Flying for us

What we do

Philippine Airlines Virtual is an online based virtual airline community of pilots on the VATSIM Network. All of our Virtual Airline's flights are flown online on this network. In order to join our virtual airline you must have a copy of Flight Simulator (FS). This can be flight simulator version FS2002, FS2004 or the latest version of Flight Simulator, FSX. Philippine Virtual Airlines is a one of many leading virtual airlines in this region of the world and we invite you to join our virtual airline. Our staff will be willing to assist you and to make your virtual airline and flight simulation experience the best possible.

The default scenery in your flight simulator will contain the scenery that you need for every airport that we fly to. In order to maximize your flight simulation experience at our virtual airline we recommend that you install addon scenery for every destination PALv flies to. We are very lucky to have a great Flight Simming community in the Philippine Islands, which presents us with many highly detailed Philippine scenery addons, we highly recommend that you  download these sceneries from one of the major Flight Simulator addon websites, such as avsim or flightsim.

In order to fly for our Virtual Airline you must have a valid VATSIM ID. VATSIM (Virtual Air Traffic Control Simulation Network) is a large international online community for Flight Simulator enthusiasts that provides simulated air traffic control. All you need to connect is an internet connection and a copy of Microsoft Flight Simulator. Software is provided to connect your flight simulator to the VATSIM server where you can experience some of the finest online flight simulation and virtual airline simulation anywhere. We are lucky to have great ATC service in the RPHI Philippine region on VATSIM, with many dedicated and experienced Air Traffic Controllers active. We urge that if you are unfamiliar with Air Traffic Control procedures that you read the Pilot Resource Center (PRC) on Vatsim's website, it won't take long, and it will really help if you are just starting out. 

Virtual Airline History

Philippine Airlines Virtual (PALv or vPAL) came into online existence officially at 10:00am Manila time on July 20, 2008. The idea of a Philippine based Virtual Airline was floating around for some time before that however, yet we still did not have an existing active Virtual Airline community in the Philippines, despite having a wonderful and dedicated group of simmers and designers dedicated to Filipino flightsimming. Flying online in the VATSIM networks we began discussing the possibility of logging at least our online hours into our own virtual logbook, this was very appealing, especially to our avid PAL long haulers who religously flew transpacific flights or other PAL flights typically each weekend. What started out as a way to simply log our hours became a movement towards our own Virtual Airline, allowing us the benefits of flying for an organisation among others with the same interests.

Searching through our possibilities we found that the Simmiles group was the best option for what we as a group wished to do, and not only us, but what future pilots might also benefit from. After some days of talking and planning with Tony Kovacs of simmiles, and other members of the Philippine Flight Simmers Group, we came up with the basis of our website and Virtual Airline. We have been looked after very well by the simmiles group, and our team of staff and pilots throughout all of this, providing their input and opinions on the airline, and most importantly helping the airline grow with newer features and choices. We celebrate our first birthday this 20th of July, 2009, and would like to thank the Simmiles group, our Management staff and especially our Pilots and enthusiasts which began this idea and proposed the first Virtual counterpart of Asia's first Airline, Philippine Airlines.

Philippine Airlines History

Philippine Airlines (PAL/PR), also historically known as Philippine Air Lines is the national airline of the Philippines and the first commercial airline in Asia, founded on February 26, 1941 . The airline has a long and distinguished history spanning over 68 years. The airline was initially started by a group of businessmen led by Andres Soriano, a leading industrialist at the time. The airlines first flight took to the skies on March 15, 1941, using a sole Beechcraft Model 18 aircraft (NPC-54) on a daily schedule from Manila to Baguio. Due to the outbreak of World War II, PAL committed it's fleet of two Beechcraft aircraft to military service. These aircraft were used to evacuate American fighter pilots to Australia until one got shot down over Mindanao and the other was destroyed in an air raid on Surabaya, Indonesia.

After a cease of operations due to World War II for nearly 5 years, Philippine Airlines re-launched operations in February 14, 1946. Five Douglas DC-3's joined the fleet out of the newly re-built Makati (Manila) Nielson Airport, Philippine Airlines's main HUB.

On July 31, 1946, Philippine Airlines became the first Asian airline to cross the Pacific Ocean when a chartered DC-4 flew 40 American servicemen to Oakland, California. The flight had stops in Guam, Wake Island, Johnston Atoll and Honolulu. A regular service between Manila and San Francisco was started in December the same year, during this time Philippine Airlines was designated as the Philippines's National Carrier.

In 1947 Philippine Airlines commenced operations to Europe for the first time, after the introduction of more DC-4's to the fleet. During this time Philippine airlines moved all operations from Nielson field (Makati) to the newly re-developed Nichols field, in Pasay City (Manila). This later became the current day, Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

In 1951, Philippine Airlines leased a DC-3 named "Kinsei" to neighbouring Japan, which led to the founding of Japan's own national airline, Japan Airlines. Within the next three years, Philippine Airlines introduced services to Hong Kong, Bangkok and Taipei using a fleet of Convair 340's, only to be later replaced by Vickers Viscount 784's, bringing Philippine Airlines into the turboprop age.

In the 1960's, Philippine Airines entered the Jet age, initially with a sole 707 jet, which was later replaced by leased DC-8's from KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. These long haul aircraft were used on flights to Europe and the United States. Domestic flights remained DC-3 territory, with over 72 points served predominately with the DC-3. In 1966 PAL launched turbojet domestic services around the Philippines, using a fleet of BAC-1-11 aircraft. During this time, PAL was also privatized.

During Martial law of the Ferdinand Marcos political reign, he implemented a one-airline policy, allowing Philippine Airlines to be the only airline within the Philippines. This essentially wiped out major competitors, Air Manila and Filipinas Orient Airways, with PAL absorbing much of their routes and aircraft. PAL continued its expansion with the arrival of its first DC-10 in July, 1974. During the following years PAL was re-nationalized and in 1979 the Boeing 727, Boeing 747-200B and Airbus A300B4 (dubbed the "Love Bus") was introduced to the fleet. The entire DC-8 fleet was subsequently retired. Between 1979 and 1981 PAL launched a large modernization program and built a series of large aviation-related facilities around the area of Manila International Airport. These included the PAL Technical Center, the PAL Inflight Center, the PAL Data Center, and PAL Aviation School (PALavschool).

During the early 1980's PAL introduced its own cargo facilities, building a dedicated cargo building within Manila Airport. Services to Paris and Zurich later commenced during November of 1982.

After the EDSA People Power revolution of 1986, Dante G. Santos became the PAL President, and launched a massive modernization of the domestic fleet, introducing the Short 360 (Nicknamed the "Sunriser") in May 1987, the Fokker 50 in August 1988 and the Boeing 737-300 in August 1989.

In 1992 PAL was privatized again, and the fleet of BAC-1-11's were retired in May the same year, replaced by the new 737-300's. In November 1993, PAL received its first Boeing 747-400, the new aircraft arrived in Subic Bay International Airport and was carrying the then-President, Fidel V. Ramos. This Boeing 747-400 then became the mainstay of international transpacific operations, and the carriers flagship, and still does to this day.

In July 1995, Lucio C. Tan became the new Chairman and CEO of the airline. An Ambitious US$4 Billion Dollar modernization and fleet renewal program was launched, the centerpiece of the program was the introduction of 36 state-of-the-art aircraft from Airbus and Boeing between 1996 and 1999. The 36 orders for PAL were for 8 Boeing 747-400, 4 Airbus A340-300, 8 Airbus A330-300 and 12 Airbus A320-200 aircraft. This refleeting program made Philippine Airlines the first airline in the world to operate the full range of New-Generation Airbus Aircraft.

In 1997 PAL was rebranded as "Asia's Sunniest Airline" and also launhed flights to Newark Airport, in New York, that same year. During this time the airline started to run into some financial difficulties, with too many aircraft and too few profitable routes to place them on. Halfway through the costly aircraft refleeting program, the Asian Financial Crisis struck the airline industry in early 1998. By March 31, 1997, at the end of the 1996-1997 fiscal year, PAL reported its largest annual loss of P8.08 Billion (Philippine Pesos).

PAL's financial difficulties were not further helped by a series of labor disputes, beginning with a 3 week Pilot Strike in June, 1998. Following this, Ground personnel began striking on July 22, which ended four days later after an agreement was met. However, PAL's lingering financial troubles continued to take its toll and on June 19, 1998, the company filed for receivership with the securities and exchange commission, which appointed a committee to oversee the rehabilitation of the airline. All services to Europe were discontinued, including the loss of European offices and staff dissmissals. The airline substantially downsized operations during the ongoing Asian Financial Crisis, and recession. The PAL fleet was reduced from 53 aircraft to 22 aircraft, including the removal of all turboprop aircraft, eliminating the airlines rural services and essentially dismantling its Cebu HUB.

With massive lay-offs also taking place, disputes between PAL and the employees union led to a complete shutdown of Philippine Airlines operations on September 23, 1998, the first airline to do so, and  one of the largest corporate failures in Philippine history. Neighbouring Hong Kong based airline, Cathay Pacific temporarily took over Philippine Airlines's domestic and international operations during this phase, which lasted 14 days. During this Cathay Pacific also began to show interest in a 40% stake in the airline. However no agreement was ever reached.

PAL took to the skies again on October 7, 1998, after an agreement was reached between Top management in PAL and the employees, reportedly facilitated by the then-President Joseph Estrada. Services to 15 domestic points out of Manila were launched. On October 29, International flights re-commenced with flights to Los Angeles and San Francisco, other internatioanl services were later restored within the next 3 weeks. PAL gradually restored services to many of its international destinations. With the Aviation industry still in chaos, PAL continued its search for a strategic partner, but later submitted to a "standalone" rehabilitation plan.

In 1999, with the unprecedented boom in air travel, PAL operations were moved to the new Centennial Terminal 2 of Ninoy Aquino International Airport, located at the site of the old MIA building. On August 10, 1999, PAL moved all domestic operations, and later all International operations to the new Centennial Terminal 2, consolidating all of Philippine Airlines's operations into one terminal for the first time.

Virtual Airline Rules and Guidlines

1. All PALv pilots and staff shall conduct themselves in a courteous and professional manner at all times. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity.

2. Anyone who finds themselves suspended or flying privileges revoked from VATSIM or Virtual Skies may be deleted from the roster. The CEO or someone on the staff will listen to what you have to say and make a decision accordingly. Just keep in mind VATSIM keeps a record of all chat messages.

3. All newly registered pilots must complete a flight within one month of activation. New pilots not completing their initial flight within one month will be deleted from the roster.

4. All currently employed pilots must complete at least 1 flight every 2 months in order to remain active. PALv believes this to be more than reasonable. Most VA’s require two flights a month or more. Pilots who are unable to fly a flight in a 2 month period are asked to notify the CEO (or Human Resource Manager if one is on staff) and let him/her know when they will be back to fly again. This way you are not deleted from the roster and can be put on Leave of Absence (LOA). We understand life happens and situations arise that keeps you from your favorite hobby.

5. All flights will be flown on the VATSIM/Virtual Skies network.

6. Pilots are to sign in using the Flight Number of the flight (as your Callsign). I.E. If you are going to fly PAL100, then you sign in to VATSIM as PAL100. - Please review our PALv Getting Started Manual on the forums for more information regarding this, and how the system works.

7. PALv staff encourage all pilots to fly in group flights and in special events as often as they can. For group or event flights we urge your attendance, however it is not required. Our staff go to great lengths to organise these events and would love everyones presence. Remember you represent our Organisation when you are flying online under our colors. 

8. All group and event flights must be done on VATSIM, no exceptions.

9. All pilots are asked to, though not required to, add the URL link to the PALv website and that the flight is being recorded live by www.simmiles.com in the comment section of your Flight Plan. This way you help advertise your VA and Simmiles.

10. We realize that sticking to a schedule all the time may get a little tiring and thats why at PALv you are free to log one flight a week from wherever you like, maybe your home airport to your favorite destination. As long as the hours can be verified by Vataware! (add your PALv Pilot ID to your comments as well). These hours will go on your total hrs but no pay will be issued as it is not benifiting the VA financially. - At PALv we also offer Charter flights, and such flights can be flown by anyone. We will not be taking suggestions for Charter flights, however we will try and offer an array of destinations that will please all.

11. More importantly, ENJOY YOURSELF AND HAVE FUN!

Enjoy your time here with Philippine Airlines Virtual, and please feel free to sign up to our messageboards.