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Pilot References

Our Pilot References hub provides a variety of reference information for new pilots and experienced members. Whether you are looking up the correct type designator for your aircraft or learning how to plan your first online flight realistically, you'll find a wealth of information on the pages listed below. As a reminder, informational content on this page, along with the rest of this website, is designed for flight simulation use only. This information is not appropriate for real-world aviation.

Aircraft Type Abbreviations

Abbreviations are used to designate different aircraft types. On the network, the “type code” abbreviation you use when connecting will determine how other pilots see your aircraft. The Aircraft Type Abbreviations page provides more information about these codes and a search feature.

Airline Designators

A list of common airlines and the corresponding designators and call signs is available on the Airline Designators page. If you like to sim with airliners, this page will help you determine how to connect to the network.

Flight Planning

Safe, fun, realistic flying begins with appropriate flight planning. The Flight Planning page provides an overview of flight planning, the tools virtual pilots need to conduct realistic flights online, and finding charts. The page takes pilots though seven steps of successful flight planning and provides a variety of tips for operating the most realistic, accurate virtual flights.

Airspace Briefing Guide

Our Airspace Briefing Guide provides important information for member and non-member pilots flying in Boston ARTCC airspace (ZBW). The document covers scenery downloads, important reminders, and operational procedures to be aware of when flying into and out of our airports, especially KBOS.

Preferred Routes

BVA provides ATC preferred routes for many of our events and for common citypairs in our home airspace. Use the Route Finder on our Preferred Routes page to search for and file realistic and preferential routes.

Radio Communications

The Radio Communications page helps introduce the basics of how pilots and controllers interact over the radios. This page helps new members understand how to properly and efficiently communicate during VFR and IFR flights in both controlled and uncontrolled environments. This page is a must-read for members who have limited experience in a realistic online environment like ours.

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