Eric Edwards 1189173 Posted December 15, 2011 at 02:31 AM Posted December 15, 2011 at 02:31 AM I've completely severed my ties with my former airline and started a new airline and I was hoping someone could give me some advice on where to advertise? Thanks! Eric Edwards Executive Director, North American Airways Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connor O'Brien 1202523 Posted December 15, 2011 at 03:00 AM Posted December 15, 2011 at 03:00 AM Post under the VA News section. That's all I can think of when it comes to advertising. Just make sure your VA doesn't use a free website. I started one like that and it lasted all of one month. Good luck with your VA ZJX I1 - Deputy Air Traffic Manager VATSIM Supervisor Louisiana Tech University Professional Aviation Major Real World Pilot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernesto Alvarez 818262 Posted December 15, 2011 at 03:05 AM Posted December 15, 2011 at 03:05 AM free or paid doesnt guarantee success. its a gamble when it comes to VA's. you either have "it" or you dont. the key is to figure out what will attract folks to you over the next VA. what will attract people is if they see the staff are investing time into it, remember its not just your time you are potentially "wasting". if you have some template thrown together that makes no sense, no fleet painted, etc.. you stand no chance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Wheeler Posted December 15, 2011 at 02:29 PM Posted December 15, 2011 at 02:29 PM To add to Ernesto's comments, it would be a good idea to get a couple of friends who are avid virtual pilots that can generate activity/flights on your web site. Nothing kills a new VA quicker than a web site where there are never any flights, etc. VATSIM: P1|C3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Bishop Posted December 16, 2011 at 05:36 AM Posted December 16, 2011 at 05:36 AM I remember reading somewhere in these forums about starting a new VA. A good piece of advise was to come up with a marketing campaign about what sets your VA apart from all the other 300 or so VAs that are already part of VATSIM. Why would someone choose Virtual Airline #1 that has a hand full of pilots, and started a week ago when there is Virtual Airline #2 that has hundreds of pilots, and has been around many years. To be successful as a VA "CEO" come up with a new idea that will attract pilots. One of the strategies that my VA is working with is planning a series of "Fly-ins" in parts of the globe that doesn't receive a large amount of traffic on an average basis. The main idea there is to both garner support within our VA but to possibly awaken control in the area as well. One of the first things that I remember from my first controller lesson was "if you staff it...they will come". Wise words and we are hoping that if we announce that we are flying in "they will staff it...so we feel welcome". James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Edwards 1189173 Posted December 16, 2011 at 06:03 AM Author Posted December 16, 2011 at 06:03 AM James thank you so much for taking the time to offer your advice. And luckily (kinda) my VA is an X-Plane airline and even tho VATSIM partners lists I think 18 XPlane airlines, most of them don't offer an XPlane fleet, they're just XPlane "friendly" not XPlane "based". But I understand what you're saying about creating a unique marketing plan that sets my VA apart. Thanks man. Eric Edwards Executive Director, North American Airways Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Bishop Posted December 16, 2011 at 05:03 PM Posted December 16, 2011 at 05:03 PM Eric, no thanks are needed. I personally believe that we are all here for the same reason, however we all do not choose the same colors to fly under. What really makes this a unique place is that we all communicate and help each other out and p[Mod - Happy Thoughts] on what works and what doesn't. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blake Gray 841141 Posted December 17, 2011 at 12:20 AM Posted December 17, 2011 at 12:20 AM I recently read where X-Plane isnt the greatest sim 'at first glance'; I think we might be missing out on something here as I also read in the same area that X-Plane does indeed offer some realism that Microsoft seems to have left behind...! I hope we have more X-Plane enthusiasts on Vatsim! I wonder if we have an X-Plane forum here; I know some of the other sites like avsim have different sim(s) support, so the support is out there! I hope some of the other new flight sims have FSINN/SB support; more pilots for Vatsim (!); just wanted to throw that in here! As for your new VA and the sites to put it on; good luck. Looks like we may have to dish out 10 bucks a month just to be a Vatsim partner now and older VAs are grandfathered in even if they have commercial ads on their site. Well I have a free site with no ads, and one logo to show who is hosting it; wow, and they are saying I cant use it - its on FREEWEBS - and they also have pay options for under 10 bucks. I am skipping a quarter here on the surface of the atlantic; think it will sink on heads?! Blake "Keep The Shiny Side Up And The Greasy Side Down !" Live Streaming Simulators KSP, TKOM, FSX, ARK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connor O'Brien 1202523 Posted December 17, 2011 at 01:28 AM Posted December 17, 2011 at 01:28 AM I recently read where X-Plane isnt the greatest sim 'at first glance'; I think we might be missing out on something here as I also read in the same area that X-Plane does indeed offer some realism that Microsoft seems to have left behind...! I hope we have more X-Plane enthusiasts on Vatsim! I wonder if we have an X-Plane forum here; I know some of the other sites like avsim have different sim(s) support, so the support is out there! I hope some of the other new flight sims have FSINN/SB support; more pilots for Vatsim (!); just wanted to throw that in here! As for your new VA and the sites to put it on; good luck. Looks like we may have to dish out 10 bucks a month just to be a Vatsim partner now and older VAs are grandfathered in even if they have commercial ads on their site. Well I have a free site with no ads, and one logo to show who is hosting it; wow, and they are saying I cant use it - its on FREEWEBS - and they also have pay options for under 10 bucks. I am skipping a quarter here on the surface of the atlantic; think it will sink on heads?! Blake I am for one a X-Plane user , and let me say I have not have a problem at all with the sim. The one main thing I hear is that FS9/FSX aircraft come to a stop faster than in real life compared to X-Plane 9/10. But I guess that really all depends on who makes the aircraft. And actually there is a section of the fourms for X-Plane users called "X-Plane User Discussion". Which doesn't mean we can't comment anywhere else of course . Also, because FREEWEBS.com is a free web hoster (even though there are payment options) it can't be a site used for a VATSIM partner VA. I've had problems with that site in the past, I feel your pain. Connor ZJX I1 - Deputy Air Traffic Manager VATSIM Supervisor Louisiana Tech University Professional Aviation Major Real World Pilot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davor Kusec 990407 Posted December 17, 2011 at 05:04 AM Posted December 17, 2011 at 05:04 AM Just make sure everything is spelled right...at least on your front page Davor Kusec Air Traffic Director | Northeast Region VATUSA Supervisor | VATSIM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blake Gray 841141 Posted December 31, 2011 at 08:06 PM Posted December 31, 2011 at 08:06 PM Hi Conner, Thanks for the update on Freewebs. I understand the situation with it, but any details helps. I plan on looking for a hosting site in the future if enough pilots join the Virtual Navy site I started; no sense in wasting money if there is no interest. As far as advertizing I use many of the flight sim sites around like avsim, flightsim, etc as well as here. I not only advertize I belong to several flight sim groups as well and fly other places besides Vatsim. I fly the warbirds to and am in the Round The World race this year again; great way to meet people in different flight sim arenas. The best way to advertize is to just fly (!) and put your website in the flight plan remarks too. Good Luck! Adm "Hawkeyez" Gray - VNCVW9 Virtual Navy Carrier Wing 9 (<< "Keep The Shiny Side Up And The Greasy Side Down !" Live Streaming Simulators KSP, TKOM, FSX, ARK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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