IFVARB Changes | Rollout #1

[JoshFly8]

Your feedback is in, and the board has spent all of last night discussing each point. Keeping in line with our promise to speed up things and become more efficient, the changes as listed below will be rolled out effective immediately.

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The Core System - Casual And Realistic VAs

Casual VAs - these need to be registered to check if the CEO is eligible and the VA is available. All they need to do is send a short mission statement and let us preview a decent thread and they’re all good, then we can just leave them alone. No assessment, no monitoring, no activity requirements, and no website if they don’t want one.

Realistic VAs - Essentially what the current system is now. Realistic VAs should be relatively active and have a quality website etc.

Both types of VA require the user to be TL2. Rules on bumping threads, topic titles, and mass advertising still apply to Casual VAs just like they do to the rest of the entire forum.

A Revised Blacklist

Only those banned for trolling, serious offences, and violations that have resulted in harm to VAs will now be present on the blacklist - we have heard your feedback and opted to remove most of the individuals currently on there as they are not guilty of serious violations. It is now updated.

Clearer Rule regarding the powers of IFVARB and the internal running of VAs

The staff of any VA will have the right to determine how their VA is ran and managed internally - not the job of the IFVARB unless the staff fail to meet the expected standards repeatedly, and unless that is the case IFVARB will have to stay out of it all.

Clearer rule regarding action taken against people for offences on third party platforms

IFVARB promises not to ever actively monitor VA chats or community discord servers for ill behaviour and will only ever take action if a complaint is actually brought to us.

Live Expectations For Casual vs Realistic

Realistic VAs should have some sort of training program internally - the staff may choose what exactly this is and how it is ran. So long as it’s actually being done then IFVARB will not get involved. If that’s not present and realistic VAs don’t want to do this, then they need to at least have the pilots guide in a visible and accessible area - a simple task that takes a few minutes and bears minimal impact.

Casual VAs are not required to have a training programme or to share the guide.

That being said, all groups have a requirement to act in a respectful and reasonable manner on live. Via PM or the pilot report form people may still report both types of VAs for unacceptable behaviour on the servers. For both types of VAs, the feedback will passed onto leadership and they can decide how it is dealt with, not IFVARB. If serious issues persist however then we may have to intervene.

Faster Review Times

More board members and more score moderators - Josh will be bringing people on shortly, and we expect a serious improvement in waiting times which we admit has been a real issue for way too long now.

More Positive Community Engagement

•    IFVARB will be committed to engaging more with the community in the form of turning up to and supporting more VA Events

•    IFVARB has added some more meat to the bones of the pinned thread at the top of this category to help newer users become more familiar with VAs

•    IFVARB will be creating a website for future use - here we will engage more and act on many suggestions made in the feedback thread such as - publishing General VA related articles, both IFVARB and user reviews of virtual airlines, a periodically done "VA spotlight" and more info regarding us and the communities virtual organisations.

We really feel that we have done everything we can to satisfy the community within the realm of practicality, and are glad that we have had the opportunity to act on so much of your feedback. Here is to a good, new beginning.

The relevant changes as listed above are being adjusted on the various threads pinned to the category, as some of you have noticed. Expect more threads to be released in the short future detailing further changes, such the announcement of new board members.

Thanks, and happy flying!

[NEO]

Just a quick personal note from me though; The last two threads have been very lengthy, fast flowing, and quite crazy. As a result, a few people got away with borderline unacceptable behaviour. It wouldn’t be tolerated on any other part of the forum so it won’t be here anymore either. The idea that a few people have, which is that an IFVARB thread these days is an excuse to have a free for all, needs to stop. I would like to make it clear that such fiascos, including antagonizing other members on either side, will not be allowed to happen here again.

Everybody has had their say, and the suggested changes have been implemented. These rules have been debated more than enough and everyone should be pretty happy with them. Obviously they are open to feedback and some minor changes in future if need be, but at a fundemental level now the rules are the rules, and that’s that. We’re not doing this all again in a couple months time or whatever. Since all the threads here on the forum go haywire, there is now a dedicated #user-feedback channel in the public section of the IFVARB slack. This thread is remaining open only for Josh and Ice to make a few further posts if they need to - please instead comment, whether positive or negative, in the slack channel, not here. This thread will only be open a few hours in case something extra needs to be added by Josh or Ewan only.

I’m sure this will be a brilliant turning point for all. Thanks!

[Chief305]

Finally, the IFVARB everyone wanted! Great work @JoshFly8 @IceBlue @NEO & IFVARB.

[NEO]

Thanks for the praise gents, but as I said can we please comment in the IFVARB slack rather than here to keep things clean for later for Josh and Ewan.

PM if you’re not in the slack team, and we’ll get you in asap. We can get a convo going there if you want :)

[Flightfan84]

have the pilots guide (link here) in a visible and accessible area

Don’t forget to include your link!

Aside from that I think this is excellent stuff. Very well done guys. These changes sounds more than acceptable and I’m very happy to see the community and IFVARB come together with this final product. It seemed like the community was inevitably going to command change, but thank you for taking the initiative to do so prior to some other outside catalyst. This is a good day for all of us.

[Reedgreat]

• IFVARB will be committed to engaging more with the community in the form of turning up to and supporting more VA Events

I think I can speak for every VA when I say you guys are always welcome.

off topic, why did this reply to Neo? I thought I clicked Josh

[NEO]

This thread is remaining open only for Josh and Ice to make a few further posts if they need to - please instead comment, whether positive or negative, in the slack channel, not here. This thread will only be open a few hours in case something extra needs to be added by Josh or Ewan only.

I feel mean since you were being so nice but please reed this^

(Pun intended😏)

[IceBlue]

I’ll just build on the details @JoshFly8 gave about the grading process: I’ll admit currently there is a bit of a mess surrounding this; I should hopefully have it all sorted by this weekend. With the new systems we’re putting in place and the extra members, grading should be happening far faster than it originally was.

Hopefully now we can ease the frictions of the past and become a more positive and productive committee :)

[SkyHighGuys]

Absolutely well done guys!

[Aussie_Cockatoo]

Well, I still can’t make a VA due to some stupid rule…

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Anyways, this seems better and more user friendly. Good job IFVARB!

[NEO]

This thread is remaining open only for Josh and Ice to make a few further posts if they need to - please instead comment, whether positive or negative, in the slack channel, not here. This thread will only be open a few hours in case something extra needs to be added by Josh or Ewan only.

Thanks for the kind words, but please take note of the above. Slack is the place, no more comments here. Cheers gents!