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Staff Application
Welcome to the Official 2023 VirtualBlue Thread!
VirtualBlue is one of the premier virtual airlines on the Infinite Flight Platform. We have been a virtual airline for nearly 7 years now and have continued to set the standard for virtual airlines with our realism, commitment to maturity and learning as we fly. Most of our pilots are independent in which they fly on their own time, and we encourage that level of participation. None of us are going to hold your hand and guide you on flights. Virtual Blue has laid out numerous resources, training manuals, and more to help the junior pilots become better pilots. It is a challenge and a risk to structure a development of this nature, but its one we will risk because of the return on investment.
Virtual Blue wants every pilot to challenge themselves to learn how we fly, so they can in turn teach others to learn the VirtualBlue methods. Taking the initiative to learn our methods shows leadership qualitites and is critical for development of any pilot. You, as the pilot, control your progression in the VA.
This statement has been our motto since VirtualBlue started, and it still holds true for today. The meaning is quite simple. The VA and the amazing pilots that are part of the VA come first over anything Infinite Flight related. We are a close knit of aviation enthusiasts who love our brand and take pride in seeing it through.
Our commitment to using charts and proper restrictions helped drive the installment of the SID, STAR and Approach procedures for each airport in Infinite Flight. VirtualBlue continues to look forward to our younger pilots and mold their sights to see a better future for our Virtual Airline.
The end of 2022 saw the introduction of new aircraft for VirtualBlue. To our surprise and much of everyone else in the community, Infinite Flight developers graced us with the Embraer-190 Blueprint Livery - one of the coolest liveries for JetBlue.
Then, to top it off, Infinite Flight removed the Blueberries tailfin livery on the E190 and replaced it with the Barcode livery. A much needed upgrade of a tailfin livery that is consistently in use today.
Chief Executive Officer
Gonzo
Chief Operaotions Officer
JoshuaBaezVice President: Hub Management
Director of Human Resources
This position is open and if interested please go to our website and look for the form to apply as staff. Primary duties are to handle all new applications, manage pilot requirements, handle LoA's, Administer the Entrance Exam, Schedule Check rides for promotion, Set up Recruiting events and other minor tasks to help out the VA.Director of Digital Media
This position is perfect for the person looking to show off creative talent or take hold of the social media for Virtual Blue and showcase our VA, the fleet, and pilots who make up this awesome group. The management of a YouTube site would also be implemented with video's of replays, events, and other various items. If this seems interesting to you, please go to our website and look for the staff application.Chief Pilot
Director of Events
The Director of Events is an important position because it emphasizes the unity of the VirtualBlue pilots and coordinates flights as a group to show our strength in numbers. Events have never been a spotlight for us as a VA, but we need a dedicated person to create and promote events both internally and in the IF comunity.
Embraer 190
Blueprint Livery
Barcode Livery
The Embraer 190 has always been designated as the regional aircraft for Jetblue. Embraer is based out of Brazil and manufacturers 4 different models for Infinite Flight. E170, 175, 190, and 195. The 190 can hold up to 100 passengers, has a range of 2450nm’s and a ceiling of 41000 feet.
Airbus 320-232
Bubbles Livery
Spotlight Livery
The workhorse of the fleet, the A320 has over 400 round trip routes in which the aircraft is assigned. With a cruise speed of either .78M or .80M, the A320 will for sure save fuel and time which keeps the costs low for the airline.
Other variations are the 320neo which has not been implemented into IF, but does include the Pratt Whitney engines for longer range, more thrust and better fuel efficiency. The A320 is the steadiest aircraft in the 320 family.
Airbus 321-200
The A321-200 is the flagship of the fleet. Considered an extended version of the 320, the flight parameters and physics are nearly identical. The A321 provides extended range but also comes with the MINT configuration for long hauls, like our newest routes going to Heathrow and Gatwick.
Like the 320, the 321 has variations within the jetBlue fleet but have not been implemented into IF as of yet. There is the 321neo and the 321LR. As is, the current IF 321 can safely make it across to London, and hopefully in the future, IF can implement the LR or neo to include the Pratt Whitney engines for greater range and better fuel efficiency.
A220-300/BCS3
Hops Livery
The BCS3 is being phased in as the E190 is being phased out of the fleet. The BCS3 has a longer range, better fuel efficiency, and can carry more passengers. Currently there are just a handful of routes that fly the A220 but we are keeping track of any new ones which are released.
The plan for the A220 for virtualBlue is to implement the airframe as the new applicant aircraft for gathering the required 25 hours to be promoted to First Officer. With the advanced physics of the A220 in Infinite Flight, this aircraft is a dream to fly, takes off like a rocket, and slides down the runway as it greases the landings.
The More You Know
Virtual Blue has a commitment to realism and providing the most realistic flight environment we can deliver. Flight planning and taking a real vested interest to flying our aircraft within the performance limits seems like it would be daunting, but in fact, it's satisfying to know that the preparation of flight prior to push back, gives our passengers and crew the confidence our pilots are some of the best.
The approach to flight planning is not as the cliche states, “the shortest distance between two points is a stratght line”. Travelling by car from New York to Los Angeles does not occur in a straight line. Much like ground travel, air travel has planned highways for aircraft to travel. These highways are the flight plans that consist of waypoints.
At a high level, these waypoints allow ATC to track planes along a route based on their filed flight plan for monitoring any deviations from the flight plan without clearance or authorization. Flight planning tools are imperitive to realism and using proper waypoints between the Departure and Arrival airports follows the highways in the sky for monitoring the safety of the plane and the people on board.
We have worked hard to develop partnerships to cover territories outside of our route database. We rely on our partners to provide excellent services on behalf of our commitment to serve customers as if they were VirtualBlue passengers.
Current Partner Airlines:
American Airlines (Northeast Alliance)
Porter Air
Air China Virtual
Iceland Air
Iberia Air
South African Airlines
Hawaiin Air Lines
Aer Lingus
Azul
LATAM
Qatari
Etihad
Emirates
Singapore Airlines
LOT
Royal Air Maroc
Saudia
Spirit
The list above is a representation of our current codeshare partners, and there are a couple that have been grandfathered in from a long agreed partnership with VirtualBlue.
Generally, our codeshares represent real life partners with jetBlue to navigate to many areas in which our aircraft do not go. If you are interested in a Codeshare with virtualBlue, and there has been, at one point in the past or present, a real world codeshare, virtualBlue is open to postulating a partnership to expand our reach outside our coverage areas and deliver availability to routes in the US, Carribean, Central and South America.
Transatlantic
In 2022, jetBlue introduced its service to London Heathrow and then quickly added in London-Gatwick airports as destinations from John F. Kennedy Airport, the home of jetBlue. In early 2023, jetBlue then announced the same London destinations, but now departing from General Logan Aiport in Boston.
In 2023, jetBlue has announced it will open up another transatlantic destination to Paris France at Charles DeGaulle International Airport.
It is an exciting time to be a virtualBlue pilot as jetBlue expands its destination offerings.
Career Mode was designed to push the comfort zone in order to fly all types of flights using multiple aircraft bodies. Some routes were designed to be ultra long hauls while broken up by short and medium hauls. The 2023 Career Mode will be a bit longer than the 2022 version and will consist of new routes and more unique aircraft.
Career Mode will likely be released during the summer when times are a bit slow.
In March, virtualBlue kicked off the Blue Around Blue event. Each pilot will select a JetBlue aircraft and use it to fly across the globe landing in specific cities. The event is designed to strategically think about flight planning and determining routes which start from JFK and end you back at JFK.
It is a great way to earn hours towards promotion as well as incentive prizes.
These are the requirements:
Each pilot will have criteria in which they need to meet:
It's a challenge to plan the flight knowing the distance a plane can travel and having to account for that distance, especially if there are headwinds. The E190 has a range of 2400nm, but that is in a vaccuum. That does not account for any weather related issues. Planning the flight has to be strategic for this challenge.
VirtualBlue has been a virtual airline for nearly 7 years. We have been focused on keeping operations as close to realistic as possible, and some might think that it's too realistic.
There is a saying that, “You’re only as good as your weakest member.”
Our goal at virtualBlue is to make every pilot stand out, be strong, confident, and handle realism with the utmost integrity. That doesn’t mean we cannot have a little fun while still representing a mature virtual airline.
When a transition of any leadership occurs, there is a turnover time frame in which the organization has to take steps to improving the organization from the previous one in order to continue on a path forward. The status quo should never be the status quo. 2023 seems to be the moment in which we take that next step forward for virtualBlue.
As CEO the only think I can do is to right the ship, steer the course, and set the example. We have the crew to do so, and we can always use more. Our leadership is solid, but could add a few more key personnel.
Our mission statement will never change from its core value, but we can certainly change the mission of the virtualAirline as our network expands, as we grow, and as we develop. Our commitment to being the most realistic airline on Infinite Flight will never waiver.
We are the bar.