News Archive
04/11/2020
Software Piracy and MSFS
The Staff Team are aware of aircraft being ported from FSX to the new simulator.
Of particular concern to us is the M Jahn C-47, which has been (poorly) ported over without the developers permission, and with no reference to him. In essence this is software piracy, and he has asked various hosting sites to remove the download of this version - this has been complied with by all except for a site called Allflightmods.com, where the download is still available.
Whilst we have no control over people downloading and using this aircraft, we will not countenance it's use on Buffalo AIrways Virtual operations. Any pirep filed using this aircraft will be rejected.
Our understanding is that permission has now been granted to a selected developer to convert the MJ C-47 to MSFS, and also that a payware version is currently in development. Pilots using MSFS must wait until these are released before flying scheduled flights in the DC3.
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28/10/2020
Tours & Competition
From November all tours will run for 2 months unless specified otherwise.
November also sees the resumption of our landing rate competition, in a slightly different format. Instead of a serarate competition tour, it will be incorporated into the normal monthly tour. After the tour completes, 5 legs will be selected at random and an average worked our for each pilot who completes the tour.
BAV is pleased to announce that ORBX Simulation Systems is sponsoring this competition, the winner receiving an ORBX product of their choice. The competition will be held every 3 months, and will be notified in the tour description.
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08/10/2020
Ranking Tours
As you should be aware, we have recently overhauled our ranking system to better reflect the aircraft types in our fleet and the rank required to fly them.
Consequently, our ranking tours - Breaking in the Rampie, Flight Attendant Flight School and Co-Pilot Crackdown, have all been overhauled to cater for the changes. In addition, a new tour, Captain Work-up, has been created to make the transition to the 4-engined 'Heavies' (DC6, L-188 & P3A).
The current Rampie, Flight Attendant & Co-pilot tours will be replaced with the revamped tours on Monday 12th October - unfortunately this means that pilots currently on these tours will lose all progress and will have to re-start the tour. Tour pireps already filed, rank and hours accrued are not affected and will remain on your profile.
We appreciate that this is not ideal for those currently on the tours, but this is the only way we can make the transition to the new tours.
Pilots who have completed any of these tours, and already have the award, should not sign up for
the revamped tours as awards are only issued once.The Captain Work-up tour is open to all qualifying ranks.
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20/09/2020
Changes to Ranks
We have made slight changes to our rank system, with a change to the hours required to gain promotion, and clarification as to what ranks can fly what aircraft, The Captain & Trainer rank has been dispensed with.
As a consequence, a small number of pilots will find that their rank has dropped a level, but be rest assured that you can still fly aircraft allowed by your previous rank.
Also as a consequence, new tours are in preparation to replace the Flight Attendant Flight School & Co-pilot Crackdown tours, due to changes to the permitted aircraft for those ranks. A new tour will be created for new Captains to familiarise themselves with the extra aircraft available to that rank.
If you have any queries about this please contact your Hub Manager.
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13/09/2020
Operations Manual
The Operations Manual has been updated. Please find the time to acquaint yourselves with it.
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09/09/2020
BT-67; Pireps, Flight time
Please be aware that the Basler BT-67 that has been leased to Buffalo Airways from Kenn Borek air will be leaving at the end of September as the contract is up. We will be removing the aircraft from our fleet as well as all schedules for it on October 1st.
We'd like to draw your attention to pireps. To avoid pireps being rejected, please remember that it is your responsibility to complete flights within the set parameters. Before submitting, please take the time to review your pirep - paying particular attention to landing rate (the most common cause of rejection), landing with the gear up. fuel usage (no mid-air refuelling, no flying with unlimited fuel), excessive overspeeds/stalls demonstrating poor control, slewing, and if using BFLAcars, AFK's not exceeding 60 mins. Most importantly, fly the aircraft specified in the flight schedule! If you encounter any issues during a flight you'd like taken into consideration, please add an explanatary comment to the pirep before submitting. It will help your HUB manager to understand and decide whether to accept or reject the pirep.
As you should be aware, there is a time limit of 8 hours for the amount of hours you can fly in an 24 hour period. Pilots should not exceed this otherwise the pirep taking you over the limit will be rejected. However, we appreciate there may be occasions when a flight may take longer than expected, ie weather issues, so if this occurs on a flight taking you over the limit you must add an explanatary comment to the pirep for your HUB manager to take into consideration. If there is no comment the pirep will be rejected.
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06/09/2020
MSFS 2020
For those of you who have made the switch to MSFS, to enable you to fly some of our routes you can substitute the Savage Cub for the AC7, Cessna 152 for the C185, DA62 for the B55/58 (if the user only has standard). This is a temporary measure until our fleet a/c appear in that platform. Please add a comment to your pirep indicating that you have made the flight in MSFS with an approved substitute aircraft. Makes life easier for whoever reviews the pirep
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03/07/2020
Email non responders
As previously announced, we have requested current valid email addresses from all pilots. Those who have failed to respond have now been moved to the inactive roster so will be unable to fly. To be re-instated to the active roster, you must contact your HUB Manager requesting re-activation and supply your email address.
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29/06/2020
FINAL REMINDER
Recently, all pilots were emailed requesting their current email addresses. Disappointingly, only 42% have replied. As from 1st July all non responders will have their status set to inactive, and will not be able to fly until they have contacted their HUB manager with their current email address. The normal inactive policy rules will apply, any pilot not requesting re-activation within 90 days will have their accounts deleted.
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17/06/2020
Email addresses
Our CPO has sent everybody an email asking you to verify your email address.. If you received it please reply by 1st July. If you didn't, your email address is probably different to what we have on record - please email Leon with your current address - failure to do so will result in you being moved to inactive until you contact us. Thanks.
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01/06/2020
NOTAM BUF01/06/2020
CYZF Yellowknife: Aerodrome closed
All runways closed for re-surfacing.
FROM: 04 Jun 2020 00:00Z
TO: 05 Jun 2020 23:59Z
Notes:Pireps indicating a departure/arrival at CYZF during the hours of closure will be rejected.
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27/05/2020
A Special Anniversary!
In June 2010, Buffalo Airways Virtual was born. June 2020 sees us mark this 10th Anniversary with a commemorative tour, starting on Monday 1st. For this tour we have a special re-paint of the DC3 for FSX & P3D v4, created by BFL4869-Curtis Renshaw, available from our downloads section also on 1st June. We would encourage as many pilots as possible take part in this tour, so please make every effort to join in the fun!
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25/05/2020
NOTAM Vatsim tours
Flights for Vatsim tours are activated on a rolling basis, normally becoming available 30 mins before wheels up, Departures before the designated time, as stipulated in the tour description, are not allowed. Pireps indicating an early departure will be rejected.
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27/04/2020
Coming your way in May.
Lots of good stuff coming in May - the latest Average landing rate competition - this month's aircraft to test your landing skills on are the P3A, CL-215, C-310, DC4 and A90; the Monthly tour is the Yellowhead tour, a postioning flight taking DC3 G-GPNR from Winnipeg, Manitoba via the Yellowhead Highway Route to Masset, British Columbia. FInally, we start our new Vatsim Sunday tour, an Epic 92 leg tour around Asia in the DC4 - join us on Vatsim and Discord at 14:00Z or 18:00Z starting Sunday May 3rd.
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06/04/2020
Sunday Fun Day Fly In
For the month of April Buffalo Airways VA is planning virtual get together on Sunday April 19 th at 17:00 Zulu time (real word time). For the Sunday Fun Day Fly In you will get to fly the plane of your choice Buffalo or Non Buffalo. The Starting Airport will also Be of your choice. But the Arrival time must be at 17:00 Zulu time real world time. So here is your chance to fly and show off your favorite plane and to test your planning skills. The runway that we will use is 33/15 for takeoff and landing
Choose your favorite plane
Choose your starting airport
Arrive at Yellowknife CYZF at 17:00 Zulu real world time
Park along rwy 27 as shown in above diagram
Please take a screen shot (picture) of your plane at CYZF and email BFL5093 Glenn Sayles your picture and post to discord if all possible. Not all planes will be viewed as you see yours so take a pic.
Once out of range of ATC if there is any and within range of CYZF tune Your com to 123.400 for the Buffalo frequency
Remember This Is a VATSIM flight so if there is ATC for CYZF the towers instructions will supersedes the previous instructions.
Any questions feel free to ask on discord, email, or post in the BAV forum
*When flying on Vatsim and not on discord you can tune to com frequency 123.40 which is the Com. Freq. for Buffalo Airways or type .msg pilots call sign example: .msg BFL5093 Hi there what’s up, to open a private chat with another pilot.
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26/02/2020
Feb 2020 update
Mirroring the RW Buffalo Airways, BAV has leased a Basler BT-67 from Kenn Borek Air for the period March - Sep/Oct 2020,. Scheduled flights will be added to our schedules in March, with a tour to follow. This a/c will be available from the downloads section shortly. Other recent additions to the fleet are a Cessna 310Q and King Air A90, both of which already have flights available in the schedules.
We have an important anniversary coming up later this year - plans are afoot to mark this occasion, an anouncement will be made in due course.
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06/01/2020
FS9 Support
At our last staff meeting, it was agreed that as from 31st December 2020 Buffalo Airways Virtual will cease to support FS9. As a consequence, from that date all FS9 a/c, scenery, downloads will be removed from our download section, as will BFL Acars (just leaving smartCARS) For the few who still use FS9, you've plenty of time to assess your options and decide whether to go down the FSX/P3d/XPlane route
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