... and he was really happy when he became staff doing what he loved. [T]hank [you] for making Robert's last year a happy one.” Please take a moment to remember Robert and all of the great things he did to better our organization. God speed friend and happy sailings. Steve Orloff Vice President of Operations Air France Virtual Airlines sorloff@afva.net
03/22/2011	Fabien Bergeret promoted to Assistant Director of Human Resources	Dan Biddle
Please join me in congratulating Fabien on his recent promotion! He will continue in his old role of F100 Chief Pilot, as well as taking on his new role in the Human Resources Department. Fabien's dedication, attitude and enthusiasm he has demonstrated since joining Air France Virtual Airlines made him a natural choice for the role. Congratulations, Fabien! Dan Biddle Vice President - Human Resources Air France Virtual Airlines
02/15/2011	B727 program closure	Steve Orloff
It is with a heavy heart that I announce the closure of the B727 program, effective 22:00 GMT, February 15, 2011. Due to a lack of interest, we feel our resources can be better utilized in other programs where the interest is strong. If you desire to acquire the B727 rating, please e-mail the Operations department (sorloff@afva.net or rtaylor@afva.net) for instructions. The B727 program staff are also being shifted around. Jesse Rouse has elected to take up the position as B737 Assistant Chief Pilot. Please join me in congratulating Jesse on his new position! We know you will succeed! Ben Maskell has elected to take a hiatus from the staff due to real world commitments. Please thank Ben for all of his hard work over the past year. Thank you, Ben! Steve Orloff Vice President of Operations Air France Virtual Airlines sorloff@afva.net
01/12/2011	Boeing B737-700 program goes live Friday, 14 January, 2011!	Steve Orloff
It is with great excitement that I announce the release date of the long awaited B737-700 program! The B737 program will go online Friday morning at approximately 0300 GMT! Leading the B737 program will be retired AFVA President Ryan Watkins. Ryan is no stranger to the B737, having been the Chief Pilot for Delta Virtual Airlines B737 program before coming over to AFVA in 2004. Good luck, Ryan! In accordance with policy, the B737 will be stage 2. All pilots will be required to take the first officer test and check ride to enter the B737 program. Additionally, the B737 rating will no longer be offered with the A320 rating. Please direct any questions to the operation department. See you in the skies! Steve Orloff and Robert Taylor Operations Department Air France Virtual Airlines sorloff@afva.net
01/11/2011	Staff promotions at AFVA	Dan Biddle
Following the recent Presidential handover, there have been several changes to the program chiefs here at AFVA. Timm Dixon has unfortunately been swamped with real world commitments, and has had to step down as B747 Chief Pilot. Robert Taylor (AF) has kindly offered to step into the role, and he will remain as the program Chief Pilot for the forseeable future. Brian Hankey has subsequently moved back to Chief Pilot of the A380, a position he has held for most of the program's life. Brady Molloy has been promoted to the position of A320 Chief Pilot. Brady has excelled as the F100 Chief, and we feel he is more than qualified to manage AFVA's largest program! Fabien Bergeret has been promoted to Brady's old position as Chief Pilot of the F100. We wish Robert, Brian, Brady and Fabien all the best in their new roles! Dan Biddle AFVA Vice President - Human Resources
01/11/2011	Changes to the Senior Staff at AFVA	Dan Biddle
Following the recent Presidential handover, there have been several small changes to the Senior Staff here. Brian Hankey has been promoted to Executive Vice President, and in addition to his duties as A380 Chief Pilot, will oversee the day to day running of AFVA, and reports directly to Ryan Wilson, our new President. Steve Orloff has been promoted to Vice President - Operations, a step up from his previous role as Director of Operations. Dan Biddle has been promoted to Vice President - Human Resources, again a direct step up from Director. Robert Taylor (AF) has been promoted to Director of Operations, and will report to Steve on all Operations related issues as well as carrying out his duties as B747 Chief Pilot. We wish Brian, Steve and Robert all the best in their new roles! Dan Biddle AFVA Vice President - Human Resources
10/26/2010	VATSIM's Cross the Pond 2010 important notes	Steve Orloff
Pilots, In the next few days, VATSIM's CTP Eastbound 2010 event will be underway. This is the first year we at Air France Virtual Airlines have seen noticeable interest in the event. To streamline the process, we have decided to allow all routes as valid for PIREP! The conditions to this are as follows: 1. You must depart from one of the listed departure airfields. 2. You must arrive at one of the listed arrival airfields. 3. You can only fly ONE off schedule flight. Also, you must complete the flight on 30 October 2010. PIREP's for legs submitted after or before 30 October will be rejected. 4. You must list in the pilots comments section that this leg was for the CTP2010 event. If you don't, we cannot guarantee the PIREP will be approved. For further information, please visit http://ctp.vatsim-uk.org/ Cheers! Steve Orloff Director of Operations Air France Virtual Airlines sorloff@afva.net
09/10/2010	Temporary Staff Changes	Dan Biddle
Following Dave Gandolfo's resignation as A320 Chief Pilot, we have made some temporary changes to the staff at AFVA. On an interim basis, I'm pleased to welcome Brian Hankey to the A320 Chief Pilot chair, and Robert Taylor takes his place as A380 Chief Pilot, as well as continuing his duties as Assistant Director of Operations. These changes have been updated on the Staff Roster, so please ensure you direct your program enquiries to the correct offices! These changes will remain in effect until further notice. I wish to thank them both for their co-operation, and the speed with which they offered their services to help us fill the vacancy. Both gentlemen have excelled in their previous roles at AFVA, and I look forward to their continued involvement here! Dan Biddle AFVA Director of Human Resources
09/04/2010	Fabien Bergeret promoted to F100 Assistant Chief Pilot	Dan Biddle
On behalf of AFVA, I would like to welcome Fabien Bergeret to our staff as Assistant Chief Pilot of the F-100 program. Fabien has impressed us since he joined the airline in May, and his dedication will aid the Fokker 100 program immensely! Congratulations Fabien! Dan Biddle AFVA Director of Human Resources
09/04/2010	A320 Chief Pilot resigns	Dan Biddle
It is with a heavy heart that the Senior Staff at AFVA have had to accept the resignation of Dave Gandolfo as Chief Pilot of the A320 Program. He has submitted his resignation due to real-world commitments that preclude him from offering the level of involvement that he feels is needed for the program. His dedication and effort over the years will be greatly missed. Dave – safe travels and please rest assured that you will always be welcome at AFVA! Dan Biddle AFVA Director of Human Resources
09/01/2010	Recent Staff Changes at AFVA	Dan Biddle
Please join me in congratulating two outstanding individuals for their continued dedication to AFVA. Robert Taylor and Saifudeen Shamsudeen have recently changed roles within AFVA. Robert Taylor has been offered and has graciously accepted the position of Assistant Director of Operations. As a result of Robert's promotion, Saifudeen was the natural choice to be promoted to take over the now vacant position of Chief Pilot in the A330 Program. Congratulations Gentlemen, your new offices are waiting for your occupancy! Dan Biddle AFVA Director of Human Resources
06/16/2010	Brady Molloy promoted to F100 Chief Pilot	Dan Biddle
On behalf of AFVA, I would like to welcome Brady Molloy to our staff as Chief Pilot of the F-100 program. Brady transferred from DVA a few months ago and has been a member of both the Concorde and 777 programs at AFVA. His knowledge of flight will be invaluable to the new pilots in the F-100 program. Welcome aboard Brady! Dan Biddle AFVA Director of Human Resources
05/19/2010	Saifudeen Shamsudeen promoted to A330 Assistant Chief Pilot!	Dan Biddle
Please join me in congratulating Saifudeen on his promotion to Assistant Chief Pilot of the A330 program! We wish him all the best in his new role. Congratulations Saifudeen! Dan Biddle Director of Human Resources
05/11/2010	Air France Virtual Airlines welcomes back the 727!	Dan Biddle
Air France Virtual Airlines is proud to announce that the Boeing 727 program has been reactivated! In accordance with our promotion system and manual, the 727 will be Stage 3 along with the A330. However, pilots with the 727 rating can immediately request to be switched into the 727 program, regardless of which program the pilot is currently in. Ben Maskell will be the new Chief Pilot for the program, and as a keen 727 fan will bring an enthusiastic wealth of knowledge to the program. Please join me in congratulating him on his new role! Congratulations Ben! Dan Biddle AFVA Director of Human Resources
05/05/2010	Robert Taylor promoted to A330 Chief Pilot	Dan Biddle
Please join me in congratulating Robert on his promotion to Chief Pilot of the A330 program! We wish him all the best in his new role. Congratulations Robert! Dan Biddle Director of Human Resources
04/18/2010	Another A330 Assistant Chief Pilot - Jesse Rouse	Dan Biddle
Please join me in congratulating Jesse on his promotion to Assistant Chief Pilot of the A330 program! We wish him all the best in his new role. Congratulations Jesse! Dan Biddle Director of Human Resources
04/17/2010	Robert Taylor promoted to A330 Assistant Chief Pilot	Dan Biddle
Please join me in congratulating Robert on his promotion to Assistant Chief Pilot of the A330 program! We wish him all the best in his new role. Congratulations Robert! Dan Biddle Director of Human Resources
04/17/2010	Air France Virtual Airlines welcomes back Concorde	Steve Orloff
Air France Virtual Airlines is proud to announce that the Concorde program has been reactivated! In accordance with our promotion system and manual, Concorde will be stage 5 along with the A380. However, pilots with the Concorde rating can immediately request to be switched into the Concorde program, regardless of which program the pilot is currently in. All other pilots will need to meet the requirements to gain access to the Concorde rating. To meet the requirements for the Concorde rating, pilots must: 1.) Be a Captain in a stage 4 program, a Senior Captain in any program, or a Chief Pilot or Assistant Chief Pilot in any program. 2.) Successfully pass the Concorde first officer exam. 3.) Successfully pass the Concorde check ride. 4.) Successfully complete a flight plan outlined in the check ride script. Leading the Concorde program will be Air France Virtual Airlines Vice President Ryan Wilson. Ryan has been with Concorde for almost four years and will bring a wealth of knowledge to the program. If you have any questions, please e-mail the AFVA staff and/or create a help desk issue. Congratulations Concorde and Ryan Wilson!
03/05/2010	Ben Maskell promoted to A320 Assistant Chief Pilot	Dan Biddle
Please join me in congratulating Ben on his promotion to Assistant Chief Pilot of the A320 program! We wish him all the best in his new role. Congratulations Ben! Dan Biddle Director of Human Resources
03/01/2010	A380 program officially open	Steve Orloff
It is with great pleasure that I announce the A380 program is officially open. Effective 11:30 GMT, the exams, fleet installer, aircraft operating manual, and check ride will be fully online. Leading the A380 program will be Brian Hankey. Brian is no stranger to the staff, having been the Assistant Chief Pilot for the CRJ-200 over at Delta Virtual Airlines. Please join me in welcoming Brian to his new role, and to celebrating the opening of the Airbus A380 program. Currently, in accordance with the Pilot Promotion Manual, all Stage 4 pilots are eligible to apply for transfer into the A380 equipment program, or to request additional type ratings. Additionally, the Senior staff is expanding this option to all Senior Captains, Stages 1 through 4. All AFVA Senior Captains will be eligible for transfer and/or additional type rating for the A380. Steve Orloff Director of Operations - Air France Virtual Airlines
02/18/2010	New Director of Human Resources	Ryan Wilson
It is with great pleasure that I introduce Dan Biddle as Director of Human Resources. Dan has been with Air France Virtual from the beginning in various staff positions; most recently serving as Chief Pilot of the 747 program. Dan will be a great asset to the Administrative Services department! Congratulations Dan! Ryan Wilson Executive Vice President
01/24/2010	A380 program coming soon!	Steve Orloff
It is with great pleasure that we announce the latest addition to the Air France Virtual Airlines lineup - the Airbus A380. We are currently in the process of organizing the program and finalizing the Aircraft Operating Manual, as well as the written examinations for First Officer and Captain. Currently, in accordance with the Pilot Promotion Manual, all Stage 4 pilots are eligible to apply for transfer into the A380 equipment program, or to request additional type ratings. Additionally, the Senior staff is expanding this option to all Senior Captains, Stages 1 through 4. All AFVA Senior Captains will be eligible for transfer and/or additional type rating for the A380. Leading the A380 program will be Brian Hankey. Brian is a recent transfer from Delta Virtual Airlines, and was the DVA Assistant Chief Pilot for the CRJ-200 program. He is a skilled and accomplished pilot and will be a tremendous resource to all AFVA pilots and staff. The target date for completion of the A380 program is 1 March 2010. A NOTAM and Airline News entry will be posted for all pilots when the program reaches operational capability. Ryan D. Watkins President - Air France Virtual Airlines Ryan Wilson Executive Vice President - Air France Virtual Airlines Steve Orloff Director of Operations - Air France Virtual Airlines
01/21/2010	Timm Dixon Promoted to 747 Chief Pilot	Ryan Wilson
Please join me in congratulating Timm on his promotion from Assistant Chief Pilot to Chief Pilot of the 747 program!
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