TIP#2  MAKING ON-LINE FLIGHTS MORE ENJOYABLE

Connecting to an on-line game means you obviously want to fly with other people not just other aircraft.  Doing so places certain obligations on your part,  either hosting or joining.  I will begin with generalities that are applicable to both.  Before you jump to the conclusion that only the obvious will be stated here and therefore a waste of time,  let me assure you that is not my intention.

Since, this is sim " flying",   FAA rules that are enforced on the real world aviation community are largely unenforceable and for the most part ignored.   Most of us don't know them well enough anyway,  or we would be real world pilots.   But, that doesn't mean we can do anything we want while flying with other people.

Hosts do have the option to block or remove anyone they don't care to fly with.   You have the option of not joining,  or,   leaving a game you don't like.    But,  that defeats the very purpose of what we wanted to do in the first place...fly with other people.

There are a few things,  if done,  in preparation,  to flying on-line,  that will make the experience enjoyable for all.  Politeness,  Patience,  and Practice.
Practice first off-line.   No one wants to fly with someone who can not control their plane.  On the ground,  or,  in the air.  " Well, how do I learn to fly,  if no one teaches me?"  READ the book that came with the cd's past the point of installation,   fly the tutorial flights that are in the sim,  and practice.

Patience,  this is a pc based simulator,  it takes time to set up a flight,  it takes time for the zone to launch,  it takes time to connect through multiplayer.  If you only have a few minutes to be on-line,  for what ever reason,  get set up before you come on.   Even if you have a lot of time this helps everyone. " Ok already,  how do I do that?"

Start your sim.  CAUTION: YOU MUST USE A DEFAULT PLANE AND SCENERY!  Pick an airport,  I use a small one so there isn't any dynamic planes to crash into me while completing the set up.  Taxi off the runway to an area away from any traffic.  Pick a plane,  I like to start with the default King Air,  because it is a multiengine plane and therefore most of how I set it up will transfer to any plane I change to.   At this point configure the sim and plane for take off i.e.; make your realism settings,  any changes to settings under options,  fuel settings,  anything you want to be ready when you use this flt again.   After you have it set the way you want it click flights click save and then name it and check the make this default flight box.    " So what,  I done all that already?"

Great!  Now when your sim starts with a zone launch you won't be in anyone's way and no one will be running into you or screaming at you to clear the runway.  If you are joining a game and the host has done his job,  you can now set the flight plan,  radios and get weather downloaded.  Now you are ready to ask for a clearance into the hosts airport.

Hosts,  do your jobs.  Have a flight plan ready with aircraft type,  waypoints,  radio frequencies,  and destination.  Put as much information about the flight as you can in the the zone information box,  and the sim description box.  Try to set a time that the game will start. And,  most importantly have your own plane set up before launching,  so you can help the people joining.  Remember you invited them and just like any party,  the guests never arrive at the same time.  If you do not know how to do all this,  you probably shouldn't be hosting.  Make decisions.  Be authorative.  But,  don't be rude.  Being young and/or a newbie is not a crime,  if it is then we are all guilty at one time or the other.

Joiners,  do your job.  Read the info,  and come prepared.

We all know FS2000 is unstable in multiplayer mode so I leave myself open to criticism and correction for this last thought.  Running a bunch of add on programs,  in which I include RogerWilco,  Battlecom,  Ch server/client,  and various others,  as well as people deliberately joining and dropping from games,  may contribute to disconnects,  more so for people like myself who have borderline systems to start with.  So,  give consideration,  is it really  necessary to have before making it a requirement for joining a game.

And remember:  NOTHING HAPPENS FAST IN AVIATION, EXCEPT CRASHES!