TPC Standard Operating Procedures

Updated 30 April 2023

  1. Visit https://thepilotclub.org/, then get your TPC FLIGHT CREW account there.

  2. We are here to fly, to learn, and to be supportive of each other. Let’s have fun! Keep it clean & be nice to each other. No disruptive or toxic behavior, please. TPC reserves the right to take measures against SOP violators.

  3. If you have an issue with a Club member in Discord, or see something not right, please submit a ticket in ⁠support channel.

  4. For Website or Discord server technical issues: submit a ticket here: ⁠support channel.

  5. No self-advertisement in public channels without prior approval by Air Marshals. Self-advertisement of your streams/vids is OK in ⁠streams-and-videos channel.

  6. No discussion of pirated software; we don’t support that.

  7. Observe Discord Community rules: https://discord.com/guidelines

  8. Synchronize your VATSIM ratings with TPC Discord (optional): ⁠club-notams⁠ channel.

  9. Group Flights Guide: https://thepilotclub.org/about#flights

9a. All group flights are conducted on VATSIM (PC only). Must have VATSIM account. VATSIM rules apply: https://www.vatsim.net/documents/code-of-conduct

9b. Group flight announcements are in Events channel. List of all flights for the month is posted here: https://www.thepilotclub.org/dispatch

9c. When flying group flights or by yourself, put the following in remarks field of your VATSIM-filed flight plan: OPERATED BY THEPILOTCLUB.ORG

9d. Load and setup at the airport by event time, and tune-in to Event Comms channel for pre-flight briefing. Get your clearance from ATC about 15-30 min prior to the time of briefing. We aim to depart shortly after the briefing.

9e. During an event in voice chat, mute yourself when not speaking, or use PTT (push-to-talk) option. Alternatively, set your vPilot PTT to the same key as your Discord PTM (push-to-mute).

9f. You can fly any aircraft appropriate for the event, on any simulator. Know your aircraft & use proper control devices. Strive for realism.

9g. In order to fly group flights, you must complete onboarding by reading this SOP and acknowledging below with . You also must be in Event Comms VC.

10. Your name. Your name in the server should be your first name | your callsign. Charters VA Pilots: include your 4 letter company ID also. If you are ATC, put the sector or facility you control in there as well.

11. TPC Training Program provides training on VATSIM, aircraft operation, aviation, & more… https://thepilotclub.org/training

12. TPC Callsigns: Request your TPC callsign here (optional): https://flightcrew.thepilotclub.org/

13. TPC Points is a system to reward members who take part in Club activities and contribute in ways that benefit the Club and its Members. Earning points will get you special server roles, which unlock a special channel (Company Perks) with giveaways, early access content, & more.

13a. Club Leaderboard: https://vats.im/tpc-leaderboard. A friendly competition based on TPC Points (see above). To check your leaderboard position: run /rank command.

14. Server Bot Commands list: https://vats.im/tpc-commands

15. Channel Guide: https://thepilotclub.org/sop#channel_guide

16. Club Liveries: https://thepilotclub.org/liveries

17. TPC Charters - Club’s Virtual Airline (optional, OnAir): https://thepilotclub.org/tpc-charters

18. Drop a review: https://vats.im/tpc-reviews.

19. Club website & Discord invite link: https://thepilotclub.org/

20. Club Merch: https://www.thepilotclub.org/store

21. Disclaimers & Legal: https://thepilotclub.org/legal#disclaimers

Blue skies to you, Captains!

Server Roles

@Pilots - Sim pilots

@Charters Pilots - Club VA (OnAir platform)

@IRL Pilots - Real life pilots

@ATC - Air Traffic Controllers

@Early Adopter - Members who supported the Club early on

@Staff - Members of TPC Staff Team

@Team Lead - Staff members leading specialty teams

@Flight Ops - Flight coordinators

@Training Team - Members of TPC TRaining Team

@Air Marshals - Admin

@Media Team - Media creators

@Streamers - Streamers

@Partners - Club partners

@Boosters - Server boosters

@Lucky Pilots - Winners of giveaways or screenshot contests

@Explorers - Explorer Flight series participants

@Developers - Club's software and web development team

@Ground Crew - Moderators

@Charters Managers - managers of TPC Charters VA

Leaderboard Roles:

@Commuter - Level 15

@Frequent Flyer - Level 25

@VIP - Level 35

Self-assigned roles:

@Giveaway - Giveaway participants

@GA Flights - GA Pilots

@Group Flights - Group Flights announcements

@streamers - Members who stream on YT or Twitch

Discord Server Channel Guide

Front Office

  • About & SOP - Everything you need to know about the Club, including our rules, Standard Operating Procedures, and self-assigned roles.

  • Club NOTAMs - Club announcements.

  • TPC Daily Brief - Your daily updates from TPC HQ. Posted every day around 9 am Eastern time.

  • Support - Support ticket system for tech issues, moderation issues, and website and Discord issues.

Flight Operations

  • Crew Chat - This is Club’s text chat related to flightsim and aviation. Be nice to each other and keep it clean. Do not post other server invites. Do not discuss politics, religion, or pirated software. Dad jokes are OK in moderation: (/dad-joke command).

  • Airliners & Bizjets - a channel for airliners and bizjets discussion.

  • General Aviation - Discussion of general aviation topics, including flight planning for GA TUESDAY group flights.

  • Rotary Ops - a channel for rotary aircraft discussion.

  • Fly With Me - Post here if you'd like folks to join you for a flight! ATC: post here if you are controlling. Jump in FV1 or FV2 when you fly.

  • Network Events - A channel for VATSIM event announcements.

Flight Crew Comms

  • Flight Crew Comms - Voice channels for Club operations.

The Hangar

  • Arrivals - New member arrivals are automatically posted in this channel. Feel free to welcome new members here.

  • Community News - Flightsim community updates, all in one place: flight simulator news, updates from developers, etc.

  • VATSIM News - updates from VATSIM.

  • Screenshots - Your epic flightsim screenshots live here. SCREENSHOT CONTEST is in Threads. (See all previous winners here: https://www.thepilotclub.org/blog?tag=Screenshot%20Contest).

  • Streams & Videos - Links to flightsim-related streams or videos here. Self-promotion is OK. Also, check PINS for regular streams and recommended videos.

  • Your Setups - Share and discuss your flightsim cockpit/flightdeck setups.

  • Idea Box - Use ?suggest command followed by your suggestion to submit your suggestion or idea. Then you can come vote on suggestions and see their status here.

  • Off Topic Café - A channel for off-topic chat (non-flightsim). No politics, religion, or discussion of pirated software. Be nice and keep it civil. Server Bot Commands List: https://vats.im/tpc-commands. You can run bot commands here, such as on-demand METARS and ATIS via VATbot, and TPC bot commands, like /rank. You can also request some tunes in cruise with Music Bot. Also, Club points awarded for group flights show up here! and you could check your TPC Rank here as well.

  • Aviation Quiz - Test your aviation knowledge. Answers are posted the following day along with a video or a website on the topic.

  • Paint Shop - Liveries and sceneries discussion and requests. This is our painters’ corner as well.

  • Community Support Forum - Get help with your sim-related issues or aviation-related questions + handy references & resources in PINS.

TPC Ecosystem

  • TPC Ecosystem Updates - This is a channel for updates on various TPC assets. Updates to TPC Flight Crew Portal will be announced here as well, including changelogs.

  • VATSIM Rating Sync - Have a pilot or ATC rating on VATSIM? Use the /sync command to assign your roles! Use /update-ratings command to update your roles.

  • TPC Points - This is a channel for TPC Points, part of our Leaderboard system. More info about TPC points can be found in About & SOP channel.

Pilot Training

  • Training NOTAMs - This channel is for announcements regarding training flights, flight school website bugs, and any updates regarding the TPC training program.

  • TPC Flight School Info - Flight School FAQ.

  • Pilot Training Chat - Ask any training-related questions you may have for TPC Training Staff.

  • Training Request - This is a channel for requesting spontaneous training sessions. Please follow the suggested template for posting a request.

  • Training Voice Channels - Training voice ops.

TPC Charters VA OPs

Special Access

  • Explorer Flight Missions - Discussion of TPC EXPLORER MISSIONS SERIES. To start with Explorer Missions - visit here: https://www.thepilotclub.org/blog/tag/Explorer+Flights.

  • Long Haul Missions - This is a channel for our monthly Long Haul Missions discussion.

  • IRL Pilots - A channel for real world pilots chat.

  • ATC Lounge - A channel for VATSIM or IRL ATC chat.

  • Partners Firechat - a channel for our Club Partners.

  • Company Perks - This is a special access channel for our active members who achieved leaderboard roles.

  • Early Adopters - a place for those who were here from the beginning.

  • TPC Addons - a channel to discuss upcoming TPC aircraft or scenery addons.