Rules & Regulations

All members must treat fellow pilots, staff and guests with respect at all times. Harassment, discrimination, hate speech or personal attacks will not be tolerated and result in immediate removal. Violations may be reported to VATSIM or IVAO.

Members must be at least 16 years of age to join Air Liberté Virtual. This aligns with the VATSIM minimum age requirement effective January 1, 2026, and IVAO's requirement that the VA CEO be at least 16.

Each pilot may hold only one account on the Air Liberté crew center, mirroring the VATSIM and IVAO single-account policy. Duplicate accounts will be removed and the pilot may be suspended.

Pilots must register using their real first and last name, consistent with VATSIM and IVAO requirements. Nicknames or false names are not permitted and may result in account removal.

When flying as Air Liberté Virtual on any network, you represent the airline. Actions that bring the VA into disrepute may result in disciplinary action and may be reported to the relevant network authority.

Pilots must use approved high-fidelity add-on aircraft. Default MSFS aircraft are not permitted for PIREP submission.

• A319/A320/A321 — Fenix A32NX
• B737-800 — PMDG 737NG
• B737 MAX 8 — iFly 737 MAX
• B777-300ER — PMDG 777
• A350-900/1000/ULR — iniBuilds A350

Pilots must hold a valid type rating for the aircraft they fly. Type ratings are earned through the Training Center. Flying without a valid rating will result in PIREP rejection.

All flights must operate on routes listed in the Air Liberté schedule, covering over 1,200 routes across six continents from hubs at LFBD, LFPG and LFML.

Flights must be operated realistically:

• Simulation rate must be 1× throughout
• Standard procedures — checklists, SIDs/STARs, ICAO phraseology
• Weather set to real-world or live conditions
• Slew mode and teleportation are prohibited
• Flights must depart and arrive at the correct airports as filed

Use SimBrief for flight planning. Carry minimum reserves — 30 minutes holding + alternate fuel for IFR. Declare minimum fuel or divert as necessary rather than risking arrival without reserves.

The official Air Liberté Virtual livery must be used when flying under the LBA callsign on VATSIM or IVAO. Livery reference sheets are available in the Downloads section.

All flights must be tracked using smartCARS 3. Manual PIREP submission is not permitted. Download smartCARS 3 from the Downloads page and configure it with the Air Liberté server URL.

PIREPs are submitted automatically via smartCARS. Pilots must: select the correct flight number before departure, connect smartCARS before starting engines, and remain connected until engines shut down at the gate.

PIREPs must meet minimum standards:

• Simulation rate: 1× throughout
• Minimum score: 50/100
• Landing rate: not exceeding −800 ft/min
• Correct departure and arrival airports
• Realistic flight time for the route distance

If smartCARS disconnects due to a genuine technical issue, contact staff on Discord within 24 hours with evidence. Abuse of this policy results in permanent PIREP rejection.

All new pilots are automatically qualified on the A320 family (Fenix) upon joining. All other type ratings must be earned through the Training Center.

Each type rating requires: Theory (CBT modules), Written exam (80–88% pass mark), and Practical flights on the correct aircraft type with smartCARS active.

A 24-hour cooldown applies between attempts. No limit on number of attempts.

B777 and A350 type ratings require Captain or above. The A350 ULR requires Senior Captain or above.

Flying on VATSIM or IVAO is encouraged but not mandatory for PIREP submission. When flying on network, you must comply fully with the network's Code of Conduct and all applicable local procedures.

When flying as Air Liberté Virtual:

• Callsign format: LBA + flight number (e.g. LBA301)
• Voice callsign: LIBERTE
• On IVAO: include remark IVAOVA/LBA in flight plan remarks
• File a complete IFR flight plan with valid route, alternate and correct aircraft type

• Do not connect on a runway or active taxiway — connect at the gate
• Do not pause while connected except with explicit ATC permission
• IVAO allows 15-minute pilot breaks if traffic permits
• Monitor correct frequencies and respond to ATC promptly
• Do not disconnect without informing ATC if under radar control

Operate transponder in Mode C or S as required. Maintain the ATC-assigned squawk code. Never squawk 7500, 7600 or 7700 unless in a genuine simulated emergency coordinated with ATC.

Standard ICAO phraseology must be used. English is the primary language for ATC communications. French may be used on French territory sectors if the controller offers it. Trolling controllers or disrupting ATC services will result in disciplinary action and network reporting.

Do not use callsigns associated with real-world disasters or tragedies. These are explicitly prohibited by VATSIM policy. Use only LBA + flight number from our schedule.

Any VATSIM or IVAO suspension resulting from conduct while flying as Air Liberté Virtual will trigger an internal VA review. Pilots must inform staff of any network suspension within 48 hours.

All active pilots must complete a minimum of 1 accepted PIREP every 60 days. Failure will result in a warning before inactive status is applied.

To maintain IVAO partner status, Air Liberté Virtual must collectively log at least (number of active pilots × 2) hours per week, with a minimum of 1 flight hour per month for IVAO certification. Individual regular flying helps the VA maintain network certifications.

Request an LOA on Discord for up to 90 days. Extensions available on request. LOA suspends the activity requirement.

Pilots inactive for more than 90 days without an active LOA will be removed. Former pilots may re-apply — previous hours and ratings are not retained.

Rank	Hours	Auto-Promote	Pay Multiplier
Student Pilot	0h	Yes	40%
Second Officer	10h	Yes	50%
First Officer	50h	Yes	60%
Senior First Officer	150h	Yes	70%
Captain	500h	Yes	100%
Senior Captain	1,000h	Yes	115%
Chief Pilot	2,500h	Staff review	130%

Pay is calculated per PIREP: aircraft hourly rate × flight time × rank multiplier. Ranges from €34/hr (Student on A319) to €202/hr (Chief Pilot on A350 ULR). Credited on PIREP acceptance.

All members must link their Discord account within 7 days of joining via the #verification channel using Discord OAuth.

French and English are equally welcome. On VATSIM/IVAO, English must be used for ATC unless the controller offers French.

Strictly prohibited: NSFW content, political or religious debates, advertising other VAs without permission, pirated software, illegal content, or recreations of real-world disasters or tragedies.

Air Liberté Virtual collects and stores:

• First name and last name (real name, required)
• Email address
• Country and timezone
• IP address (security)
• VATSIM ID, IVAO VID, Discord ID (if linked voluntarily)
• Flight data — PIREPs, hours, routes, scores, aircraft
• Pilot balance and VA financial history

Displayed publicly: first name, pilot ID, rank, hub, hours, flights, type ratings. Last names and personal email addresses are never displayed publicly. VATSIM/IVAO IDs and VA callsigns may be shown once linked.

All pilots have the right to access, correct, delete or export their personal data. Contact staff via Discord or noreply@newhorisons.com. Requests processed within 30 days.

Personal data is never sold. Flight data (callsign, route, hours) may be shared with VATSIM and IVAO as required for VA certification. Staff will never ask for your password.

Staff decisions are final. The CEO/Owner is the final authority and is solely responsible for all official communications with VATSIM and IVAO on behalf of Air Liberté Virtual.

Air Liberté Virtual must respond to VATSIM and IVAO communications within 7 days. Failure to respond may result in loss of partner certification. Only designated staff may communicate officially with networks on the VA's behalf.

Any disciplinary decision may be appealed within 7 days by contacting the Chief Pilot via Discord DM with reasoning and evidence. Appeal decisions are final at VA level. Network bans may be separately appealed through VATSIM or IVAO channels.

Rules may be updated at any time, particularly to reflect VATSIM or IVAO policy changes. Members will be notified via #annonces and the crew center news feed. Continued membership implies acceptance.

Severity	Examples	Consequence
Level 1 — Minor	Off-topic posting, incorrect callsign, single low-score PIREP	Verbal warning
Level 2 — Moderate	Repeated violations, PIREP issues, disrespect	Written warning + review
Level 3 — Severe	Fraud, harassment, cheating, network CoC violation	Immediate permanent removal

3 written warnings within 6 months results in temporary suspension (7–30 days) or permanent removal depending on severity.

Immediate permanent removal — no warning — and reported to VATSIM/IVAO where applicable:

• PIREP fraud or data manipulation
• Simulation rate above 1× on any filed flight
• Harassment, hate speech or discrimination
• Sharing another member's personal information
• Deliberate ATC disruption on VATSIM or IVAO
• Impersonating staff
• Using prohibited callsigns (disaster flights)