Well, CIS Gamers is indeed dead - as I found out this morning. So, I have moved over here - and already see a number of familiar faces.

Now, does anybody know the number to call, to cancel my CIS account (after all these years). I can't seem to find it anywhere on their web site. Imagine that.

Anyway, it's good to be here.

William

• RE: Just Arrived,jerryrosie, 16:20z, 12-01-01
• RE: Just Arrived,Mike_Greenwood, 17:11z, 12-01-01
  • RE: Just Arrived,alanpugh, 11:51z, 12-02-01
  • RE: Just Arrived,WScofield, 13:31z, 12-02-01
  • RE: Just Arrived,WScofield, 14:38z, 12-02-01
    • RE: Just Arrived,Tom Hayward, 16:59z, 12-02-01
    • RE: Just Arrived,Ben Chiu, 20:31z, 12-02-01
      • RE: Just Arrived,WScofield, 16:38z, 12-04-01
        • RE: Just Arrived,Ben Chiu, 22:36z, 12-04-01
          • RE: Just Arrived,WScofield, 11:44z, 12-14-01
            • RE: Just Arrived,Ben Chiu, 16:41z, 12-14-01
              • RE: Just Arrived,WScofield, 13:28z, 12-15-01
• RE: Just Arrived,Bob, 17:56z, 12-01-01
  • RE: Just Arrived,Mike_Greenwood, 20:34z, 12-01-01
    • RE: Just Arrived,Ben Chiu, 21:09z, 12-01-01
    • RE: Just Arrived,TD, 23:19z, 12-01-01
  • RE: Just Arrived,WScofield, 13:42z, 12-02-01
• RE: Just Arrived,TD, 23:31z, 12-01-01
• RE: Just Arrived,James, 16:44z, 12-02-01
• RE: Just Arrived,Harry, 12:23z, 12-10-01

Hi William -

I don't know the number for cancelling CompuServe accounts but it will probably be busy for the next couple of days anyway

Welcome to the new hanger - take some time to look around and get familiar with the layout. If you have any questions, just ask and one of us will be more than willing to tell you lies....

***Reality - the refuge of those who can't handle simulation***
Cheers, Jerry

Hi William!

Welcome aboard. If there's anything we can do to make your flight more comfortable just ask...Jerry

Here's the number you need:

1-800-394-1481

--Greenie
**6 miles SSE KSJC**

Thanks Greenie,

I'll be making use of that, myself, as soon as get my
e-mail caught up and my filing cabinet emptied.

Alan

Thanks Mike -

Here's hoping the same talent and interest that made FSForum what it was can be carried over to this new locus. I know you and Jerry are working hard to put your best foot forward. Looks good so far.

William

Hi Mike -

>Welcome aboard. If there's anything we can do to make your
>flight more comfortable just ask...Jerry

Well, now that you mention it. Perhaps it is only my confusion, but I am not finding my way to how to register in the VPC. I see lots of FAQ's, but somehow they are not telling me something basic. And the initial Flight Adventures intro screen doesn't do it either. Am I just being dull? (No need to answer . . . )

I'd like to get my Virtual Wings (I have a real ASEL rating, but my medical is not current), so I can explore some adventures and multiplayer flights. And did I see something about just missing a deadline for 1/2 price on registration? Figures, since I just got here. Haven't even found the cashier yet.

Anyway, if you can point me toward the right direction, I'd be grateful.

William

Hi William,
Welcome to FlightAdventures! There is a "registration" link at the top right of the forum board, click here to register where you can register your WScofield call sign.
You may also visit the Pilot Shop and click on the memberships link. With membership you will receive a @crew.flightadventures.com mailbox, access to the web-mail feature, Crew Icon for posts, and more!
(The Pilot shop is on the main page, just to the left as you come in the door!)

_________________
Thomas S. Hayward

Greetings William:

>Well, now that you mention it. Perhaps it is only my
>confusion, but I am not finding my way to how to register
>in the VPC.

It looks like you're already registered.

>I'd like to get my Virtual Wings (I have a real ASEL
>rating, but my medical is not current), so I can explore
>some adventures and multiplayer flights.

Actually you don't need to become a Vitual Pilot to be allowed to access our flight plans or multiplayer flight rooms. Neverthelss, we'll accept your ASEL rating as covering most our of VPPL requirements. Details can be found at: http://www.flightadventures.com/faq/faq_vpc.htm#6

Please let us know if you have any more questions.

Welcome to the VPC!
Ben

Thanks Ben -

>It looks like you're already registered. <

I did register in the VPC for purposes of the e-mail boards, but I thought I also saw something about registration that cost money. I confess to being unclear what that is about, although I have found my way to the "Pilot Shop."

>Actually you don't need to become a Vitual Pilot to be
>allowed to access our flight plans or multiplayer flight
>rooms. Neverthelss, we'll accept your ASEL rating as
>covering most our of VPPL requirements. Details can be
>found at:
>http://www.flightadventures.com/faq/faq_vpc.htm#6

Thanks. I found that FAQ as well. I wasn't sure what this is, although I don't mind helping support the operation.

William

Greetings William:

>I did register in the VPC for purposes of the e-mail
>boards, but I thought I also saw something about
>registration that cost money. I confess to being unclear
>what that is about, although I have found my way to the
>"Pilot Shop."

Perhaps I can explain it better. We have two levels of membership here at the VPC:

1. Regular level (which you have already once you've registered through the message board)

2. Crew level (the one that costs money)

Please understand that most of the VPC's features such as the message board, ACARS, Flight Rooms, etc. can be accessed through a Regular membership for free. However, because the VPC does cost money to keep in operation, we have Crew level memberships that provide bonus features such as VPC WebMail, WAPmail, Crew icon, access to Crew-only areas, high-speed file access, access to Crew-only events, etc., etc., as a "thank you" for supporting the cause.

Of course the Crew level of membership is completely voluntary, and because of that it really warms my heart there have been so many that have "stepped up to the plate" and pitched in already this early in the game. (You can see all of the new gold bars out there!) In fact the sysops that dedicate their time here to help out around here have also paid their membership dues even though we don't require them to (we're overjoyed for their assistance alone as it is)! Thanks, guys for setting the example! I'm sure they do this because they understand our situation/"business model."

Some have compared the VPC to a club. The club members alone pay dues to maintain the club's expenses. While that's a pretty good analogy, I like to compare the VPC to the way a museum works--it's open to the public, but a core group of supporters keep the doors open. Unfortunately the reality may be that if we're unable to attract enough Crew members, that we may have to adopt the "club" model, where only members would be allowed in. I certainly hope that doesn't happen (one of my pet peeves about the aviation and flight simulation worlds is there tends to be a bit of "eliteness" that spoils things for folks), and only time will tell, but for now it's looking pretty good, but we still have a long way to go before we'll break even for the year (the length of a membership).

>>Actually you don't need to become a Virtual Pilot to be
>>allowed to access our flight plans or multiplayer flight
>>rooms. Nevertheless, we'll accept your ASEL rating as
>>covering most our of VPPL requirements. Details can be
>>found at:
>>http://www.flightadventures.com/faq/faq_vpc.htm#6
>
>
>Thanks. I found that FAQ as well. I wasn't sure what
>this is, although I don't mind helping support the
>operation.

Virtual Pilot designation, like all of our designations, are intended to symbolically represent the member's level of expertise (those who can "walk the talk" if you will). Designations are also totally voluntary, but since you already hold a pilot certificate, the conversion to VPPL would be much simpler than if you started from scratch. If you're still interested in pursuing this, please let me know and we can discuss specifics.

Hope this helps and we all appreciate your interest in contributing to what we're building here!
Ben

Hi Ben -

Didn't get back to this until just now.

>Virtual Pilot designation, like all of our designations,
>are intended to symbolically represent the member's level
>of expertise (those who can "walk the talk" if you will).
>Designations are also totally voluntary, but since you
>already hold a pilot certificate, the conversion to VPPL
>would be much simpler than if you started from scratch. If
>you're still interested in pursuing this, please let me
>know and we can discuss specifics.

Actually, I am interested. I don't get much chance to fly "real" aircraft these days, for a variety of reasons. But I hoped the sim would let me keep involved. In fact, it was MSFS that first gave me the idea to start flight lessons. In many ways, the real aircraft is easier to fly than the sim.

I have downloaded all the "ground school" materials from the VP written test center, and am looking them over. What's next?

William

Greetings William:

>Actually, I am interested. I don't get much chance to fly
>"real" aircraft these days, for a variety of reasons. But
>I hoped the sim would let me keep involved. In fact, it
>was MSFS that first gave me the idea to start flight
>lessons. In many ways, the real aircraft is easier to fly
>than the sim.

That's for sure. If real aircraft handled the way that most FS aircraft do, there'd be a lot less pilots out there!

>I have downloaded all the "ground school" materials from
>the VP written test center, and am looking them over.
>What's next?

There are two steps:

1. Send us a copy of your pilot certificate.

Fax to:
805-595-9640

or by Mail to:
FlightAdventures Administration
P.O. Box 767
Avila Beach, CA 93424

2. Successfully pass the FlightSim portion of our VPPL written exam. Depending on when you last flew as Pilot In Command (prior to or after the airspace reclassification in 1993), you may also need to pass our Airspace written exam.

When you're ready, please let me know and I'll post an exam for you.

Happy Holidays!
Ben

Hi Ben -

>There are two steps:
>
>1. Send us a copy of your pilot certificate.
>
>Fax to:
>805-595-9640
>
>or by Mail to:
>FlightAdventures Administration
>P.O. Box 767
>Avila Beach, CA 93424
>
>2. Successfully pass the FlightSim portion of our VPPL
>written exam. Depending on when you last flew as Pilot In
>Command (prior to or after the airspace reclassification
>in 1993), you may also need to pass our Airspace written
>exam.
>
>When you're ready, please let me know and I'll post an
>exam for you.

Okay, will do. The only portion of the FlightSim questions I was uncertain about was the multi-player stuff. Some brushing up needed there - perhaps with the VPC adventures. My last biennial was 9/99, so the airspace re-classification is not an issue.

Thanks.

William

Hi William

Like you I left Compuserve yesterday.They wanted to know why I was leaving and offered me a free month. I explained that I was leaving as they were closing the "Gamers" forum.

I had to spell "Gamers" for the guy on the phone!

Guess that about says it all.

The number to ring in the UK is 0870 6000800.

Do you happen to know if we can access the Simpilots forum without membership? It would be handy to pop in there occasionally to keep up with those that may not join in here.

Kind regards

Bob Buckley
Coventry
UK

Hi Bob,

>>Like you I left Compuserve yesterday.They wanted to know why I was leaving and offered me a free month. I explained that I was leaving as they were closing the "Gamers" forum.<<

I did the same thing the day FSFORUM was closed. Even though I had a free account for being a sysop, I also continued to pay for my "regular" account. They said the same thing along with, "my you've been with us since 1986! Are you sure you want to cancel." My answer was the same as yours...idiots.

--Greenie
**6 miles SSE KSJC**

>My answer was the same as yours...idiots.

LOL! You're far more direct than I. I've called the people who make these kinds of decisions "yahoo in a suit."

That's why I love the VPC. Everyone in management at the VPC is "from the other side." There are no weenies with freshly-minted MBA's that have a better idea on how to "maximize profits" with no regard to their loyal community around here! And as long as I have a say in it, there never will be.

Unfortunately, I believe the trend will continue at the other online services since this phenomenon is not unique to CiS. The same thing happened to us at MSN several months ago after the MSN/ZDNet deal. It's all just a matter of time unfortunately.

However, being the eternal optimist, this trend does offer some very intriguing opportunities for us to once again unite the now splintered flight simming world by providing quality information and services in a friendly community atmosphere. I was reading some of the stuff that Rick posted about the early days of FSFORUM. From the wonderful support we've been seeing so far (thanks, guys!) I fully believe that we can recreate history so to speak, and build something really special again. Not to sound like a broken record (I think we're all old enough here to remember vinyl platters, right? ), but again, the biggest, most fundamental difference we have here at the VPC is that our existence is totally in our hands--and not some "yahoo in a suit."

Sorry to get so fired up about this, but the hurt/anger/sorrow created by the MSN thing was the catalyst that got us all together to start the VPC in the first place, so a lot of those feelings have been brought up again by the closure of GAMERS.

Ben

Just as a word of advice... remember to check back in 30 days to make sure that the acct. was cancelled. Depending on billing cycle, you might see one more charge on the credit card, but more than one (and that coming in 2 months from now on the billing cycle date) means that they told you one thing, entered a credit to buy some breathing room, and got the credit for saving your acct. from cancellation. Make sure that you wrote down your deactivation #, and the name of the person you spoke with.

Hi Bob -

Thanks for the note

>Do you happen to know if we can access the Simpilots forum
>without membership? It would be handy to pop in there
>occasionally to keep up with those that may not join in
>here.

I think the answer is yes. I intend to give it a try. As far as I know, the forums are all accessible for free from the web.

Funny, I remember when you weren't even allowed to mention the web in messages posted on CIS, it was so threatening. Maybe they were right about that. Not that it could be stopped. (Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated. Signed - The Borg.)

William

Not quite dead, but close. The black banner is up, but there are still a few posts going up. Shoot... I remember being the last one out of the dorm on break and how quiet it was that Friday night of Finals Week. Only bright side to that empty sense was having free reign of the TV set in the community room.

Welcome aboard William. Heres hoping you have a great time here.

Regards,

James (CONman) Anderson.
28 miles by road to EGNM.....

Hi
I have just cancelled my subscription to Compuserve by
ringing 0870 6000 800. This is a UK number so it may not the one you need. If you have a Compuserve installation disk you should find a suitable telephone on the back of it
Harry