Virtual Air Force (V.A.F): Launched nearly a decade ago, V.A.F is a premier online community dedicated to the thrilling world of Digital Combat Simulator (DCS). They bring together aviation enthusiasts, veteran pilots, and passionate gamers who share a love for military aviation and precision flying. Their mission is to offer a highly realistic and immersive virtual flying experience that honors the complexity and excitement of air combat. You can join their Discord community to stay up-to-date with news, events, and announcements1.
Virtual United States Air Force (vUSAF): This organization was the founding member of the United Nations Air Force, now referred to as the Special Operations Administration for VATSIM. vUSAF comprises civilian, active duty, reservists, and overseas participants, creating a total force of some of the best pilots in the virtual skies. They focus on recreating the daily operations of the United States Air Force through flight simulation

Feel free to explore these groups and find the one that resonates with your interests!

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VATSIM – The Virtual Air Traffic Simulation Network

The Virtual Air Traffic Simulation Network (VATSIM), in their own words:

“…allows virtual pilots, wherever they are in the world, to connect their flight simulators into one shared virtual world!”

Indeed, much in the same way as online gamers “meet” to compete in the latest “shoot-em-up” release, pilots of virtual aircraft can do the same thing, although, for the most part, with much less carnage.

According to statistics from 2018, just short of 80,000 virtual pilots are members of VATSIM, and that number will likely increase year on year with the continual improvements of, and genuine desire for, such concepts as Virtual Airlines.

With such a large network of like-minded people in one “virtual space”, the overall realism of virtual flight takes on another layer. Perhaps specifically with such options as being able to operate in an air traffic controller capacity, which not only adds an extra skill set to your virtual aviation repertoire but also makes the overall experience of virtual flight more authentic.

The organization promises to provide the “ultimate as-real-as-it-gets experience for the virtual aviation enthusiast”.

A Virtual Training Ground For Simulation Aviators
Beginning life in 2001, VATSIM was the consequence of a desire by several virtual flight enthusiasts who wished to have their own “virtual meeting place”, a service that was simply not catered for by anyone else.

Furthermore, and with virtual flight (at least in terms of how we think of it now) a far cry from the realism and absolute authenticity available today, the desire for a virtual training ground of sorts, where enthusiasts could voice ideas and learn from each other was just as desirable to this initial group of virtual aviators.

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IVAO – The International Virtual Aviation Organization
A year past celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2018, the International Virtual Aviation Organization has provided a steady and consistent online presence for virtual pilots to meet since 1998, and looks set to continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

What’s more, while the IVAO is available and completely free for anyone with an interest in flight simulation, the organizational structure of the group is professional, to say the least, with them legally registered as a “not-for-profit” (NPO) group in Belgian law.

IVAO screenshot.

Similar to the structure of VATSIM above, a Board of Governors are ultimately responsible for IVAO (chaired by a president), of which there are nine in total, all elected by the IVAO General Assembly to serve a term of two years, with the option to renew their term at the end of the initial two years.

Similarly, the Board of Governors will appoint a four or five-person Executive Council on similar two-year terms.

The company is then further broken down into several departments and, in turn, different divisions. Each one is responsible for a specific aspect of flight simulation, whether it is the actual flying of the planes themselves, or services such as Air Traffic Control.

All of this information is held on a huge online network, including extensive databases and recognized standards installed across all aspects of the services they offer.

Another Link In The Growth Of Virtual Aviation
Just as being a member of Virtual Airline allows the virtual pilot the opportunity to build up their profile, and indeed their experience, through set “missions” given to them to complete by the organization, such bodies as those mentioned above will continue to serve as an almost regulatory body, which in turn will see recognized skill levels across multiple different online platforms and virtual environments.

For example, the same standards, terminology, and any other important factor involved with flight simulation will very likely ensure that whichever virtual airline you are with, is the same right across the board.