VATSAF Events advertising

[John Nicholas 1014474]

Hi all

 

Thanks to the events coordinators for the many events recently. I have just one small request: Would it be possible to get the emails a bit sooner? I often receive event emails the day before the event, rarely more than 2 days before, and it's difficult to get involved at such short notice. On several occasions I've received the email AFTER the event!

 

I participate in overseas events, they all seem to advertise with at least a week to go. It would also be nice if the SA events were to go up on the VATSIM events calendar, I'm sure a lot more pilots would visit us if that was done, and the main events calendar is my primary source of event information. I'm sure there are many others who also use this, and the local events never seem to turn up on there.

 

I stumbled across the 2010 World Cup events on the forum purely by chance, something that should be great fun and will have appeal to lots of pilots all over the world. Yet it's hidden in a forum post. This information should be accessible to all vatsim members, it would be fantastic to see SA's virtual skies buzzing.

 

Kind regards and many thanks

[Jacques Malan 995061]

Hi John

 

Thank you for your valuable input!

 

We will work on this, and with our new website that is being launched this week, emails should go out earlier already.

 

Regards

[John Nicholas 1014474]

Hi Jacques

 

Thanks! Appreciate the effort. I have some more questions though (and wish I could've made the meeting).

 

I'm still 99% clueless when it comes to VATSAF events. Here are some of the emails I've received lately:

 

27/5/09

Script error in Body - TrainingEmail.html: Could not convert field definition EventText

That's all it says. Happens often.

 

26/5/09

Click here to go to VATSAF website and book your flight

I click on the link and it just says Coming Soon. It implies that you must book to be able to take part, but there's no booking system. This is when I close the window and move on.

 

25/5/09

John Nicholas, Ultimate Relay Race

Kind Regards, VATSAF Management

?????????

 

I still don't really have any idea what the Indiza Challenge is/was, the most detailed email just contained a table with the legs.

 

Soccer World Cup email simply stating: Soccer World Cup Fly-in Starting 05/06/2010 11:32

Where? Who? What?

 

I really do appreciate your guys' work, but wouldn't it be more rewarding if more people participated? These rallies must be good fun but what we urgently need is just some plain old fly in events like all the other divisions have, and they need to be advertised on the main VATSIM website and they need a LOT more detail. If I go to the events calendar and select any event, it gives me all the information I need to decide that I'm going to take part.

 

It really is a guessing game at the moment and I'm sure I'm not alone. I always feel like unless I get onto teamspeak and chat with you guys I won't know what the hell is actually going on, this isn't the case with anyone else's events.

 

This weekend's soccer world cup event is what we want! There's a notice on the main vatsim site, it gives times, locations, and there are no restrictions as to what kind of aircraft you use. And best of all... I know what's going on and will be sure to participate.

 

Again, I'm hardly complaining, you guys are providing a free service. But with some more attention to detail I'm certain you'll get a lot more action. Half the emails I get are blank, and the other half leave me scratching my head. Given the choice of trying out one of your events, or an overseas event that provides clear and precise details, I'm afraid the latter is going to win every time.

 

If I can help, let me know please.

 

Kind regards