Alaska Adventures and Misty Moorings

[MFC0001]

Hello All,
I have been flying off and on with MM for some time and recently became the Human Resources Manager for Alaska Adventures, a VA dedicated to flying the beautiful sky's of Alaska and of course all the other places we both have interest in.

While you staff has basically agreed to give it a try, I write today for your feedback.  Misty Moorings has not had a real big success with VA associations in the past, Doug and I agree we need to know why.  What can we do to serve your better?  The incorporation of MM objects, airports and flight tours into the airline isn't enough.  What do we need to do that will encourage you to fly with us?

Alaska Adventures has been in business for 8 years, we are not a start up and we have an eager staff looking for new ideas and we are not afraid to make changes. So, I you guys are game, tell us what your dream VA would look like and we will see if we can make it happen.

For more information, please contact me at: henry@flyaka.com  Visit our web site at www.flyaka.com, sign up, always free, take a flight or two, give us more feed back.  As the Human Resources Manager, I assure you, you will be well taken care of.

Looking forward to your participation.....

Henry Kirk
Alaska Adventures
Human Resources Manager
AKA938

[Doug]

Henry .. thank you for the post.  As you mentioned, I too would love to hear feedback on what would make a VA work better for RTMM.  Our real focus is on getting "from here to there" and this certainly fits that focus. We have had some tries at this and I hope the folks here at RTMM (not just the team, but the members) would respond to you (and me) here to discuss this subject in depth. What works? What doesn't work?

Doug

[stiletto2]

Hi Henry,

This sounds like a great opportunity.  I think our members who want to know more can go to the Alaska Adventures site using the link in your post, select the operations tab and read through the short Operations Manual to get an idea about flying with a Virtual Airline such as the procedures you follow and so on. 

I have a few questions:

1. A lot of our users use P3Dv2.x and some even P3Dv3.0.  Do you support or plan to support that platform?

2.  Is there expectation that all of your members use the same scenery addons or are there options?  If there are requirements what is your position on the ORBX software platform?

3.  Are your current members using RTMM scenery addons now or is that something for the near future?

Rod

[MFC0001]

Hi Rod,
Thanks for your interest, and thanks for the questions.

Although Officially we haven't adopted P3Dv2, I have not found any thing so far that wasn't compatable including some of our own scenery developed for a specific tour. ie: the Cruise Ship Tour. I use many of the aircraft in the hanger, and while some may require a manual installation, all work. 

I will tell you that as a P3Dv2 user, this is high on my priority list!

I have not polled our pilots as to their use of ORBX, but again as a heavy ORBX user I have found that the new NA Alaska/Canada is a welcome addition as well SAK and Tongass.  Currently there is no dependicy on ORBX, but this is about to change as we work together. When there are scenery options, we have supported FS9 and FSX and as I said before, they are all working in P3Dv2.. 

With our relationship still in the very early stages, we have not used any of the RTMM add ons, but with that said, we are working on a cabin tour that would use the cabin objects.  As we go further ahead, we would welcome suggestions on how best to the the RTMM scenery.

Please visit the web site, we are in the process of updating just about everything, so check in often and sign up....tell em Henry sent you!

Hope that answers your questions....please ask more and feed to suggest!
Henry

[marc2140]

Hi guys,
I am an Alaska Adventures pilot and I already recommended the staff of the VA to try and find a cooperation with RTMM.
What was not said in the previous posts was that Alaska Adventures, would give the pilots the opportunity to fly in the RTMM area under an ACARS program. That was the only thing I was missing until now.
Some people may not like it, but I have experienced that having your flights monitored by an external program that gives you feedback on how well you do and did perform, is a good motivation to improve your quality as a pilot.
It remains casual; you can do it on your own, you don't need to join fly-in sessions and it is by far not as strict as on line flying with VATSIM or equivalents. But you create for yourself an incentive to do better.
So I am 100% in favor of this initiative.
Cheers
Marcel

[Doug]

You mentioned it briefly, but if you get ORBX PFJ and Tongass X ... there are over 300 cabins put into the scenery. Also with a single download (The Missing Cabins), ALL of the USDF cabins will be in place, giving you almost 400 locations to fly to.  We have flight plans for each of them and there is a lat/long waypoint for each of them.  There is also a database that puts all of the cabins into Plan G. Also on the page, you will find data for all of the lighthouses in the area (most are already in Tongass X and PFJ.  So in just one "area" of RTMM, there are HOURS of exploring to do.

For these reasons,  I'd highly recommend you take a look at "The Cabins" web page. It is the least difficulty getting hundreds of locations into peoples' computers. Look at THE CABINS page (HERE). These are located in absolutely beautiful places. Each is a REAL location, not something we made up. You can find a USFS link to each cabin to learn about it.  Just a thought for a beginning and introduction to the RTMM area.

Doug

[MFC0001]

In deed Marc and we help solve the problem, where do I fly today.  I think it gives you a goal, gets you to try new destinations and new areas.  Alaska Adventures, flies all over Alaska.  I would hope that we dedicate a block of Tours to Misty Moorings, while also offering maybe some combo trips and then our regular flights.  What do you want in a VA?
Henry

[spud]

If you plan on using the RTMM locations for flight destinations then the ORBX software plus Tongass X will be mandatory as all RTMM uses PFJ, Tongass X and SAK as well as a small area of PNW as a base for our locations.  Also all the required RTMM Libaries will be necessary. You will need to make it plain to your members that this is the case.
 

[MFC0001]

Absolutely Spud, right on.  I think there will be members who will embrace RTMM and those that don't. I think I am right when I say, we want to incorporate RTMM scenery (the whole program of objects etc) into our tours.  For those that want to participate, then they will of course have to purchase the required ORBX regions and then download all of the RTMM material....And for those that don't want to do that will still have lots of other choices.

From your prospective, what do you want to see in your partner VA. (In the past the VA was telling you what they had) We on the other hand want you to tell us.  Now obviously not every can and will be done at least in the beginning, but if we don't deliver what you want, then you won't participate.  Simple as that.

Thinking out loud for a second, we could create a bush division tailored to the RTMM style of flying.  Most, if not all flights would incorporate RTMM.  What we give is the structure, a reason to fly, and a reason to finish something. Recognition with awards and stats. And I realize that not all of you will want to do that, but if we work hard to meet your needs, more will.

Thanks Spud, we need all the input we can get

[Trex3D]

Hi Windquest,

IHMO, plenty of VAs have come and gone due to various reasons from lack or waning interest from its members, lack of sufficient financial support/donations or able management for its continued viable operations, lack of variety of its usual activities or offerings, etc.. etc. since the days the concept was introduced to flightsimmers . Also take note, there are newer, younger generations of hobbyists or gaming enthusiasts (not just in flight simming) that are gradually entering the scene and have the instant gratification, "want it now, have it now" attitude which I have observed being a member and having visited various online flight groups since the past, not to mention other simulation genres like truck, train, farming, goat (yep, from Steam) including popular simulation-style, gaming franchises like GTA and DCS competing for its share of the pie. And it won't stop there as more sub-genres and niche technologies will be introduced further stretching and thinning out the meager flightsim constituents. That's just just how the trend is playing out now and the near future. On occasions, I've flown MP with others who have guts and patience to install either some or the entire RTMM collection (very few) and try to convince others who haven't yet known or have known but kept musing about whether to brave the RTMM world or not. The usual feedback I hear is that just reading and installing RTMM libraries is too complicated and time-consuming and for those have joined VAs who find it boring and lonely have resorted to other aspects of flight simming like online group or MP flights with TS where they find it more interesting and socially interactive to instantly exchange topics, opinions and have friends who share the same passion for the hobby. If you haven't, try to visit FSOpen and TSViewer online sessions and you will notice most of the busiest or active flight communities are those that have TS voice/chat capabilites as well as various events and variety of activities that are introduced from time to time. The fact is that change is inevitable (just like computers and software technology as time goes) and in order for a flightsimming group or community to continue to survive or remain relevant to its members-existing or prospective, it needs to adapt to the changing needs and wants of its target market or interest group/s.

Look at MM now after its return.. We have a very active and vibrant community here through the array of continuous, creative projects being introduced and developed periodically by the very talented RTMM team and management (You're the best, right guys? ) Plus they are receptive to suggestions and feedback from its members (Wise or otherwise  ) also to further improve its offerings or come up with better or more ideas as well as adapt to changes that may affect or have potential impact on its current projects or future plans it has in store and help troubleshoot to those who ask for help (That's what I call proactive customer/tech support and superb project management). I can go on and mention all the milestones, bells and whistles this community has accomplished and has to offer but if you been here long enough, then you would know already..

So the common denominators of RTMM's success now and the other active, busy flight groups? Periodic introduction and variety of interesting offerings whether it may be new or recurring online flying events (like simulated SAR ops, tours/hops, dispatches, missions, etc. for all types of aircraft-fixed wing and helos) socially interactive MP activities, downloadable free scenery projects and proactive member/forum interaction and active management/team support on top of what is expected or offered by the others. Again, these relative criteria, among others, may change over time but a flight group's sensitivity to and its ability (and willingness) to satisfy or adopt to the changing trends of any endeavor will usually keep it on the lifeline of its intended target audience. Just sharing my few cents and observations FWIW..Good luck! 

[Dieter]

Joining a VA  - that is up to everybody's personal preferences -

Basically I see following problems:

- There is this big scenery conflict nature between RTMM users and your VA:
You still operate in FS2004 (!) and FSX (basic without any payware addons) while RTMM asks for  using certain  payware to successfully run the RTMM sceneries.
This cannot get together at this stage.

- Are you using a system like ACARS  (Aircraft Communication Addressing and Reporting System)
http://www.satavirtual.org/fsacars/
as a must for every pilot performing a flight for the VA?
A serious VA must monitor and check their pilots' flights and flight reports.
This is necessary based on my experience over many years having been a member of different VA.

[MFC0001]

Dieter,
Your right, a VA isn't for everyone but neither is the do it yourself. Almost everything we do in life is a compromise and that's one big reason we are reaching out...

Scenery is an add on to the simulator, not to the VA.  I have 100% of the RTMM scenery and Its all loaded into my sim.  The Va simply is setting a route using generic or custom scenery available in the sim.  Most package the routes in to a mission or tour with some sort of recognition at completion. You can fly with us with default (ugh) scenery or any payware you would like to buy.  (The only difficulty with fictitious scenery is getting the lat/long correct in the flight table to allow the aircraft to depart correctly and to enter that into the sims data so you can "go to airport".  Not a big deal programming wise.

I only fly P3Dv2.4 and now P3Dv3.... the stuff the VA uses isn't an issue.  We don't have very much  locally generated scenery.  The support for FS9 is a bit overstated.  In reality we have some freeware FS9 aircraft in the hanger...painted for the VA and many more in FSX.  Even those are working fine for me in P3D but you can use anything you want....even better if you can paint it up.  While it is fun to be flying with the company colors, it is not the important issue.....flying is.  We all know that ORBX is on board with P3Dv3, and of course v2 and at least for me, and most of our VA, that's about all we need.  Obviously RTMM fits in with that course, so I really don't see a problem....If I missed something or are overlooking something, please let me know.  Most things are fixable if you know about them!!

ACARS is used by every VA that I know of.  And we are Serious, and each Pilot Report is checked by a staff member carefully....one at a time!  (They are done several times a day....that was one of my grips when it took a week to get one approved....not here at Alaska Adventures! ) That's one of the advantages we have.  And we are constantly looking for a better ACAR program.  Each has it little quirks, right now we are considering a custom ACAR to address our VA specifically.

Fly Safe,
Henry

[nbrich1]

Hello All,

I have been flying off and on with RTMM from the days of FS9 to FSX to FSX/DX10 and beyond. To all the designers and creators here at RTMM, you guys do great work and thank-you for the fantastic sceneries, numerous add-ons and enhancements: they are excellent and make a great addition to any sim.

My name is Norm, a canuckian from Toronto, and I am the other half of the new admin staff at Alaska Adventures beside Mr. Henry Kirk assisting the long standing site owner Eddie Baker.  We are the “New Team” at Alaska Adventures which is a VA site dedicated to flying the scenic and rugged areas of Alaska and neighboring areas.

In addition to assisting on the site, participating in the forums and actually flying in the sim, I am also one of the new admins and event/activities guy, so to speak. My new role has evolved into being the designer and builder of the new activities, tours or adventures, for this VA site: such as building flight legs, flight plans, flying events: adventures and/or tour explorations and now even creating SkyVector maps or links to them for navigational purposes: all of it to build quality content in which to fly in our VA environment.

As you may know, RTMM and Alaska Adventures have been recently affiliated and that being the case, I now have changed focus in creating events that almost exclusively will fly in Orbx/Tongass regions as well as the RTMM scenery areas in most of the adventures of the future. It sure will add a greater beauty and dynamics in the sim and in the actual flying experience in all of those areas.

We have several tour events that explore most of Alaska, as well as the neighboring areas: IE: Yukon, and the west coast of BC. The latest event was released just week ago: “Across the North in a Cub Tour”:  which is the largest 4-part and most complex adventure built exploring the ruggedness of the Alaskan scenery in a Piper J3 Cub. This adventure consists of 80 flight legs and spans over 3120 miles in a “Cub” and is complete with flight plans and SkyVector Mappings for each and every leg. (There are 20 relatively short legs in each part of this adventure).

This adventure is a brand new concept or type of adventure that is also intended for a wide variety of pilots: from the novice pilot to the expert flyer in which they can use either prepared flight plans and a moving map or a Sim GPS for their navigation or for those who consider themselves more experienced flyers, this adventure was meant to be a challenge and as well more scenic by having no automated navigation. In this NO NAV case, Pilots use their altimeter, a watch, a compass and prepared SkyVector mappings to follow the landmark in their Sim: such as rivers, gorges, sides of mountain ranges, islands, narrow passages etc. to mark the way through each flight leg: much more of a challenge especially in unfavorable weather, but a much more scenic and rugged route. This is Bush Flying at its best and it is closer to the reality of today’s bush pilots.

This coming week, hopefully on Thursday Oct 22, the very first joint RTMM-Alaska Adventures (FlyAka) adventure will be released or activated at our site now that we are somewhat affiliated. This new introductory adventure tour will cover points within the ORBX regions of the PNW, PFJ, into the Tongass Fjords area and finally into the land of the RTMM scenery areas. The outline of this introductory joint tour will begin in the PNW area in Oregon, Siletz Bay State Airport (S45) and 17 legs later, we will arrive at Misty’s (PF20) and Ketchikan (PAKT). And this will set the stage for new RTMM-FlyAka adventures in the future.

We also offer those completing pilots’ awards for flight leg and adventure tour completions as well as building your flight stats such as: total number of flights, flight hours, flight miles and even the capturing of  your landing rates: all which assists in becoming a more experienced pilot.

This has been a very long post but all to say: To all of the RTMM pilots, the scenery designers/creators, all those who have had a part in your site and community are cordially welcome and warmly invited to join us and fly in our VA environment with us especially now as we have joined in affiliation. There a many existing tours on the site as well as the brand new adventures series “Across the North in a Cub Tour” just released: a challenging adventure for any pilot. 

Additionally, the very first joint RTMM-FlyAka adventure created exclusively in the enhanced scenery areas of ORBX, Tongass and RTMM will kick off on our site on Thursday Oct. 22nd “From the PNW to the land of Misty's” Adventure.   

I also canvass you all, as the RTMM scenery experts, for your ideas for following adventures pertaining to the exploration into the RTMM scenery areas. I have already started designing the next RTMM scenery exclusive adventure that will follow the introductory adventure: that first one which will have brought us from deep in the PNW up to Misty’s and Ketchikan (PAKT) for a specific purpose but you’ll have to read the adventure narrative. Let me just say, do you recall that the CIRP head office is located in PAKT?  So then, RTMM Exploration into the CIRP makes a natural progression into the next adventure and it also fits for the winter season, that is, unless you would rather see something different before exploration into RTMM’s CIRP area?

So I would ask you, the RTMM specialists, what RTMM areas should be further explored and perhaps in what priority order? Any suggestions or ideas are welcome but please note that since we are heading into the winter season, the cabin explorations with float planes or landings at SPB (Sea plane bases) don’t exactly fit at this time of year unless we can land on ice covered bays. (We do have a few float planes excursions but have now removed them from our lineup of active adventure tours as we head into the winter season but these will be reactivated in the spring.) New RTMM Water landing explorations would be very interesting to create for the spring and summer months but for the winter season, what would you want to see? Should we start with a CIRP adventure or should we create some other RTMM adventure in preference? I do value your opinions here and will try to create what you guys recommend for us to do and hope you will join us and actually fly it.

As Henry has already mentioned, Alaska Adventures has been in business for 8 years, so the site is not new per say, but concerning our new direct involvement I would hope that we bring new ideas and concepts in which to fly at this VA and they are already underway as are the new type of adventures that we have started creating. I want to make all of you here at RTMM active participants in our VA site, if you wish to be and either way your opinions are valued. It is an exciting time for Henry and I as we are working to better the site as well as to provide excellent content for all the pilots to be a part to truly enhance the flight sim experience.
   
For any more info, just drop me a line at: norm@flyaka.com or visit our web site at www.flyaka.com: and forums. Everything is free for the use and all pilots are welcome to fly with us.   

We are looking forward to your participation as well as your input for this joint venture as we move forward and thank-you for taking the time to read such a long post but I do hope that I have triggered your interest how we are related and how we can directly connect, from here 2 there, in a virtual flight simulation world.

Norm Richards
Alaska Adventures
AKA995

[jsapair]

I, for one, will give this a look. I flew for VAL for awhile. My only problem with VAL was exactly the problem you folks have so eloquently addressed in your posts...the lack of available flights in the RTMM areas we all are required to have to enjoy the wonderful work the RTMM team has developed. A lot of the VAL flight plans and projects were out of RTMM coverage areas. The advent of ORBX GLOBAL, GLOBAL MESH and GLOBAL LC alleviated that problem considerably, but, if, say, VAL did flights in the Northern Rocky Mountains and you didn't have Global and/or the ORBX NRM full-fat region purchased and installed it was a pretty boring flight, scenery-wise.  Sounds to me like you folks are on the right track if you want to partner up with us RTMM fliers. I'm definitely going to check it out. Thanks for your input.

                                                  jsapair

[nbrich1]

Exactly jsapair..

We have a bunch of tours or adventures.. and our Cub 4-part adventure is a new kind of excursion that use skyvector mappings for NAV in a the "Cub".. And in a week, it has already become the most popular adventure series. Now that we are officially affiliated with RTMM, we can actually start using RTMM locations and scenery to create new RTMM adventures and at our VA we are promoting the installation of all the RTMM scenery.. because all will need activated to be able to fly the new RTMM adventures that we will start designing.

So in saying the above, our first or introductory tour is now almost completed.. From Oregon via the west coast Orbx areas and northward into Tongass and into PJF and the RTMM scenery areas. That adventure gets us into RTMM territory. It will air or become active on our site this coming Thursday (Oct 22).. and the next RTMM exclusive adventure is already in design stages with more type adventures to follow.. using ORBX/Tongass and of course RTMM scenery areas..

So I have canvassed all the RTMM guys for their input in how to proceed from the introductory adventure as to which RTMM areas we should explore first and for subsequent adventures in RTMM land.. and I will follow your direct leads and suggestions and design the following adventures as per your suggestions. I have already started designing a RTMM CIRP adventure.. but if there is any other area that you RTMM experts would rather, Hmmm, maybe, medicals or APP or? just let me know and will work on it keeping you guys up to date on progress. Anyways, just let me know via here or our forums or email.. and I will work on it.. (I'm already find it a blast in trying to start to design stuff using locations soley within RTMM.. I have used RTMM stuff for years.. there is nothing like it and it truly brings any SIM to life.

Thanks for your note jsapair.. and any help you can offer spreading the news around in here to the RTMM  your flyers and/or creators for their input into this new venture would be appreciated.

Norm