Board of Governors Don Desfosse Posted February 2, 2018 at 07:00 PM Board of Governors Posted February 2, 2018 at 07:00 PM Team USA, As I round into the home stretch of my [Mod - Happy Thoughts]ignment as Division Director of one of VATSIM's top, finest Divisions, let me say thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for the opportunity to serve you, VATUSA, and VATSIM, in this pivotal role. I can't believe it's been five years in this role. Honestly, some days, it still seems like almost yesterday when I started. It's truly awesome to see where we've come from over the last 5 years, where we are now, and to know where we're going in the future. In the last 5 years, VATUSA has grown its active member base by 20%, both from an ATC and pilot perspective. Our online presence has also grown dramatically. I attribute a lot of this to having an aligned, unified VATUSA vision and strategies we've employed to pursue our vision over the last 5 years. Our vision continues to be Culture - Fun, Team, Family, Excellence - Create the Magic - Inspire P[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ion Retention - Training and Events are key - Eliminate training bandwidth bottlenecks - Focus on updated, self-study materials, and additional training bandwidth based on workload sharing, augmenting resources, and sharing resources Growth - leading to our ultimate goal: Every facility staffed with a good quantity of quality controllers and a good quantity of quality pilots during peak times, at all major airports and facilities, and as many other times and facilities as possible, while having a really good time doing it We have certainly come a long way. And we still have a long way to go. Our improvement should be a focus of every member in the community, every day. Our drive, dedication and p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ion for improvement should be relentless. Most importantly, we should be developing and driving a fun, family-like community culture. Promoting our hobby as a mainly-realistic simulation vs. a game is hard work for pilots, students, controllers and staff alike. And the only way to relentlessly pursue greatness without burning out or questioning return on investment is by doing what we do within a community that we not only like, but that we love. It takes a culture of acceptance, family and the pursuit of greatness to help make that happen. We've come a long way, but we still have a long way to go. I'm really excited seeing Mark Hubbert stepping up from the Division Training Director role into the Division Director role. We have spent the last month working on an aligned, seamless transition. I'm heartened to know that he plans on continuing to promote the Division's vision moving forward. He and the USA Division team will continue to build upon the hard work we've done and the successes we've earned, and the decisions that they are making as a team during this transition have been excellent. I ask you to give Mark and his team all the support and more than you've given me. VATUSA is in good hands. I also can't thank enough the phenomenal team I have now, and have had in the past. Each member of my team has brought his own unique flair to the role, and has brought a p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ion and dedication to excellence, growth, and fairness that I could not have imagined. From the bottom of my hear, thank you. I've been popping into as many Teamspeaks as I've been able to over the past couple of weeks and saying my thank yous to as many people personally as I could. If I've missed you, I'm sorry to have missed you! In closing, I can't thank each and every member enough for all of your contributions to our hobby, VATUSA, and VATSIM as a whole, past, present and future. I encourage you to all keep going with a p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ionate, relentless pursuit of culture, retention, growth, quality and improvement. I thank you all for your support over the last 5 years, and wish you all the best moving forward! ______________________________ Don Desfosse Director, VATUSA 03 Feb 2013 - 03 Feb 2018 Don Desfosse Vice President, Operations Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camden Bruno Posted February 2, 2018 at 11:08 PM Posted February 2, 2018 at 11:08 PM Dilly dilly! Please join us in thanking Don as we "bring him home" on February 25th with a one of a kind retirement party. Cam B. VATSIM Supervisor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Tyndall 1087023 Posted February 3, 2018 at 01:59 AM Posted February 3, 2018 at 01:59 AM Don, Many wishes for you in your retirement. It's plain from reading the entries in the link Camden placed that you are "much loved" within VATUSA. Sad to see you go, but a pleasure sharing the skies with you from time to time. Remember the Ford TriMotor to Elko...or was it Winnemuca...and the flightplan comment while flying Air Force One (the B707 version) "I promise not to scream Mayday, Mayday, Mayday". Randy Randy Tyndall - KBOI ZLA I-11/vACC Portugal P4 “A ship is always safe in the harbor. But that’s not why they build ships” --Michael Bevington ID 814931, Former VATSIM Board of Governors Vice President of Pilot Training Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Board of Governors Don Desfosse Posted February 3, 2018 at 04:38 PM Author Board of Governors Posted February 3, 2018 at 04:38 PM Thanks very much, Randy, I do remember them well! Look forward to flying with you again soon! Don Desfosse Vice President, Operations Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hubbert 1054583 Posted February 3, 2018 at 05:30 PM Posted February 3, 2018 at 05:30 PM Thank You Don for your p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ion, dedication, wisdom and vision. Im not going to say good times because there are more of those to come. Wishing you well and Thank You Mark Hubbert Division Director VATUSA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Tyndall 1087023 Posted February 24, 2018 at 04:35 PM Posted February 24, 2018 at 04:35 PM Bringing Don home (see link to event further up in this thread) is tomorrow afternoon/evening. Just a reminder. Wonder just How many Air Force One's we can get in the air? Gonna see some weird call signs, that's for sure. It must "hurt" to be "loved" this much, Don. Retiring VATSIM President's don't get this much attention. I would like to just be in the same room with you someday and "bask" in the presence or your "aura". Randy Randy Tyndall - KBOI ZLA I-11/vACC Portugal P4 “A ship is always safe in the harbor. But that’s not why they build ships” --Michael Bevington ID 814931, Former VATSIM Board of Governors Vice President of Pilot Training Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dace Nicmane Posted February 24, 2018 at 05:51 PM Posted February 24, 2018 at 05:51 PM Wonder just How many Air Force One's we can get in the air? Gonna see some weird call signs, that's for sure. Shhhh, Randy! I'm the REAL Air Force One! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Tyndall 1087023 Posted February 24, 2018 at 07:55 PM Posted February 24, 2018 at 07:55 PM Then there's two "real" Air Force One's, Dace. This guy (not flying as AF1, Dace, you can have that one) is gonna be taking off from KTIK instead of KOKC... Flying with the Delco CIV-A Inertial Navigation System. Used to be /I equipment code. Haven't decided whether to use that outdated EC or go with /A. Here's my flight plan all plotted out with VORs, Airways, and Latitude/Longitude entries for the MSU. Five pages just to get Don home. I hope he appreciates it. See everyone tomorrow... Randy Edit: Changed my mind...or rather had it changed for me. Not flying tomorrow. What a waste of time putting together all the CIV-A entries. Randy Tyndall - KBOI ZLA I-11/vACC Portugal P4 “A ship is always safe in the harbor. But that’s not why they build ships” --Michael Bevington ID 814931, Former VATSIM Board of Governors Vice President of Pilot Training Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Board of Governors Don Desfosse Posted February 25, 2018 at 01:17 AM Author Board of Governors Posted February 25, 2018 at 01:17 AM Wow, Randy! I am indeed honored that you spent that much time planning for my retirement flight. Sorry to hear you can't make it; I was looking forward to flying with you again. In any case, sometime again soon, I hope. Thank you again for the kind words, thoughts, and honor of your time and dedication. For anyone else interested, I'll be joined by most of my VATUSA HQ teammates tomorrow, and am planning a departure right around the start time of the event. Hope to see many of you there. If anyone is interested in popping in, on a non-interfering basis, of course (don't get distracted and miss ATC calls!), feel free to drop in the VATUSA HQ Teamspeak tomorrow during the event. ts.vatusa.net:9989 (no p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]word) Don Desfosse Vice President, Operations Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camden Bruno Posted February 26, 2018 at 04:03 AM Posted February 26, 2018 at 04:03 AM ! The board hit over 80 arrivals tonight - a great turnout. Thank you, Don, for your years of service as VATUSA1. Cam B. VATSIM Supervisor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Board of Governors Don Desfosse Posted February 26, 2018 at 06:15 AM Author Board of Governors Posted February 26, 2018 at 06:15 AM Can't thank everyone enough for the event, the turnout, and the kind words and notes I got throughout. I really appreciate it. I agree, it was a fantastic event. I hope the guys at Will Rogers got screen shots of all the traffic there -- that may be the only time they ever see that much traffic there! As a team, and as a community, we improved and grew VATUSA over the years, with a lot of hard work, support, dedication and effort from many people. I can't thank everyone enough for that. I was greatly humbled and honored by this event, and psyched to see how much traffic there was. Great job to all the ATC, and all the pilots. I got a lot of "Happy Retirement" comments tonight; interestingly enough I wasn't on the ground at Boston for very long before they put me to work -- I'm on Boston Tower as we speak. Boston Don is back! Seriously, though, I've been honored and humbled by this event, and by all the kind words and thoughts from so many folks. I look forward to seeing you all around! Don Desfosse Vice President, Operations Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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