Mountain Air Mission: "Short Hops, Light on Rules, Have Fun!"
--Last updates in this version of the SOP are highlighted--

1. Overview
2. Joining Mountain Air
3. Pilot Ratings and Hours
4. Aircraft, Pilot Certifications, Flight Bidding, Flight Assignments, and Logging Hours
5. Minimum Flight Time
6. SquawkBox
7. Transfers

1. Overview

Mountain Air is a virtual airline that was formed in September 1998, to offer an alternative to the virtual airlines that existed at the time. Most virtual airlines concentrated on large jet aircraft with very long haul routes. The founders of Mountain Air preferred flying shorter routes with smaller craft. Thus, Mountain Air was formed as a commuter airline providing feeder service. We have evolved into a mainline carrier, although our primary focus is still on smaller aircraft, with our most prominent aircraft family being the CRJ family. Our largest official passenger jet is a Boeing 737-800, and a Boeing 757-200 for cargo operations. The airline's headquarters is at Denver International Airport in Denver, Colorado.

2. Joining Mountain Air

Mountain Air has an open application policy. Any virtual pilot, subject to the COPPA restriction, that likes to fly commuter routes is welcome to join. Pilots must utilize their "real" name to join. Mountain Air complies with COPPA, and due to the burden of recordkeeping, membership is open only to those 13 years of age or older. Join Mountain Air by filling out the application on our website. After receiving your application, a member of Mountain Air's management team will email you your personal MTN callsign. It is recommended required that each pilot utilize this callsign as their username at our Mountain Air Forums. The forums are our primary source of communication.

3. Pilot Ratings, Points, and Promotions

Pilots will be assigned a rating according to hours flown points earned while flying for Mountain Air. The current schedule in use is:

Promotions are accomplished by each pilot flying and logging the required hours attaining the required number of points as stated in the table above. Each pilot should complete the "Promotion Request Form" (located at Secure Pilot Area > Promotion Request) and a manager will approve the promotion asssuming the qualifications have been met. , and then the local hub manager serving the particular pilot will "approve" the promotion assuming the pilot has obtained the required number of flight hours.

Hours reported should be actual clock hours in tenths (1/10 increments). Valid examples would be 1.4, 2.2, or .7, not 1.42, 2.25, or 1.67. Time is block timer, counted from from gate departure at originating airport to gate arrival at terminating airport. While airborne, we strongly encourage the use of actual sim time for realism (1x rate), but if if a 2x, 4x, or faster rate is used, the reported time should reflect the time spent flying in "real world." For example, is you fly a 4.5 hour flight from KLAX to PHNL utilizing 4X for 1/2 the distance of the flight, your recorded flight time should actually be something closer to actual "real" clock time of 2.6 hours or thereabouts. Or in other words, 2X or faster time is not allowed in the logbooks, but real-time is! All new pilots will start at zero, and no credit will be given for hours flown for other airlines, as this will represent real-world seniority status when you begin a career at a new airline.

If any of your PIREPs need to be edited (i.e. change the total hours of the flight), please contact a your respective hub manager. If any of your PIREPs need to be deleted, contact the  or database administrator.

4. Aircraft, Pilot Certifications, Flight Bidding, Flight Assignments, and Logging Hours

To provide some level of realism, pilots will be certified to fly aircraft according to their experience. The fleet currently used by Mountain Air consists of the aircraft shown with the pilot level necessary for certification:

Flight Bidding: Flight bidding is utilized at the discretion of the individual hub managers. Pilots should bid on one flight per month. The bid must be on a route using a plane that the pilot is currently certified to fly. Bid assignments are then determined and assigned by hub management.

Flight Assignments: Distinct from flight bidding is the function of flight assignments. Although flight assignments can work concurrently with flight bidding, flight assignments are those flights hub managers will assign pilots on a monthly basis without pilot input. Like flight bidding, flight assignments are to be assigned at the sole discretion of the individual hub manager at your respective hub. Each pilot should ensure he/she flies the corresponding flight and record it in his/her respective logbook. PIREP's are due by the 5th of the following month. After your assigned route is flown, you are free to fly any route in the Mountain Air system, with any plane, and still receive flight time credit. In addition, if Mountain Air does not have a route you desire to fly, make up one of your own utilizing the plane of your choice, but remember these flights should follow the required flight assignment each month.

Credit will only be given to pilots who fly utilizing their designated MTN callsign. If for example the pilot is registered with two virtual airlines, time can only be logged for a single airline. Real world flying will not count towards any hours at Mountain Air.

5. Minimum Flight Time

In order to keep our roster as up to date as possible, we ask that pilots fly at least one route per month. With several flights clocking at less than 45 minutes, this means you could keep current with little effort. Pilots with PIREP's past due over 30 days will be in probationary status. Any pilot with a PIREP over 90 days past due that has not logged a flight in the past 90 days will be automatically removed from the roster.

Leave of Absence: If for any reason you are unable to perform your Mountain Air duties for an extended period of time (i.e. more than 90 days), pilots are required to inform their respective hub manager. These pilots will be automatically removed from the roster after 90 days past their most recent PIREP. Once a pilot returns from "extended leave," he/she may simply enter a new PIREP and will automatically be again placed on the roster. 

6. Online Flying

We encourage all pilots to fly via the VATSIM system for added realism. The VATSIM system provides real-time, live ATC via the internet. To encourage additional traffic (both Mountain Air pilots and ATC) it is recommended Mountain Air pilots fly as much as possible on designated Mountain Air routes. There is a common belief among online ATCs in VATSIM that you (as an ATC) "login, and they will come." At Mountain Air we want to change this belief so that it reads thus... "Login, and ATC will come." We want to dominate the virtual skies!!!

7. Transfers

Transfers between hubs can be accomplished at anytime by contacting the . PIREPs must be filled out listing your current hub until a transfer is complete.