Pilot Handbook

Introduction

Welcome to the new and improved online QVirtual Pilot Handbook! Here you can review up to date airline information, policies and procedures for your day-to-day operations at QVirtual. This handbook is updated on a regular basis and it is a pilot'sresponsibility to ensure they are aware of any changes made to this document.

Our Mission

To cultivate a globally inclusive and authentic virtual aviation environment that encourages continuous learning, mutual support, and the shared passion for flight simulation. We aim to provide realistic operational experiences, rich educational resources, and a welcoming community where every member feels valued, empowered, and inspired to excel.

Our Vision

We envision QVirtual as the premier destination for pilots of all skill levels who seek realism, camaraderie, and personal growth. By leveraging cutting-edge simulation technology, fostering a culture of respect, and embracing diverse perspectives, QVirtual will set the industry standard for immersive virtual aviation experiences, shaping the future of digital flight communities worldwide.

Our Values

Application Guidelines

Prospective members will be required to make their application for membership over the Internet at the QVirtual's web site. Applications must be fully completed pursuant to the instructions and the rules and regulations located on the application web page(s).

QVirtual requires that all new and returning pilots are at least sixteen (16) years of age. Under no circumstances will an applicant under this age be hired. Any pilot who is found falsifying their age will be banned from QVirtual indefinitely.

QVirtual does not charge any fees to apply or to retain membership in the organisation. In addition, no member of QVirtual may request money or charge fees as a prerequisite to advancing an individual in rank and no member may offer to pay money or a fee to another in order to secure advancement in rank.

Transfer of Hours

Many new members arrive with valuable flight experience from a previous virtual airline or from VATSIM. To acknowledge your prior dedication, we allow you to transfer hours from one organisation of your choice. While all transferred hours are recognised on your QVirtual record, a maximum of 100 of those hours will count towards your rank progression. This ensures that both new and returning pilots are rewarded fairly for their experience while maintaining QVirtual’s standards of growth and commitment.

Rejoining QVirtual

We understand that life can sometimes take you away from the skies, but at QVirtual, you’re always welcome back!

If you’ve been inactive for a while and want to return to the cockpit, simply log in with your existing account credentials—your profile and progress are waiting for you.

Forgot your login details or need assistance? Our friendly support team is here to help. Reach out anytime, and we’ll guide you through the process of getting back into the action.

At QVirtual, we believe every pilot has a home with us, no matter how long it’s been since your last flight.

Pilot HUBs

All pilots will be assigned to the hub of their choice or, in rare cases, to a hub based on operational needs. Pilots are welcome to transfer to any hub they choose (as hubs are developed).

The following locations are currently QVirtual Hubs:

• Brisbane International Airport (YBBN)
• Melbourne International Airport (YMML)
• Perth International Airport (YPPH)
• Sydney International Airport (YSSY)
• Dubai International Airport (OMDB)
• London International Airport (EGLL)
• Darwin International Airport (YPDN)
• Los Angeles International Airport (KLAX)

To transfer to a different hub, simply visit the HUB page and click Transfer

Leave of Absence

Life happens, and we understand that sometimes you may need to take a break from flying. At QVirtual, we offer a flexible Leave of Absence (LOA) program to keep things fair and fun for all pilots.

LOAs can be requested in increments of 1, 2, 3, or 6 months, giving you the freedom to choose the duration that best suits your needs. During your LOA, your account will be paused, and all your perks will remain intact.

To maintain fairness across the community, an application fee applies for each LOA request. This fee is a small percentage of your account balance and varies based on the duration of your leave, with shorter durations incurring lower fees. For example:

• 1-month LOA: 2%
• 2-month LOA: 5%
• 3-month LOA: 10%
• 6-month LOA: 20%

If you need to request an LOA, simply visit the Crew Centre and look for the LOA section, and we’ll guide you through the process. Your account will remain secure and ready for you when you return.

At QVirtual, we aim to support your flying journey while keeping our community vibrant and engaging for everyone. Thank you for being part of the adventure!

Termination

QVirtual is committed to maintaining a positive and respectful community. Pilots may be removed if they fail to follow the rules, policies, or procedures, or if their behavior is deemed unacceptable by staff or other members. Respecting fellow pilots and staff is non-negotiable.

Pilots also have the option to terminate their own account at any time by visiting the settings page.

Booking Flights

Before taking to the skies, pilots must book their flight using our intuitive search system, which includes over 50,000 schedules. You can filter by a wide range of options to find the perfect flight for your journey.

A booking fee applies to each flight and is calculated based on the route distance (in nautical miles), the current location of the aircraft, and your loyalty level. Pilots can only book one aircraft registration at a time, ensuring a realistic experience—no two pilots can fly the same registration simultaneously. Exceptions include shared aircraft for events or the Airline of the Month program.

If no aircraft are available at your departure airport, you can pay a fee to have one relocated for your flight.

To make bookings more affordable, the QShop offers items that reduce booking costs and increase the refund percentage for cancellations. Explore these options to enhance your experience and save on costs.

Rank Structure

All pilots joining QVirtual, whether they have prior Virtual Airline experience or not, begin their journey as a Student Pilot.

As you accumulate flight hours and complete more flights, your commitment and accomplishments will be recognised with rank advancements. Each rank brings new milestones and greater rewards, reflecting your dedication to flying.

Awards

Awards are a way to recognise pilots for achieving significant milestones or completing specific challenges during their journey with QVirtual.

Some awards are automatically assigned upon meeting the criteria, while others can be manually requested through the Crew Centre.

Awards are categorised into the following groups:

• Achievement: Awards for notable accomplishments.
• Tour: Awards for completing specific tours.
• Milestone: Awards for reaching key milestones, such as flight hours.

Each award and its associated criteria are outlined below:

Pilot Reports

A Pilot Report (otherwise known as PIREP) is a report of each flight conducted for QVirtual generated by the QTracker system or the manual submission system. A PIREP contains all of the information about your flight, including (but not limited to):

• Airline/flight number
• Aircraft
• Departure/Arrival airport
• Flight time
• Log of events

PIREP Acceptance Guidelines

When you file a PIREP via smartCARS or the manual form, it will either be automatically accepted or reviewed manually by Flight Operations. To ensure your PIREP is accepted, follow these guidelines:

Rejection Reasons:

• Aircraft: Incorrect aircraft flown on route.
• Airport: Landed at the wrong airport.
• Block Time: Flight time unreasonably exceeded block time.
• Crash: Aircraft crashed.
• Incomplete: Did not complete the flight.
• Livery: Incorrect livery flown.
• Overspeed: More than 3 minutes of overspeed.
• Refuel: Refueled in-flight or used unlimited fuel.
• Simulation: Simulation rate exceeded 1x.
• Slew: Slewed or teleported in air.
• Stall: Stall lasted more than 5 seconds.
• Touchdown: Landing rate exceeded -600 fpm.
• Verification: No verification link provided for manual PIREP.

Manual PIREPs:

If you are unable to file via smartCARS, you can submit a manual PIREP from the dropdown menu on the booking page. To be accepted, you must include:

• Proof of flight via a tracking link (e.g., Volanta, VATSIM Stats, Simaware).
• A valid reason for filing the manual PIREP.

Manual PIREPs are eligible for flight hours only—no status credits or pilot pay. Frequent manual PIREPs may result in a review by Flight Operations.

Tour PIREPs:

Tours may have additional PIREP criteria, such as specific aircraft or liveries. Manual PIREPs for tours do not count toward 100% completion and will need to be re-flown.

Simulator Crashes:

If your simulator crashes, reload as close as possible to the waypoint where the crash occurred with similar fuel and reconnect to smartCARS. If unable to reconnect, submit a manual PIREP instead.

Pending PIREPs:

PIREPs flagged for manual review will not prevent you from continuing to fly. Flight Operations will review pending PIREPs within 48 hours.

Rejection Appeals:

Pilots may appeal a rejected PIREP within 48 hours by emailing [email protected]. Be sure to include your Pilot ID in the email.

Website Policy

By accessing QVirtual (hereinafter “we,” “us,” “our,” “QVirtual Management,” “https://qvirtual.com.au,” “https://crew.qvirtual.com.au”), you agree to the following terms and conditions. If you do not agree, please refrain from accessing or using the QVirtual website.

• Your login credentials are personal and must not be shared under any circumstances. Protecting your credentials is essential for the security of your account.
• Members must register using their full name. Providing false or misleading information may result in account restrictions until corrected.
• Each member may register and hold only one account.
• A valid email address is required at all times. If your email changes, please update it via the Crew Centre. Accounts with invalid email addresses may be restricted until updated.
• Pilots are required to fly at least one flight within the first 30 days of registration. If you’re unable to meet this requirement, you may request a Leave of Absence (LOA) in accordance with the LOA policy.
• All flights must adhere to QVirtual's schedule system, including correct aircraft and liveries, and must depart and land at the assigned airports.
• Pilots are welcome to fly for multiple virtual airlines but must avoid filing identical reports with other organisations. Repeated violations may result in disciplinary action.
• Members are expected to maintain a respectful and professional attitude at all times, both within and outside the organisation. Actions that harm QVirtual’s reputation may result in account restrictions or termination.
• Pilots are limited to flying one flight at a time to maintain operational realism.
• Sensitive materials from QVirtual’s website, forums, or academy must remain confidential. Unauthorised sharing of such materials will result in account suspension or termination.
• QVirtual Management reserves the right to review and update these terms as needed. Members will be notified of significant changes, but it is also their responsibility to stay informed.
• Appeals for account suspensions or terminations can be submitted to QVirtual Management. All decisions made following an appeal are final.

QCommunity Policy

By accessing the QCommunity Forums for use with QVirtual (hereinafter “we,” “us,” “our,” “QVirtual Management,” “https://community.qvirtual.com.au”), you agree to the following terms:

• Members must not share their login credentials under any circumstances.
• Members are expected to behave courteously and respectfully at all times.
• Content that includes excessive CAPS, spamming, trolling, or inappropriate material (e.g., sexual, political, racially oriented, or religious content) is strictly prohibited.
• Discussions related to illegal activities are not allowed.
• QVirtual reserves the right to moderate or remove any content without prior notice.
• Only QVirtual-approved signatures and VATSIM Online Status images are allowed in forum descriptions.

Flight Tracking Policy

By using smartCARS3 or FlightTrackerXP for flight tracking with QVirtual, you agree to the following terms:

• All flights must adhere to QVirtual’s PIREP Acceptance Guidelines.
• PIREPs may be automatically accepted or flagged for manual review based on system parameters.
• All flights must be tracked from departure to arrival without interruptions or invalid actions.
• In case of technical issues, pilots may submit a manual PIREP with supporting evidence.

QAcademy Policy

By accessing QAcademy for use with QVirtual, you agree to the following terms:

• All members must adhere to QVirtual’s policies. Violations may result in account suspension or termination.
• Each member is allowed only one account to ensure fair access and participation.
• All content within QAcademy is the intellectual property of QVirtual and is strictly for use in virtual aviation. Sharing or leaking this material is prohibited and may result in account termination.
• QAcademy content is not intended for real-world aviation training or use. It is designed exclusively for virtual flight simulation and should not be relied upon for real-world aviation purposes.

Discord Policy

By accessing the QVirtual Discord server, you agree to the following rules and guidelines to ensure a respectful and enjoyable community for all members:

• Discussion of sexual, political, race-oriented, religious, transphobic, or homophobic topics, or anything violating Discord standards, is strictly prohibited.
• Abusive, rude, or disrespectful language will not be tolerated.
• Swearing should be kept to a minimum. Directly swearing at members is not allowed.
• No bullying, mocking, or disrespecting other members.
• Refrain from outbursts if things do not go as planned; remain respectful at all times.
• No age-restricted, obscene, or disturbing content (text, images, or links) is permitted.
• Spam messaging of any kind is prohibited.
• Advertising other organisations is not allowed unless authorised by QVirtual Management.
• Illegal or prohibited discussions, such as pirating software, are strictly forbidden.
• Follow all staff directions and respect their authority—they are here to help!
• Use appropriate channels for specific topics, such as the VATSIM Cockpit channel for in-flight communication.
• Limit screenshots in the dedicated screenshot channel to a maximum of six pictures per flight.
• Voice-changing software and unauthorised soundboards are prohibited (except Discord’s native soundboard feature).
• Photos shared in Discord may be used for promotional purposes. By posting, you agree to their potential use on our socials and website.
• Members seeking support should first ask in the appropriate help desk channel. For further assistance, use the live chat on the website. Our response time is typically within 48 hours.

Violations of this policy will result in escalating consequences:

• First Offence: 60-minute timeout.
• Second Offence: 1-day timeout.
• Third Offence: 7-day timeout.
• Fourth Offence: Permanent suspension from the Discord server.

Note: Staff reserve the right to adjust consequences based on their judgment of the situation.

Virtual Simulation Disclaimer

QVirtual is designed exclusively for virtual flight simulation enthusiasts. While we strive for realism and aim to replicate the operations of real-world airlines as closely as possible, all materials, procedures, and resources provided by QVirtual are intended solely for use within the virtual flight simulation environment.

Under no circumstances should any information, data, or guidance from QVirtual be used for real-world navigation, flight training, or aviation purposes. Pilots must ensure they rely only on certified resources for real-world aviation activities.

Handbook Updates

This handbook is reviewed and updated periodically to reflect changes in QVirtual policies, procedures, and guidelines. It is the responsibility of each pilot to remain familiar with the most current version of the handbook.

By continuing to use the QVirtual platform, you confirm your agreement to abide by the policies and guidelines outlined in the latest version of this handbook. Major updates will be communicated via the Crew Centre or other official channels, but it is recommended to check the handbook regularly for any changes. Thanks for reading through to the end! Let us know you’ve completed the handbook by reaching out via the chat bubble to claim your reward.