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Flight Booking System

Virtual Air Canada Airline offers a comprehensive flight booking system that simulates real-world airline operations. This guide will walk you through the process of finding, booking, and completing flights.

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Finding Available Flights

VACA operates a route network based on real Air Canada routes, including:
  • Domestic Canadian routes
  • US transborder operations
  • International long-haul flights
  • Seasonal destinations
  • Regional Express operations
The available routes are determined by your pilot rank, with more destinations unlocked as you progress.
Select from aircraft in the Air Canada fleet:Air Canada Mainline
  • Widebody:
    • Boeing 777-300ER (77W) - 19 aircraft
    • Boeing 777-200LR (77L) - 6 aircraft
    • Airbus A330-300 (333) - 20 aircraft
    • Boeing 787-9 (789) - 32 aircraft
    • Boeing 787-8 (788) - 8 aircraft
  • Narrowbody:
    • Airbus A321-200 (321) - 20 aircraft
    • Boeing 737 MAX 8 (7M8) - 45 aircraft
    • Airbus A220-300 (223) - 34 aircraft
    • Airbus A320-200 (320) - 21 aircraft
    • Airbus A319-100 (319) - 3 aircraft
Air Canada Express/Jazz
  • Mitsubishi CRJ900 (CR9) - 35 aircraft (operated by Jazz)
  • Embraer E175 (E75) - 25 aircraft (operated by Jazz)
  • De Havilland Dash 8-400 (DH4) - 46 aircraft
Air Canada Rouge
  • Airbus A321-200 (321) - 14 aircraft
  • Airbus A320-200 (320) - 5 aircraft
  • Airbus A319-100 (319) - 18 aircraft
See all accepted aircraft here.

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Jumpseat System

By default, pilots are assigned to one of the Air Canada hub airports as their home base. However, you may want to start flights from other airports based on your preferences or to build specific routes. The Jumpseat system allows you to reposition to any airport in the network without having to fly there first.
The Jumpseat feature simulates a pilot traveling as a passenger on commercial flights to reach a new starting point:
  • Access the Jumpseat option in the Pilot Hub through the “Flight Centre” → “Book Flights” feature
  • Select your desired destination airport from the complete list of airports in the VACA network
  • Confirm your Jumpseat request to instantly change your pilot’s location
While the Jumpseat system offers flexibility, some limitations apply:
  • You cannot book a Jumpseat while you have an active flight assignment
  • Any airport in the VACA network can be selected as a Jumpseat destination regardless of pilot rank

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Booking Process

Follow these steps to book a flight in the Pilot Hub application:
1

Navigate to Flight Booking

Open Pilot Hub and select the “Flight Booking” tab from the main navigation menu.
2

Select departure airport

Choose your departure airport:
  • Select from a list of VACA hubs
  • Choose your current aircraft location
  • Search for a specific airport code
Starting from a VACA hub gives you more route options compared to non-hub airports.
3

Choose destination and route

After selecting your departure, you’ll see available destinations:
  1. Browse destinations categorized by region
  2. View route details including distance and estimated flight time
  3. Check aircraft types available for the route
  4. Select your preferred routing (direct or with connections)
4

Select aircraft

Choose an aircraft for your flight:
  1. View available aircraft for your selected route
  2. Check aircraft specifications and requirements
  3. Verify that the aircraft is appropriate for your pilot rank
Ensure you have the correct aircraft model in your flight simulator before booking. Using an incorrect aircraft during the flight may result in the flight not being validated.
5

Schedule and confirm

Set your flight details:
  1. Choose a departure date and time
  2. Review the flight summary (route, aircraft, estimated duration)
  3. Add optional flight notes
  4. Click “Confirm Booking” to finalize

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Departure Time Management

After booking your flight, you have two options for managing your departure time to align with your simulator session:
You can modify your scheduled departure time directly in the Flight Booking system:
1

Access Dispatch Details

Flight Booking Dispatch DetailsNavigate to the “Dispatch Details” section in your flight booking interface.
2

Open Time Setter

Flight Booking Time SetterClick on the “Time Setter” option to access departure time controls.
3

Configure timing

Adjust the following parameters:
  • Departure Time: Set your preferred departure time
  • Flight Preparation Time: Allow time for pre-flight procedures
  • Extra Minutes: Add buffer time for unexpected delays
This method is ideal when you want to maintain realistic world time in your simulator while scheduling flights at convenient times.
Alternatively, you can adjust your flight simulator’s time to match your booked departure:
  • Set your simulator’s time and date to match your scheduled departure
  • This maintains the authenticity of flying at the actual scheduled time
  • Particularly useful for flights with specific lighting conditions (sunrise/sunset departures)

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Flight Preparation

After booking your flight, prepare for departure:
  1. Load Flight in ACARS: Open Pegasus ACARS and load your booked flight from the “My Flights” section
  2. Flight Planning:
    • Download your flight plan (available in Pilot Hub and ACARS)
    • Review route, SIDs, STARs, and approach procedures
    • Check weather conditions at departure and arrival airports
    • Calculate fuel requirements based on distance and weather
  3. Aircraft Setup:
    • Launch your flight simulator
    • Select the correct aircraft model
    • Position at the departure airport
    • Set up your aircraft according to procedures

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Time Acceleration Guidelines

While time acceleration is permitted in certain circumstances, we encourage pilots to fly as realistically as possible for the best experience.
When flying your booked flights, it’s important to understand Virtual Air Canada Airline’s time acceleration policies:
Time acceleration may be used during:
  • Cruise phase only - Once you’ve reached your cruise altitude and are established in level flight
  • Long-haul flights where cruise segments can be several hours
You must return to normal speed (1x) for all critical flight phases including takeoff, climb, descent, approach, and landing.
Time acceleration is not permitted during:
  • Takeoff and initial climb phases
  • Descent and approach phases
  • Landing and taxi operations
  • Any phase requiring precise aircraft control
Violations may result in PIREP rejection or point deductions.
When using time acceleration:
  • ACARS automatically detects and reports time acceleration usage
  • Points and logged hours may be deducted to maintain fairness
  • This ensures equity between pilots who use acceleration and those who don’t
For complete flight simulation guidelines, including aircraft requirements and ACARS tracking, see the Flight Simulator Guide.

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Flight Completion

After landing and arriving at your gate:
  1. Shut down your aircraft according to procedures
  2. Complete the flight in Pegasus ACARS by clicking “End Flight”
  3. Add any comments or notes about the flight
  4. Submit your flight report
  5. Your flight will be validated and added to your logbook automatically

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Charter and Special Flights

In addition to scheduled service routes, VACA offers:
  • Charter Flights: Custom routes for special events
  • Group Flights: Organized community events with multiple pilots
  • Cargo Operations: Dedicated freight routes
These special flights are announced in the Pilot Hub Events section and on the VACA community Discord.

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Need Help?

If you encounter issues with flight booking or operations:
  • Check the Troubleshooting Guide for common problems
  • Ask in the #flight-support channel on our Discord server
  • Contact a Pilot Mentor for personalized assistance
  • Submit a support ticket through Pilot Hub

Discord Community

Get answers to your questions in our active Discord community

Email Support

Contact our support team for personalized assistance