¶ Event Categories
An Event Category is a classification derived from the type of events presented in the IVAO network and community. This way we have both an Event Category and an Event Type, the first acts as an umbrella term for every Event Type in its category.
¶ IVAO Events
IVAO Events is an umbrella term for all event categories and types to be used in our network. Depending on the subcategory, an IVAO Event may or may not be added to the Calendar System and may or may not be published in the IVAO Events forum board. This definition does not include Special Operations Events, which are handled by the S.O. Department.
¶ IVAO Connects Events
IVAO Connect Events The IVAO Connect Events is a series of events organized solely by the IVAO Events Department in partnership with active IVAO divisions. The purpose is to increase our event’s network activity by connecting neighbour divisions through special events.
Three divisions will participate in these events, with each division having two airports, resulting in a total of six airports for the event. Pilots are required to complete two flights between these six airports, with the only condition being that the flights cannot be between two airports within the same division.
¶ IVAO Events with HQ support
IVAO Events with HQ support are organised by the Divisional Events Departments (from a single or from multiple divisions) plus the IVAO Events Department, booked at the Calendar System and published in the IVAO Events forum board. These events may or may not integrate the IVAO Events Support Award. Learn more about this Event Category here.
¶ IVAO HQ Events
IVAO HQ Events are organised solely by the IVAO Events Department and may or may not count with a partnership from Divisional Events Departments, booked at the Calendar System and published in the IVAO Events forum board. These events may or may not integrate the IVAO Events Support Award. Learn more about this Event Category here.
¶ IVAO Multidivisional Events
IVAO Multidivisional Events are organised by multiple Divisional Events Departments (meaning that more than one division is participating in the event), booked at the Calendar System and published in the IVAO Events forum board.
¶ IVAO Single Division Events
IVAO Single Division Events are organised by the Divisional Events Department (meaning that only one division is participating in the event), booked at the Calendar System and published in the IVAO Events forum board.
¶ IVAO Division-only Events
IVAO Division-only Events are organised by the Divisional Events Department, not booked at the Calendar System and not published in the IVAO Events forum board. These events are organised by only one division and may be advertised at the divisional level only – if a division wishes to advertise in a place other than its own division, the Divisional Events Department must first book the event at the Calendar System.
¶ IVAO Divisional Online Days
IVAO Divisional Online Days Events are organised by the Divisional Events Department, published in the IVAO Divisional Online Days Calendar but not booked at the Calendar System. These events are organised by only one division and may be advertised at the divisional level only – if a division wishes to advertise in a place other than its own division, the Divisional Events Department must first book the event at the Calendar System.
¶ IVAO User Events
IVAO User Events are organised by IVAO Users, published in the IVAO User Events forum board but not booked at the Calendar System. These events can only take place inside active divisions and require approval from the IVAO Events Department and the Divisional Events Department responsible for the country/region of the proposed event.
¶ Event Types
An Event Type is a sub-classification that has a correspondence with an Event Category.
¶ IVAO Public Demonstration Events
IVAO Public Demonstration Events are live, in-situ events hosted by either the Divisional Events Department and/or the IVAO Events Department itself, where our network is presented to the general public outside of IVAO. Usually, PDEs are combined with other activities surrounding the live event, such as online events (see other types below) or presentations. Learn more about Public Demonstration Events here.
¶ Real Flight Events
Real Flight Events are special events within the IVAO Community, in which the actual, real-life schedule for one or more specific airports is thoroughly followed throughout the event date and timeframe. These events take into account all kinds of details, such as event time, season, aircraft types, departure and arrival gates/stands. Learn more about Real Flight Events here.
¶ Real Flight Operations Events
Real Flight Operations Events are very similar to Real Flight Events, but some differences are considered when planning this type of event: the RFO allows private slots, partnerships with Virtual Airlines, and includes the real schedule slots per time for a specific airport or more. Learn more about Real Flight Operations Events here.
- Mega Slot Events are a subtype of the RFO Event. In this subtype, a division provides a certain number of empty slots and members can fill in the flight details, such as the departure and arrival airports, type of aircraft, and callsign.
¶ Airbridge Events
Airbridge Events are events that aim to connect two or more airports in a region, country, or even neighbouring countries. There are three subtypes of Airbridge Events:
- Unidirectional — there are two airports involved in a unidirectional airbridge, and pilots are required to fly from AAAA to BBBB, but not from BBBB to AAAA.
- Bidirectional — there are two airports involved in a bidirectional airbridge, and pilots are required to fly between the two involved airports in no particular order.
- Multidirectional — there are more than two airports in a multidirectional airbridge, and the hosting division may choose multiple routes for pilots. If no specific route order is set, pilots may choose to fly any route between the involved airports.
¶ Fly-in and/or Fly-out Events
Fly-in and/or Fly-out Events are one of the most common events types in our network, usually to celebrate a special occasion in a light manner or event to entertain pilots and controllers with the higher-than-usual quantity of air traffic. In this type of event, the hosting division chooses one or more airports for pilots to fly-in/out of anywhere they desire to, without a specific origin/destination (respectively). Sometimes, a division will also name this event type as “Destination” or “Overload” to highlight the special characteristics of an event.
- Overload — consisting mostly of fly-out flights (or fly-ins, depending on the hosting division), this type of event chooses a centralised airport from which pilots can choose their flights as a departure or destination – usually, it involves only one division, but it aims at being a really crowded event.
- Destination — consisting mostly of fly-in flights, this type of event aims to be a big project that usually involves multiple divisions to crowd the skies around the chosen destination airport.
- Fly-out-"pilot's life" — This type of event is a cross between an RFO and a fly-out.The pilot will connect at the airport proposed for the event but will not know the destination airport. (The connection is made without a flight plan), a member of the staff or a VA that is co-organizer of the event, will send a message to the pilot indicating hiss/her destination, the route, flight level and the payload.
¶ Memorial Events
A Memorial Event is a special status given to organised event types (see types above) that celebrate the life and/or mourn the passing of notable members of our beloved IVAO Community. A Memorial Event may also be in remembrance of aviation tragedies by honouring those who have passed away. These events must be approved by the IVAO Events Department before planning and publication of the forum announcement, even if it is an IVAO Division-only Event that was not booked in the Calendar System.
¶ Long Haul Events
Long Haul Events are a common type of event characteristic for having long duration flights (More than 6 hours of flight time). Some typical examples of these events are the Atlantic crossing, Pacific crossing and the Continental crossing.
¶ Vintage Events
This type of event is characterized by going back a few decades. In these events it is about returning aircraft that are no longer in use or that their use has been greatly reduced (B717, B727, DC8...). Old navigation procedures are also often incorporated into these events to give greater realism.
¶ Password Events
These events will challenge your knowledge. In order to continue your flight you must correctly answer some questions that will be sent to you during the flight.
These events have several variations, for example it can be a single question to be able to land or several during your route. For example, answering a question correctly could mean flying direct to a FIX and having a shorter flight. On the other hand, answering incorrectly could mean diverting for an alternate airport... Are you ready?
¶ Historical Events
These events are related with dates related to special historical worldwide events, which would be involving an important activity for aviation.
¶ Special Operations Events
These events are very special kinds of event since they would also involve the Special Operations Department as well as make sure those special operations activities are not related to fighter or IFR flights.
Few examples of this kind of event would be: Meteorological Flight Events, Press Announcements simulations or road traffic simulations among others...
¶ VFR Ops at small airfields
We all have on our mind big airports with big planes, but when we are enjoying the real flight operations, we need to think into VFR flights and those are coming most of the times from Small Airfields worldwide located, with these kind of events we would be promoting activities more related with these kind of aviation such as Aeroclubs event simulation.
¶ VFR Overload Operations Event
Who can't remember one of the many overloads event happening every year in IVAO, but how many of you can remember VFR Overload Operations Event? From now on this would be possible by following a booking system, Full ATC Coverage including along the different destinations and as only requirement to flight under VFR Rules and using planes accordingly to the kind of event.
¶ "Chopper" Helos Ops Event
In these ocassions we would be promoting the flight and control by only using our lovely and different "Choppers" making sure full atc coverage can be provided along the event.
¶ AFIS Airport Events
These events would have as main activity to provided AFIS Control along the whole event with all the different traffics.
¶ Hemispherical Events
Many times we get mention that is difficult to participate due to time zone differences. With theses kind of events we would be having solve this situation, by creating the same kind of event along the two hemispheres, for example if we are looking at special summer events in both hemispheres, been summer VFR Events to happen on year bases, as they would be in both hemispheres we would have two events of this kind every year promoting different countries on those hemispheres and as only VFRs
¶ Many more
Considering that IVAO is an organic community – meaning that it is in constant change and development – there are many other events types possible within our organisation, therefore the Events Types described above are just the most common events – more event types may be created due to the developments in our community! If you want to send a new proposal, please email us to events@ivao.aero
¶ List of abbreviations
Here is a list of the most common abbreviations regarding IVAO Events.
- ATC: Air Traffic Control/Controller (ATCs, in the plural form).
- FMC: Follow-me-car (FMCs, in the plural form).
- ESA: Events Support Award (No plural form).
- MSE: Mega Slot Event (MSEs, in the plural form).
- PDE: Public Demonstration Event (PDEs, in the plural form).
- RFE: Real Flight Event (RFEs, in the plural form).
- RFO: Real Flight Operations Event (RFOs, in the plural form).
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