Virtual Airline News - VAFlash.com » DOTW

Platinum Airways in Festive Mood

editor — Fri, 09 Dec 2016 15:15:44 +0000

Platinum Airways, the Open Skies virtual airline, is in festive mood this December. Destination of the Week will be visiting four airports that are associated with special traditions: looking after our children in the festive season. Ho Ho Ho’s culmination is Platinum’s traditional Christmas flight out of Santa’s home airport in Finland.

Four years after our first Ho Ho Ho series, Platinum Airways is revisiting special treats for children in Santa’s month as they are celebrated over the world. On 6 December, Belgium and the Netherlands have Sinterklaas, the bearded saint dropping presents for kids through chimneys. As Sinterklaas resides outside Madrid, Spain, our first Ho Ho Ho (2) DOTW is LETO – Madrid’s Torejon Airport. Amu Navruz is Iran’s version of Santa, and that’s why our second DOTW is Teheran’s OIIE – Khomeiny Airport. Next, we’ll be paying tribute to Flying Santa on the US East Coast with a visit to KHMT – Hemet-Ryan Airport. And we end the series with our traditional Christmas DOTW: Santa’s HQ near EFRO – Rovaniemi Airport.

As per usual, each DOTW comes with official charts for each airfield and links to add-on scenery when available. It concludes with a video selection with real-world approaches, ground traffic and departures.

About Platinum Airways:
Keen to deliver on its mission to keep the fun in the hobby, Platinum Airways is probably the only virtual airline to combine an Open Skies policy, allowing its pilots to fly any mission of their choice with the aircraft of their choice at the time of their choice, with a strategic hub network. The carefully selected hubs, Newark (KEWR), Dallas-Fort Worth (KDFW), Vancouver (CYVR), Perth (YPPH) and Brussels (EBBR), should be attractive to a global membership. In addition, Platinum Airways offers its pilots an often cheeky Destination of the Week, Military and Cargo. Sticking to the KISS principle (Keep It Straight and Simple), Platinum Airways hosts an active forum and a screenshot of the week competition, with the winner providing the main picture on its home page for the next week.

For more information, please visit www.platinumairways.org or mail info [at] platinumairways.org.

Platinum Airways Visits Waterworks

editor — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 12:02:10 +0000

Platinum Airways, the Open Skies virtual airline, has announced its April DOTW theme: Waterworks. The series will visit four engineering masterpieces that are related to water.

Water is a crucial element. Some countries have too much, some too little. It can pose a serious threat to nature. And it offers engineering challenges. Waterworks will pay tribute to four engineering masterpieces that have solved major issues. The series will start with a visit to the Suez Canal that eliminates many days of sailing between the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Our destination will be Port Said (HEPS) on the northern side of the canal. Our second Waterwork is the Panama Canal that addresses the issue of having to circumvent South America. We’ll be flying into Marcos Gelabert Airport (MPMG). No country in the world knows how to deal with water better than The Netherlands, and we’ll visit the Delta Works, an engineering work of genius to protect the Zeeland province against floods of the magnitude of the 1953 disaster that claimed more than 1,800 lives. The closest airport to the Delta Works is Rotterdam Airport (EHRD). We’ll conclude Waterworks with a visit to Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport (KLAS), the closest large airport to Hoover Dam, a source of power and water, and a major leisure attraction.

Each DOTW comes with charts to be downloaded and links to scenery files. A selection of YouTube videos usually contains flight deck and ground views with landings and departures.

For more information, please visit www.platinumairways.org or mail info [at] platinumairways.org.

Platinum Airways goes Skating on Thick Ice

editor — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 18:08:58 +0000

Platinum Airways, the Open Skies virtual airline, is starting 2016 with a slippery Destination of the Week series. Skating on Thin Ice will visit four large glaciers on as many continents.

It has become a tradition at Platinum Airways to dedicate each year’s first destination of the Week series to a wintery theme. 2016 is no exception, as the very virtual Open Skies airline is off to four airports that are close to four significant glaciers. Skating on Thick Ice kicks off with a visit to Antarctica, home of the world’s largest Lambert Glacier, and of the Wilkins Runway (YWKS), an ice runway in the East. From there, we move on to the Hubbard Glacier in Alaska, and its main access airport of Yakutat (PAYA). Our third Skating on Thick Ice DOTW is Skardu Airport (OPSD), the closest airport to the Siachen Glacier in disputed territory between India and Pakistan in the Himalaya – OPSD was selected only on the basis of proximity. We conclude Skating on Thick Ice with a glacier in Patagonia: the Perito Moreno, and its feeder airport, Armando Tola (SAWL).

Each DOTW comes with charts to be downloaded and links to scenery files. A selection of YouTube videos usually contains flight deck and ground views with landings and departures.

For more information, please visit www.platinumairways.org or mail info [at] platinumairways.org.

Platinum Airways releases Life And Let Fly

editor — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 12:52:32 +0000

Platinum Airways, the Open Skies virtual airline, will pay tribute to the world’s most successful film series, James Bond aka 007. Live And Let Fly, the December 2015 Destination of the Week theme, will visit five airports that are linked with key Bond personalities.

Early November saw the release of Spectre, the 24^th Bond movie, and what better way to enter the Christmas holiday season than an evening out with the kids for the ultimate toys-for-boys big screen release. Live And Let Fly visits five airports that are linked with as many key James Bond personalities. The series starts with a visit to Edinburgh (EGPH), the birthplace of the first Bond ever, Sean Connery. Our second Bond destination takes us to an airport that is close to one of the three homes of another Bond actor, Roger Moore, who spends a lot of time in Crans-Montana, Switzerland – an ideal opportunity to tackle the great approach into Sion (LSGS). Live And Let Fly number 3 brings us to Dublin (EIDW), the closest airport to Navan, Co Meath, and Pierce Brosnan. The two final Live And Let Fly DOTWs are on the western side of the Atlantic. The Bond theme owes much of its success to its initial producer, Albert R Broccoli, who was born in Queens, NY – hence our visit to LaGuardia (KLGA). And we end our tribute to 007 with the Jamaican airport that was named after his inventor, Bond writer Ian Fleming (MKBS).

Each DOTW comes with charts to be downloaded and links to scenery files. A selection of YouTube videos usually contains flight deck and ground views with landings and departures.

About Platinum Airways:

Keen to deliver on its mission to keep the fun in the hobby, Platinum Airways is probably the only virtual airline to combine an Open Skies policy, allowing its pilots to fly any mission of their choice with the aircraft of their choice at the time of their choice, with a strategic hub network. The carefully selected hubs, Newark (KEWR), Dallas-Fort Worth (KDFW), Vancouver (CYVR), Perth (YPPH) and Brussels (EBBR), should be attractive to a global membership. In addition, Platinum Airways offers its pilots an often cheeky Destination of the Week, Military and Cargo. Sticking to the KISS principle (Keep It Straight and Simple), Platinum Airways hosts an active forum and a screenshot of the week competition, with the winner providing the main picture on its home page for the next week.

For more information, please visit www.platinumairways.org or mail info [at] platinumairways.org.

Platinum Airways Visits Nature’s Best Special FX

editor — Fri, 30 Oct 2015 15:42:45 +0000

Platinum Airways, the Open Skies virtual airline, has announced yet another Destination of the Week theme. In November, Platinum Airways will visit Mother Nature’s best Special FX show on earth: the northern and southern lights.

With the long polar night setting in on the northern hemisphere, the area close to the magnetic North Pole is preparing for one of the most spectacular shows on Earth: aurora borealis or the northern lights. This natural phenomenon of breath-taking magnitude attracts thousands of people, and Platinum Airways will transport them to four airports that are close to where the action is. Special FX kicks off with Svalbard, the Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. Our second destination is Yellowknife (CYZF) in Canada’s Northwest Territories. Special FX number three takes us to Ivalo Airport (EFIV), near the Kakslauttanen Arctic resort in northern Finland. And we end Special FX with a visit to Hobart International (YMHB), in anticipation of next year’s aurora australis or southern lights.

Special FX will try to explain what causes this natural phenomenon. Each DOTW comes with charts to be downloaded and links to scenery files. A selection of YouTube videos usually contains flight deck and ground views with landings and departures.

For more information, please visit www.platinumairways.org or mail info [at] platinumairways.org.

Platinum Airways Has a Ticket to Ride This summer

editor — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 17:13:15 +0000

Platinum Airways, the Open Skies virtual airline, is entering the northern hemisphere’s summer with a brand new Destination of the Week series. Ticket to Ride will visit eight airports that are located near just as many theme parks.

The northern summer holidays are well upon us and what better way for young and old to enjoy than visiting eight major theme parks around the world. The first Ticket to Ride takes us to Orange County Airport (KSNA), not far from California’s Disneyland. The second Ticket to Ride takes visitors to the Legoland Discovery Center to Chicago Executive Airport (KPWK). From there, we’re on a rollercoaster at Six Flags Arlington, Texas, via Arlington Municipal (KGKY). We then cross the Atlantic, to Phantasialand in Brühl, not too far from Köln-Bonn Airport (EDDK). Shenzhen Happy Valley is our fifth Ticket to Ride, with Shenzhen Boan (ZGSZ) as our DOTW. We then travel to Aussie World and Sunshine Coast Airport (YBSU) in Queensland, Australia. Brazil has some great theme parks too, such as Beto Carrero World close to Florianopolis-Hercilio Luz International Airport (SBFL). Our last Ticket to Ride is a treat for the older youngsters among us: Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi (OMAA). All Tickets to ride are accompanied with charts to be downloaded and links to scenery files. A selection of YouTube videos usually contains flight deck and ground views with landings and departures.

For more information, please visit www.platinumairways.org or mail info [at] platinumairways.org.

Platinum Airways Visits RWY250

editor — Fri, 08 May 2015 14:27:14 +0000

Platinum Airways, the Open Skies virtual airline, is celebrating its 250^th Destination of the Week with a special series that was compiled by its own pilots. Runway 250 will visit past and future of this popular feature by the Open Skies virtual airline.

As Destination of the Week #250 was approaching, Platinum Airways asked its pilots how this milestone had to be celebrated. 25 posts in the Platinum Airways Pilot Lounge forum later, a new Entebbe Airport (HUEN) on the Equator, symbolizing Platinum Airways’ policy to cater for virtual pilots in the northern and southern hemisphere. Although DOTW tries to visit new airports, some airports have featured twice. The second RWY250 destination is the first airport to have reached that status: Innsbruck’s Kranebitten Airport (LOWI) that first appeared in the Conquest of the Snowy Mountains theme and again in the Thin Air series, as the highest European airport with a scheduled service. The third RWY250 destination was the common denominator of several requests: an airport capable of accommodating heavies, a challenging approach and an icon. The result was the Checkerboard approach of Kai Tak (~~VHHH~~). The final RWY250 corresponds with Platinum Airways’ most basic philosophy of the Open Skies virtual airline: our pilots fly the mission of choice with the aircraft of choice at the time of choice. Therefore, our pilots will be free to select their DOTW on one condition: that they motivate their choice in the Pilot Lounge forum.

As usual, DOTW offers charts to be downloaded and links to scenery files. A selection of YouTube videos usually contains flight deck and ground views with landings and departures.

For more information, please visit www.platinumairways.org or mail info [at] platinumairways.org.

Platinum Airways Goes Lower

editor — Thu, 05 Mar 2015 15:29:51 +0000

Platinum Airways, the Open Skies virtual airline, has revealed its new Destination of the Week theme: Lower. It is visiting five airports that are located below sea level.

Lower has already started with the lowest airport in the world with scheduled civilian flights: Atyrau Airport (UATG) in Kazakhstan. The second Lower destination is the airport that holds the global below MSL record: Bar Yehuda (LLMZ). From there, Lower takes us to Furnace Creek (L06). The fourth Lower destination is in line with the saying that God created Earth and the Dutch created the Netherlands: Lelystad (EHLE). Lower ends with El Centro (KNJK) on the California-Mexico border.

As usual, DOTW offers charts to be downloaded and links to scenery files. A selection of YouTube videos usually contains flight deck and ground views with landings and departures.

For more information, please visit www.platinumairways.org or mail info [at] platinumairways.org.

Platinum Airways Explores White Magic

editor — Wed, 07 Jan 2015 19:13:12 +0000

Platinum Airways, the Open Skies virtual airline, will start the 2015 Destination of the Week series with a challenging theme. White Magic takes its pilots to four extremely difficult approaches of ski resort airports.

It has become a Platinum Airways custom to visit ski related airports in January. 2015 is no different, and the Open Skies virtual airline announces its new DOTW theme: White Magic. The series revisits four extremely challenging airports that are a gateway to prime mountain ski resorts on both sides of the Atlantic. White Magic kicks off with Sion (LSGS) – the Swiss Cat C airport that includes a 6 degree approach. The second destination is Aspen, CO (KASE): a one-way in and one-way out airport with difficult terrain and wind conditions. Magic White destination number 3 is Courchevel (LFLJ) in the French Alps with its short and sloped runway. We end White Magic at Glenwood Springs, CO (KGWS), another Rocky Mountains airport with high altitude, difficult terrain and short runway issues.

As usual, DOTW offers charts to be downloaded and links to scenery files. A selection of YouTube videos usually contains flight deck and ground views with landings and departures.

For more information, please visit www.platinumairways.org or mail info [at] platinumairways.org.

Platinum Airways sings Happy Birthday to Us

editor — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 12:51:04 +0000

On 10 November 2009, Platinum Airways, the very virtual Open Skies airline, registered its website domain, www.platinumairways.org. Happy Birthday to Us, the new Destination of the Week series, visits Platinum Airways’ five unique features and five hubs.

Devising, implementing and maintaining a virtual airline is not as easy as many would think. There are literally hundreds of VAs that vie for the attention of flight simmers around the globe. For a VA to be successful, it needs to position itself carefully and to keep on reinventing itself. Happy Birthday to Us will take you through Platinum Airways’ planning and implementation phases from scratch, when its founders defined the airline’s positioning, right up to its final major policy addition, to add online flying to its default offline offering. Other subjects that will be visited, include the DOTW series the airline has hosted over the past years and Cargo and Military flights. Happy Birthday to Us will visit the airline’s five hubs: KDFW, CYVR, YPPH, EBBR and KEWR.
As usual, DOTW offers charts to be downloaded and links to scenery files. A selection of YouTube videos usually contains flight deck and ground views with landings and departures.