How VQFA is run

Last updated 22 July 2026 · applies to every member, staff or pilot

These are VQFA's own rules — how we expect members to conduct themselves, how we expect flights to be flown, and how staff handle it when something needs addressing. Membership is voluntary, and continued membership means agreeing to what's below.

1. Conduct

• Treat every member and staff volunteer with respect. Harassment, discrimination, or abusive language toward anyone, in any VQFA space, will not be tolerated.
• Keep Discord and any other official VQFA channel a welcoming place. Staff may mute, warn, or remove anyone who makes it otherwise.
• Impersonating staff or other members is not permitted.
• VQFA branding, liveries, and callsigns represent the airline — don't use them in a way that could bring the organisation into disrepute.

2. Flight operations standards

• File a proper flight plan for every flight and fly it realistically — correct SIDs/STARs, sensible cruise levels, and standard phraseology when on frequency.
• Fly within your current rating and the aircraft type's real-world limitations. Don't operate routes or aircraft combinations that wouldn't exist in reality without a clear reason (training, ferry, event briefing, etc.).
• Give way to realism over convenience: no unrealistic climb/descent rates, no skipping checklists to save time, no ignoring weather that would ground a real flight.
• Landing and flight reports should reflect what actually happened. Falsifying a report is treated as a conduct issue, not just a data error.
• When a flight is connected to an online network (IVAO or otherwise), that network's own rules apply as well as ours — follow ATC instructions the same way you would in real life.

3. Membership & participation

• Membership is free and voluntary. We don't require a minimum number of flights, but an account that's never active may be archived to keep our records accurate.
• Staff positions are appointed, not automatic — see our Careers page for current openings and what's expected of each role.
• You're welcome to fly with other virtual airlines or networks alongside VQFA. We just ask that when you're flying under our banner, the rules on this page apply.

4. Events and group flights

• Read the event briefing before you fly it — slot times, routing, and frequency plans exist for a reason when dozens of pilots are flying together.
• If you sign up and can't make it, let the organisers know if you're able to. It's not mandatory, but it helps everyone plan.
• Event-specific rules (special liveries, formation flying, etc.) are set by the organiser and apply on top of everything above.

5. Staff authority and enforcement

• Staff can issue anything from an informal word to a formal warning, a temporary suspension, or removal from a position or the airline, depending on what's happened. Every formal action is recorded, and records aren't quietly edited or deleted after the fact.
• If you think a decision was wrong, you can ask for it to be reviewed by leadership — the record of what happened stays intact either way, but the outcome can be revisited.
• Open a support ticket if something needs raising that isn't urgent enough for real-time contact with staff.

6. Changes to these rules

We may update this page as the airline evolves. Significant changes will be announced through our Discord server. Continuing to fly with VQFA after a change means you've accepted the update.