UALR OpNote 007

1. Promotions and welcomes – Please join me in congratulating Branden (BLopez875) on earning his Captain’s wings.  Welcome aboard also to new candidates Nolan (SpicyGrapes) and Dan P (Dan2947).  
2. Debriefing – Though many regular UALR pilots were off duty on the last run there was still a significant showing of aircraft thanks in part to several new candidates.  If this continues, when everyone returns from summer vacations the airline they return to will be iconic.  The 17 June regional had many improvements from the last run including com traffic being much tighter (no reported problems from ZBW) and 8 aircraft arriving at KBTV nearly simultaneously.  One poor arriving Delta CRJ had to be turned away from the gate since all terminal gates were being occupied by UALR aircraft.  Good.  There are however, as usual, some additional fine tunings to integrate as follows.  
3. BVA United Regional Paint Package – New pilots please be sure you have installed the correct BVA CRJ paint package.  If this is not done, or you have found a non BVA paint package online somewhere, your aircraft will appear as a white unpainted CRJ for other pilots – which of course detracts from the UALR experience.  If you have not installed the official UALR paint package please do so prior to the next event.  Please go to our webpage on BVA at www.UnitedRegional.BostonVirtualATC.com, scroll down to the resource center at the bottom, and download the UALR Bombardier CRJ700 paint kit.  A readme document is included in the kit to aid in installation into FSX.
4. Release times – As a reminder, departure times as shown on the dispatch ticket represents a pushback time.  Please strive to pushback on time.  Operations had reported that the vast majority of aircraft pushed at least 15 minutes late.  Granted there were some mechanical problems (UAL3531 had a failed engine), granted also operations has been slowly creeping the dispatch times south of 9pm EST, and granted there were a few route problems to be resolved on the ticket as well.  UALR operations will strive to push the dispatch times back north of 9pm EST giving pilots enough time to review their route, and find an aircraft that works.  But if pilots could also make it a goal to launch on time that would be helpful - lest the stock of the airline start to suffer due to constant late arrivals.  The shareholders could become displeased. 
5. UALR Route Finder – the June update of Routefinder is now available.  Please send a skype page to operations if you would like a copy.
6. Know Your Charlie Terminal! – during the last run ZBW saw fit to add a new wrinkle in the mix.  UALR aircraft flying a second leg to KBOS encountered the controller asking them which gate they are assigned to park at – which obviously on a second leg is an unknown.  UALR pilots should therefore become familiar with the gate numbers at the KBOS Charlie terminal and be prepared to declare an arrival gate if requested.  Typically UALR aircraft use Charlie gates C16 – C21 and additionally C11, C12, C14, and C15 if all the previous gates are occupied.  Pilots may want to review BVALive prior to touchdown to see what gates might already be occupied. 

Candidate Daniel P. has been kind enough to forward the following handy diagram for your reference……

 

Reminders:

7. Flight Officer’s Conference – The next flight officer’s conference will be held at 7pm EST on Sunday July 11^th at KPNE.  Topics for discussion include the status of UALR, progress made so far, and also hopefully the rollout of Project Connie.  The keynote focus for the conference this month will be Holding Patterns.  We will have ATC coverage at KPNE exclusively for UALR officers as well as the ability to pause mid-game and walk through what it is we are doing.  This training is important not only for Captain’s proficiency but also for some of the UALR events coming later in the summer.  As usual, bring your ERJ’s and your wits.  Candidates who are approaching readiness for their Flight Officer’s checkride should schedule asap in order to be able to attend the conference.  Remember the conference is for flight officers and captains only.
8. Other BVA events – There are two BVA events coming next month that UALR pilots would want to participate in.  Specifically the Domestic Journey which happens to fall on a Thursday evening on July 15^th, and the Hyper Tension Convention on Sunday July 25^th.  During the DJ we will design a dispatch that essentially runs interference for other aircraft in an attempt to make the approach our usual hair-raising occurrence while roping in other unsuspecting aircraft to the situation.  UALR pilots will have to be at the top of their proficiency in order to participate in said interference-running.  For the HTC we will have no special plans at the moment except to participate.  However this may change.  There may be room for us to apply our usual modification to this event as well and Ops will certainly keep you apprised.   For the moment, if you haven’t signed up for your slot in the HTC yet please do so.