GFI

[Omar Campanalunga]

I am planning to have a GFI event between us and I asked Ted and he said there are two possibilities, either Friday evening around 8-9 pm or Saturday morning around 8 am. I was thinking of an African route on VATSIM that would count as a route for the event ( you wouldn't have to fly it again) What do you think? What are the best times for you?

[Theodore Martin]

We need to use one of the shorter flights. Being online flying together for 4 plus hours may be difficult. Previously we used to do flights of around 530nm.

Thanks for trying to set up a GFI. We had fun with our GFI's years ago and I miss flying with the guys.

[Wayne Pierce]

Omar, I applaud your effort for a GFI. Ted is correct in that when the GFI's ( group fly in ) were a weekly item they were short as to time and mileage. They were kept to around 580 NM. That made very manageable for all whom flew them. We had to start one hour ahead of the take off time for prep and getting VATSIM clearance and if ATC was busy it took longer. All of our routes were in the USA. I think we tried a Far East one once but we could not operate too well as a language problem persisted At the peak of our GFI we had up to 7 pilots. Then it dwindled to 2, Ted and I only. That went on for months. When the new web site came into being the calendar was gone so I could no longer, easily publish a GFI for all to plan on.
Several polls were taken for the GFI times and dates. We settled on Friday at 6:PM PST and if I remember correctly, Omar, had asked for a European times GFI, which was set up for awhile. No one showed up for it and I sat on the tarmac waiting for some time several times. Then we had someone suggest a Monday evening GFI,as they worked on Friday, we set that up but only a few from Friday night showed up. We then got two time credit. Several of us were into using Saturday mornings as our get together and fly somewhere using GA aircraft, offline. That went away also. Nobody wants to play anymore.
That is the way it was.

Wayne

[Omar Campanalunga]

I had thought of a short flight monthly or every two months. Thanks, Wayne and Ted, I see that it has not worked in the past, maybe in the future we can meet, but if someone wants to send me a message any way we can arrange it and fly together. However, let's leave the survey and in the future we'd better do that, stay between us and whoever wants to join us, happy to.

[Todd Meek]

I was one of the somewhat consistent Gfi pilots and wouldn't mind getting together and doing Gfi's again. However I'm going to be upfront and say that I can't at this time commit to being available any day of the week at any time. The reason is I work in the Hospitality industry which has been hit very hard with the pandemic. I have returned to work part time for now and my days and shifts vary so greatly that I can't predict what it's going to be week by week. Also most of the days I do end up working are on the weekends right now during the evening, but that could change at a moments notice. Therefore right now I can't commit to any dates or times to consistently show up so therefore I'm not going to vote either. My normal shift is Monday thru Friday 7am till 3pm, but I won't get that shift back until the occupancy #'s for the hotel rise back up to somewhat normal levels which who knows when that will happen.

[Omar Campanalunga]

Todd, we started the pandemic before you did. Here we already have the "new" normality and little by little the service sector is recovering. People want to have fun and go on vacation after confinement, so cheer up. About the GFI we will see how it goes, I am always optimistic and we can take advantage of the World Tour to do a flight together, that's all.