Forums Closed - Replaced by Discord
Administrator
Today I made the decision to close the forums. Our forums were not utilized very much, which seems to be true for many forums these days, and we have a Discord server that we can use. I've changed the forums page to display our Discord widget which you can use to join the server. Once you join please read the rules to gain access and enjoy the Pilot Central community!
- 20 Jun 2020 18:37:47
Update Phase 1
Ryan Parry
Well, you could say it has been a while since any news has been posted here at Pilot Central. I'm happy to say phase 1 of updating the Pilot Central code base is complete. You won't likely notice much as a user, however it's a step in the right direction for the future of Pilot Central. Updating the code base will allow us to make better use of server resources, and the code will function much more efficiently.
Phase 2 of this update will begin shortly after I finish writing this and should put the website is a solid place while we build the next generation for Pilot Central (it's going to be HUGE). The core principal of Pilot Central will remain in the future, however we plan to embrace the idea of being a "community" in a very, very big way.
I do want to give a big thank you to our loyal members who have stuck around for the last few years while things have gotten quiet at Pilot Central. I appreciate your support and I believe you will enjoy what the future holds for Pilot Central.
- 18 May 2019 02:37:13
New PilotTracker client!
Administrator
I am pleased to announce the addition of a new PilotTracker client. We have upgraded our PilotTracker using a client known as smartCARS developed by TFDi Design, customized for Pilot Central. This awesome new PilotTracker offers you many features such as chat with Pilot Central members, and other people flying, a live radio to listen to, and more! They have a smartCARS premium option which will allow you to check your ACARS from a mobile device, save your flight to the cloud and more! It is a really neat piece of software for your long haul flights. The new client is compatable with FS9, FSX, P3D, and X-Plane 10, so everybody is welcome to use it!
For those of you using the old PilotTracker, it will no longer work. We have removed the files from our system that allow it to run. Additionaly, if you wish to use the new client, make sure you book your flight on the website first. There is more information about PilotTracker available in the FAQ.
Enjoy!
- 27 Feb 2016 15:39:18
New Site is here!
Administrator
You may be noticing, we have a new website! Pilot Central is proud to launch the next generation of our website. Things have been slimmed down a little, and a modern design is introduced. More of the site features are now only accessible if you login. We want to create a useful site and a community feel and we think this new site is a step in that direction.
One of the cool new features we have introduced is the SimBrief API for dispatching flights. If you go to Flight Ops, then Dispatch Center, you are given a form to fill out with your flight info. Once done it will generate a Dispatch Release for your flight! You need a SimBrief account for this feature to work.
Lastly, because this is a new site and a step in a new direction, if you see any bugs or glitches please report them! If you have any suggestions, please lets us know! We want to keep Pilot Central running strong, and most importantly provide you with the things you'd like to have.
P.S. We aren't done! This is just the launch of the base site. We will be doing further improvements and new features in due time.
- 24 Nov 2015 17:09:39
Site outages
Administrator
I just wanted to apologize to you all for the site being down or in and out for almost 16 hours. The data center in Provo, Utah that controls the servers that many of the worlds top hosting company's use had a mjaor outage due to a bug. It seems as if the big has been fixed and everything is running fine now, however there may still be some small outages. Since this is the third major outage in less than six months we are working to find a new host provider so that this isn't a problem in the future. Again, we are truly sorry for any inconvenience.
In the future, please be sure to check our facebook page for the latest information. Anytime there is news to post, especially if it has to do with an outage, we will post it there. Thank you.
- 17 Apr 2014 09:10:49
Pilot Central shops open!
Administrator
Pilot Central is happy to announce we have two shops open that you may use to order Pilot Central items from while donating to Pilot Central. All profit from these two shops goes into the Pilot Central donation account and are used to further develop Pilot Central and pay for our server costs.
We've opened up a Society6 store which offers large prints and various other items like clocks, mugs, and more! This shop is a very high quality store and we are happy to be able to sell to you through it. If you're looking for a sleek clock for your home cockpit, this shop has it!
The second shop we opened is Spread Shirt which offers more items than the Society6 shop. In this shop there are buttons, shot glasses for the long flights, mugs for the coffe to get you off that hang over, and even something for your dog! Do you use an iPad for your charts while flying? Skin it with the Pilot Central logo!
Both shops currently only offer logo items, however we plan to release more options in both stores with fun Pilot Central art designs just in case you want something more than just a logo. To view these shops go to the Donations page and scroll down.
Pilot Central thanks you for your contributions!
P.S. We are looking for feedback, let us know what you think of your items and what kind of stuff you'd like to see in the future.
- 26 Mar 2014 01:40:08
November Top Pilots
Administrator
Well when I am stuffed to the brim with food I really didn't need that means two things. 1. Thanksgiving has come and gone in the states and 2. I need to put down the pumpkin pie and put up the November Top Pilots!
For top flights November 2013, Darian Graves in first place with 47 flights, second place goes to Peter Zimen with 44 flights, and third place Ryan Schmidt at 43. Great work guys!
For top hours November 2013, Daniel Treppner with 136 hours, Muhammed Paul with 104 hours, and in third place Ian Mann with 99 hours. Looks like Lufthansa takes the win this month!
For top distance November 2013, in first place Daniel Treppner at 67,783 NM, second place to Muhammed Paul at 45,803 NM, and in third place Ian Mann with 41,485 NM. Stellar!
Also a quick heads up, yes it is December and yes we will be doing top pilots of the year! We are sending out emails for prizes this week and will announce the prize options later in the month. Good luck to all!
You can view more stats by viewing the stats page.
- 04 Dec 2013 02:57:45
October Top Pilots
Administrator
When groups of kids won't stop throwing eggs at my house, I know two things. 1. I am a screwge and I should hand out more candy, and 2. it is time for October top pilots!
For top flights October 2013, Ryan Parry in first place with 40 flights, second place goes to Ian Mann with 37 flights, and third place Johnathan Walter at 27. Another low month, the sky must be falling, or somebody is taking a vacation.
For top hours October 2013, Andrew Johnson with 104 hours, Ryan Parry with 98 hours, and in third place Muhammed Paul with 82 hours. Very sporty! Good work!
For top distance October 2013, in first place Andrew Johnson at 54,674 NM, second place to Muhammed Paul at 44,894 NM, and in third place Ian Mann with 37,467 NM. Great work guys!
You can view more stats by viewing the stats page.
- 19 Nov 2013 01:21:25
September Top Pilots
Administrator
There is a certain crisp feeling to the air, which can only mean one thing, September Top Pilots are in!
For top flights September 2013, Ian mann in first place with 40 flights, second place goes to Peter Zimen with 38 flights, and third place Farbod Tehrani at 37. A lower than normal month, but still solid. Good work guys!
For top hours September 2013, Ryan Parry with 214 hours, Farbod Tehrani with 197 hours, and in third place Ryan Schmidt with 108 hours. The new all time record for hours is set at 214 hours!
For top distance September 2013, in first place Ryan Parry at 105,159 NM, second place to Farbod Tehrani at 102,971 NM, and in third place Ryan Schmidt with 50,080 NM. That is a lot of flying!
You can view more stats by viewing the stats page.
- 14 Oct 2013 04:18:14
August Top Pilots
Administrator
Guess what, I forgot to post August top pilots. My bad, I hope you forgive me.
For top flights August 2013, Ryan Schmidt in first place (again) with 96 flights, second place goes to Davor Kusec with 60 flights, and third place Ryan Parry at 55. Fantastic month!
For top hours August 2013, Ryan Schmidt with 207 hours, Ryan Parry with 193 hours, and in third place Daniel Treppner with 109 hours. Ryan Schmidt missed the all time record by only two hours!
For top distance August 2013, in first place Ryan Schmidt at 81,211 NM, second place to Ryan Parry at 80,882 NM, and in third place Daniel Treppner with 53,414 NM. Great job!
You can view more stats by viewing the stats page.
- 30 Sep 2013 06:57:28
July Top Pilots
Administrator
Well folks, the back to school sales are starting, peanutbutter and jelly sales are rising, kiddies are returning to school in just a few weeks. What does all this mean? Well, it obviously means July top pilots are in (whoo hoo)!
For top flights July 2013, Ryan Schmidt in first place with another impressive record setting month at a whopping 131 flights, second place goes to Andres Isava with 89 flights, and third place Ryan Parry at 59. Fantastic month!
For top hours July 2013, Ryan Parry with 192 hours, Andres isava with 174 hours, and in third place Ryan Schmidt with 162 hours. All pilots over flew and are being investigated by the FAA (jk).Good job to all!
For top distance July 2013, in first place Ryan Parry at 79,710 NM, second place to Andres Isava at 70,306 NM, and in third place Muhammed Paul with 63,736 NM. Great job!
You can view more stats by viewing the stats page here.
- 01 Aug 2013 02:53:39
June Top Pilots
Administrator
Aah, you feel that? That is the sun burning your tender skin, I guess summer is here and so are the June top pilots!
For top flights June 2013, Ryan Schmidt in first place with an impressive month at a whopping 126 flights (a new record), second place goes to Andres Isava with a massive 106 flights, and third place Gabriel Abreu jr at 84. Fantastic month!
For top hours June 2013, Ryan Schmidt with 183 hours, Andres isava with 144 hours, and in third place Gabriel Abreu jr with 108 hours. Good job to all!
For top distance June 2013, in first place Ryan Schmidt at 64,946 NM, second place to Andres Isava at 54,034 NM, and in third place Daniel Treppner with 49,057 NM. Well done!
You can view more stats by viewing the stats page here.
- 01 Jul 2013 19:50:33
May Top Pilots
Administrator
Summer BBQ's are on the horizon, swimming pools are opening, and the May top pilot results are in!
For top flights May 2013, Andres Isava in first place with another impressive month at 96 flights, second place goes to Gabriel Abreu jr with 76 flights, and third place Peter Zimen at 59. Great job everybody!
For top hours May 2013, yet again Andres Isava with 148 hours, Gabriel Abreu jr with 124 hours, and in third place Ryan Parry with 121 hours. Good job to all!
For top distance May 2013, in first place Ryan Parry at 51,740 NM, second place to Andres Isava at 50,885 NM, and in third place Marcos Miguel Viana with 47,942 NM. Well done!
You can view more stats by viewing the stats page here.
- 04 Jun 2013 02:24:18
April Top Pilots
Administrator
April is over, and the results are in, the top pilots for April are as follows.
For top flights April 2013, Andres Isava in first place with an impressive 91 flights (that is a lot of up and downs), second place goes to Ryan Schmidt at 62 flights, and third place Bob Slocum at 58. Well done guys!
For top hours April 2013, yet again Andres Isava with 135 hours, Daniel Treppner with 115 hours, and in third place Ryan Parry with 96 hours. Good job to all!
For top distance April 2013, in first place Daniel Treppner at 53,744 NM, second place to Andres Isava at 47,486 NM, and in third place Muhammed Paul with 41,185 NM. Rackin up the miles baby! Well done!
You can view more stats by viewing the stats page here.
- 02 May 2013 07:19:24
New vCRAF Assignments
Administrator
Pilot Central has been assigned some new vCRAF flights from the Virtual United States Air Force in support of the RED FLAG 2013 Operations. There are six routes with multiple legs operated by both Southwest and AirTran transporting troops out to Nellis. Flights must be finished by April 3rd so we need all the help we can get from you! Check the vCRAF section of the forums, located under events for more information. See you at Nellis!
- 30 Mar 2013 19:22:03
vCRAF Flights
Administrator
vCivil Reserve Air Fleet flights for the vUSAF are now active and ready to be flown. Pilots who complete their routes will be given a vCRAF award. Check the fourms under Events for the vCRAF section containing active flights, how to participate, and a few things to know about the program. Keep in mind we are just starting out and we plan to improve the system and overall experience of vCRAF as we go, all suggestions are welcome. Have fun and happy flying!
- 27 Mar 2013 02:40:33
Logging changes
Administrator
Today Pilot Central got a few setting changes to better aid in flight report logging and pilot stat accuracy. We are no longer logging "Not Arrived" flights, so if you disconnect the the system forgets your flight then it will not be logged at all. Another setting that has been changed is how long the system will wait before assuming you've quit the flight. The old time was 30 minutes, after that the flight was logged as not arrived, now it has been bumped up to 45 minutes. This means if you are flying along and disconnect or if you quit our system will wait 45 minutes before if deletes your flight from the database. Another setting change is the time it takes for your pirep to be filed, previously it was set to 5 minutes and it is now set to 2 minutes, this means once your flight appears as "On Blocks" the pirep will file within 2 minutes.
On the subject of logging and accuracy I also need to adress PC ACARS. We have PC ACARS for those pilots that do not fly online or if you plan to disconnect several times during a flight such as a long haul, it was never intended to be for regular use on every flight. We are based around the ease of our automatic pirep logging directly off the network (IVAO or VATSIM). Recently I sent out an email talking about the distance errors in PC ACARS reports and how it is related to quick book flights. I'm still seeing pilots using quick book and I am seeing pireps with incorrect distances. Any reports with incorrect distances from ACARS will be deleted. I can't sit here and manually fix every single report with an incorrect distance. We ask that if you do wish to use ACARS that you book your flight properly and do not use quick book. We are working on seeing if there is a solution to the problem, but until we find a solution you need to book your flights properly or use network logging (which is preferred). If you do not know how to book your flights we have a tutorial in the forums that teaches you how to fill out the form. Do not forget that we also have XACARS for our XPLANE users, but can be used by FS9/FSX users as well, you can get your configuration file on your profile when you login.
- 16 Feb 2013 21:00:19
And the winner is...
Administrator
Happy New Years! The Winner of the "Pilot of the Year" awards are....drum roll...Ryan Schmidt with 535 flights, Ryan Parry with 1313 hours and 539265NM. However they're both not eligible for prizes so the winners of prizes and an award are....drum roll...Evan Beaton with 380 flights, Jared Angstadt with 846 hours and Muhammed Paul with 359343NM. But that isn't it! The winner of the random pilot drawing is Farbod Tehrani, he wins $35 USD on FS2Crew. All winners will be contact by email. Happy New Years and lets make 2013 a good one at Pilot Central!
- 01 Jan 2013 05:08:50
Pilot of the Year award
Administrator
Tis the season gentlemen! At the end of December we will total up the stats to calculate our pilot of the year, but this year we are starting a new tradition. As our way of saying thanks for making Pilot Central so great the three top winners (management excluded from prizes) will win a prize. This year Fs2Crew has stepped up and donated any copy fo FS2Crew, FlightSimSoft has donated one copy of TopCat, and Aerosoft has donated one copy of the new Airbus X Entended! We will announce the winners and enter their names into a hat to select prizes. This doesn't mean the rest of Pilot Central gets coal in their stocking though, FlightSimSoft has created a coupon for pilots to get a discount on TopCat (see specials page) and we will have a drawing between all pilots for a $45 gift certificate at FS2Crew!
- 20 Dec 2012 18:13:42
New tours now available!
Administrator
Two new tours are now available! One tours is based on the operations of Allegiant Airlines which is known for its north-south routes to some not so popular destinations. On this tour you'll operate MD-80 and Boeing 757 aircraft to various destinations across the country. The second tour is a CityJet BAe Avro RJ85 tour around the UK, Ireland, and France. This tour is a little bit shorter and is a must do for anybody that has just purchased the newly released Avro RJ pack! Happy flying!
- 16 Sep 2012 15:45:10
VatVenture 2012!
Administrator
Here comes VatVenture! Lets get out there and show VatVenture what Pilot Central is all about, having fun! This is your chance to get in your VFR flight time, see you there!
http://www.vatventure.org/index.php
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPx7_TTyrJU
- 13 Jul 2012 01:47:15
Pilot Central on Facebook!
Administrator
Pilot Central is now finally on Facebook! Come and give us a "like" on our page. We will be holding contests on the page and posting exclusive information there as well!
http://www.facebook.com/fspilotcentral
- 29 Jun 2012 15:05:06
Memorial Day Flights
Administrator
Pilots, as some of you know this Monday is Memorial Day in the United States. It is a day to pay tribute and recognize the sacrifices many have made for this country. It is an important thing to me as I am in the process of enlisting myself. I feel we should not forget that many young men and women have given up their dreams, limbs, and even their life for America. While we enjoy time with our family, a nice spring BBQ, a trip to the lake, and all those weekend sales, lets not forget there are thousands currently deployed all over the world that will not get those luxuries on Monday. If you or somebody you know has served, thank you. In honor of our military and those serving in it I'd like to ask the pilots of Pilot Central to please fly tomorrow and in the remarks of your flight plan please give a shout out to our vets. It is not required, but would be greatly appreciated.
- 28 May 2012 01:35:48
Pilot Central ACARS
Administrator
It is my pleasure to announce that Pilot Central now has its own custom version of acars that addresses several issues from our old kACARS. The new ACARS is avaiable for download in the intranet and is the preferred ACARS client at Pilot Central. No support will be given to pilots using kACARS free after the time of me writing this. Enjoy the ACARS and happy flying!
- 18 Mar 2012 02:14:13
New Tours
Administrator
Pilot Central members, we now have two brand new tours. The first tour will take you on a trip around the world as a Polar Air Cargo pilot in a Boeing 747. You'll start and end this trip in Asia and go full circle around the world.
The second tours is a regional captians tour. This tour will put you in the shoes of an ERJ captain at American Eagle. You'll start out in Dallas and work your way through the Chicago-Ohare, New York, and DCA hubs. Nothing like a little low paying flying fun!
You can sign up for these tours in the intranet by clicking tours. Happy flying!
- 06 Mar 2012 23:38:40
Pilot Central seeking CFI
Administrator
Greetings Pilots,
Pilot Central has seen some good use of the new exam center which is now just about one month old. This first month has been used as a "trial period" to see if Pilot Central could train pilots.
Here is the plan, Pilot Central plans to become a Vatsim ATO. What is an ATO? An ATO is an Authorized Training Organization that trains and certifies pilots on Vatsim. The cert is a vatsim cert, not a Pilot Central cert. In order to do this Pilot Central must first meet certain requirements, one being a way to test pilots (the exam center), another being a CFI that will not only assists pilots, but also create a sylibus, etc. With that said Pilot Central is seeking a lead CFI that will communicate with VATGOV14, as well as other CFI's to help assist with anything that is needed. Right now we are looking for three qualifies individuals to take on this task. Limited access to VATSIM's data bases will be granted to ATO staff. Any abuse of this privilege will result in an automatic termination of your Pilot Central account as well as possible termination of your Vatsim account.
Requirements:
- Must be an active Vatsim member in good standing with the organization.
- Must have excellent oral and communication skills
- Must be able to work in a team environment
- Must have good knwoledge of the VATSIM network, Air Traffic procedures, and both basic and instrument flight procedures
- Have no significant disciplinary record or history of unprofessional behavior
- 16 years of age of older
Prefered Items:
- Be an active Vatsim and Pilot Central member in good standing with both organizations.
- Real world flight experience (Anything from ASEL to ATP, must hold the cert and not be in training)
- Good knowledge of FAA FAR/AIM's
- Vatsim Controller rated C1 and up
- Previously held an instructor position
Essential Job Functions:
- Work in a professional environment with student pilots
- Administrate pilot accounts within the training center
- Communicate with VATGOV14
- Assign, Correct, and review exams for pilots that pertain to the information outlined in the sylibus
- Creat and maintain a training sylibus used for pilot training
Applicants should be aware of the time commitment required; It is estimated that CFI's will be required to spend about 5 hours or more a week on their duties.
All applicants are required to provide the following information:
1. Name
2. Vatsim CID
3. Pilot Central ID
4. Related Experience and qaulifications
5. Any other information that may be of interest to the Pilot Central staff
Interested applicants should send their applications to flynryan692[at]gmail.com and insert "Pilot Central CFI Application" in the subject box.
Happy flying!
- 08 Feb 2012 08:25:01
ZOA 2-in-1 FNO FEB 17
Administrator
Friday nights are always fun and busy in San Francisco, CA and Reno, NV, and on February 17, ZOA invites you to join us for their biggest FNO yet!
Enjoy the entertainment and excellent dining in parts of San Francisco like the Fisherman's Wharf. Perhaps you are looking for a great performing arts show or an exciting sports game. Or do you prefer to enjoy some sightseeing, a tour of the famous Golden Gate Bridge, or take a ride on one of the cable cars? San Francisco has what you are looking for!
Plenty of additional fun awaits you in Reno. Maybe you're looking for a full night of gaming at one of the many casinos in the city. Are you looking to enjoy Reno's own arts and entertainment? Or perhaps you'd just like to enjoy a quiet, relaxing evening at your cabin on Lake Tahoe. Reno is an excellent option for you!
But the best part: you don't have to settle for one or the other. Located a conveniently short distance from each other, you can visit both in the same night!
We'll be staffing up the second busiest airport in California and the second busiest airport in Nevada for this event. Both SFO and RNO offer a variety of airlines with destinations all over the west coast AND to each other. Cargo, corporate, and general aviation services are also available at both airports. So whatever you fly, wherever you go - join us in San Francisco, Reno, or both!
The event will run from 5pm-9pm PST (8pm-12am EST, 0100-0500z) on Friday, February 17.
- 08 Feb 2012 07:24:19
Pilot Central seeking Events Coordinator
Administrator
In an effort to boost activity, and make this more of a community Pilot Central will be seeking a dedicated member that can fulfill the event coordinator position. The person selected for this position will be in charge of keeping the Pilot Central up to date with all event from VATUSA, VATUK, VATCAN and many other regions within Vatsim. The position will also include setting up and planning events for Pilot Central members. You must be in good standing with Pilot Central (no rejected reports, you're an active pilot etc). If you are interested in this position please contact an administrator via the contact page on the website.
- 05 Jan 2012 18:31:43
Technical Issues Resolved
Administrator
The technical issues with Pilot Central have been corrected. Pilots may return to automatic pireps. Remember to put www.pilotcentral.org in the remarks section of your flight plan so the system will pick up your flight and track it. Also remember to check the live flights map before logging off the network, and ensure your flight status is "on blocks". Not doing so will result in your flight not being logged. Alternativly pilots may still use a manual pirep or kACARS to file pireps. Happy flying!
- 14 Oct 2011 02:39:14
Technical Issues
Administrator
We have been experiencing technical issues with the site for the last 24 hours. The site isn't picking up pilots on the network. If you plan to fly we recommend you use kACARS or file a pirep manually until we have the problems sorted out. Also, if you come to the site and it says "Home page not found" just check back later, it is a database issue with the host. We apologize for the inconvenience.
- 13 Oct 2011 18:45:14
Calling All Pilot Central Members!
Administrator
ZOA has been holding events called Wednesday Night Rush every Wednesday were the staff up a certain location within the ZOA airspace. I'm calling on all Pilot Central members to participate in this event every Wednesday night! This event will provide us with the chance to all get together and fly with ATC. It should be a lot of fun so come on out if you can! This week is SMF (Sacramento) however you do not have to fly there. More information can be found by clicking on the event link on the right hand side, or by checking out the forums!
- 10 Oct 2011 20:19:34
All done!
Administrator
I am happy to say that Pilot Central is all finished. kACARS is fully useable now, please check the boards for the full tutorial. I've also added a new resource center with links to helpful tools and websites. One new tool here at Pilot Central is an Oceanic Position Report tool that will generate your position report that will be read back to the controller. We've also got links to other helpful sites, and we will have route maps of major airlines so that you can get an idea of what route you want to search or fly. If you have any questions please ask on the boards, and don't forget to send your friends in our direction. The more the merrier!
- 19 Sep 2011 20:51:30
Getting Closer
Administrator
I am happy to say we are several steps closer to being fully complete here at Pilot Central. We are beta testing and finishing the kACARS setup (it works, just getting a tutorial setup), we have dynamic signature images for every member to use on the forums. We also have a brand new stats page with lots of detailed stats and listings. We are 100% operational with the exception of acars, so send your friends and lets fly! If you haven't already, register in the forums as well!
- 14 Sep 2011 16:18:01
New Stuff!
Administrator
I'm happy to say that the forums are up and you may now register on them. I'm still in the process or creating categories etc so be patient. The Intranet also has a new look, so go check it out. You'll notice awards and Tours. Those are two new features I am very excited about! This month will be the Iron Maiden world tour! I'm also considering a screenshot gallery feature that may or may not appear in the intranet. Also, kACARS will be available for offline pilots to use, as well as pilot who plan to disconnect from vatsim during long flights. I'm also planning an aircraft resource center that will have resources for specific aircraft (flows, checklists, performance data).
- 03 Sep 2011 06:36:32
Website Progress
Administrator
The website has progressed well so far, you may login and flights are able to be logged. The Intranet has limited features, however I will be adding new features and goodies as I go along. The stats page is very basic currently as well but it will also be updated with new stuff as I go along. I am hoping to have the site and and running, 100% functional in no more than two weeks if not sooner.
- 26 Aug 2011 02:39:46