Metro Helicopters FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Last update - July, 2008
Q. Who is Metro Helicopters?
A. Metro Helicopters is a "virtual airline" or "VA." Our members enjoy realistically simulating flight operations of a real world helicopter service. We do this for personal entertainment, educational purposes (including the development of helicopter piloting skills), and the opportunity to meet and build friendships with fellow helicopter aviation and flight simulation enthusiasts, as well as real pilots from around the world.
Q. Does Metro have any relationship with real world aviation companies or airlines?
A. Metro Helicopters is a private, not-for-profit, unincorporated group of individuals who enjoy the flight simulation hobby. We have no affiliation with any aviation company or airline (although some people have actually thought we were a real helicopter company!)
Q. Who founded Metro Helicopters?
A. Metro Helicopters was founded in November of 2000, by Russ Downing, a highly experienced real world pilot and flight simulation enthusiast. Metro’s Co-Founder was Adrian Cholmondelay. Metro has been steadily growing. As of July, 2008, Metro has 33 pilot members, and several additional members holding positions as livery and scenery designers. Some of Metro’s members are real world pilots, or are student pilots. Most Metro pilots have considerable flight experience on the VATSIM network, and several have air traffic controller experience as well.
Q. How does Metro simulate real world helicopter flight operations?
A. Metro’s virtual pilots use Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 or FS X, flying in multi-user mode, connected via the Internet, and also to the VATSIM worldwide simulated air traffic control system (www.vatsim.net).
Q. What makes Metro Helicopters unique as a Flight Simulator virtual airline?
A. Metro is the only virtual helicopter operation to fly 100% online, using the VATSIM worldwide virtual air traffic control network on the Internet. We strive for a very high level of realism, and all of our pilots are experienced Flight Simulator helicopter pilots and VATSIM users. Metro pilots fly with real world weather conditions, actual time of day, and using real world helicopter routes. Pilots follow real world ATC procedures, to the extent supported by the VATSIM network.
Metro’s pilot training and testing program, and our operational procedures, were developed by Metro’s Director of Training, who is a real world, medevac rated professional S-76 helicopter pilot, holding Senior Captain and Certified Flight Instructor ratings. Additional input was provided by real world commercial and instrument rated pilots and helicopter rated emergency medical technicians.
Metro's talented scenery designers have constructed highly detailed scenery including: major New York area heliports, commercial, hospital, private helipads, helipads on ships and pleasure boats, and simulated accident site scenery for MS Flight Simulator 2004. This scenery is based on photographs of real world locations, as well as FAA Airport and Facilities Directory (AFD) data and Google Earth images.
Q. What types of activities do Metro pilots engage in?
A. Metro’s simulated operations include air taxi, site-seeing and charter flights for executive transport, Homeland Security, aerial photography/survey and electronic news gathering. Air taxi flights include passenger transfers from other virtual airlines.
Metro supports our alliance partner Virtual Flight Options (VFO), a regional virtual airline, with connecting flights from KTEB, KEWR, KJFK, and KLGA to New York City heliports, and other locations. Coordinated flight scheduling and connections provides an additional level of challenge and realism for pilots of both virtual airlines. Operations are jointly coordinated via a special discuss forum section on the VFO web site. Pilots can schedule a flight connection in advance, and also coordinate inter-airline operations on a VFO operated voice channel.
The MetroLife division provides simulated medevac and critical care patient transport in the New York and Los Angeles areas. We are currently in the planning stages for a fire fighting division. MetroLife pilots are specially qualified Metro Senior Command Pilots. They fly the S-76, Bell 412, EC-135 and AS-365 in support of medevac operations. The MetroLife division is managed by Ed Easterbrook, NMH02. Questions concerning MetroLife operations can be addressed to metrolife@metrohelo.org.
Q. Where does Metro fly?
A. Metro Headquarters is located at Teterboro Airport (KTEB) in New Jersey. MetroLife Headquarters (East Coast) is located at Floyd Bennett Field (NY22 or CGAS in FS2004) in Brooklyn, NY. Metro Training operations are conducted using specially developed scenery for Republic Airport (KFRG) in Farmingdale, New York. Metro West Coast operations are based at Van Nuys Airport (KVNY), located north of Los Angeles, California.
In addition to flights to NYC heliports, Metro flies to major New York area airports, and outlying areas including Westchester, Connecticut, Albany, Eastern Long Island, and Atlantic City. Our Scenery Design Team has also developed scenery for hospital helipads located in Queens (NYC) and northern New Jersey, and roof-top helipads for office buildings located in downtown Manhattan, New Jersey, on Long Island, and in Philadelphia. Pilots can also fly to private helipads in New Jersey and on Long Island, and to helipads on the Metro yacht, located off Sandy Hook, NJ, and to an ocean liner, located off the south shore of Long Island.
Flying from Metro’s West Coast FBO, at Van Nuys (KVNY), pilots can visit many commercial and hospital helipads located throughout the Los Angeles area (custom scenery developed for Metro by Martin Lopez, and available for download on our web site.)
Q. How realistic is it?
A. Metro strives for as a high degree of realism as possible using personal, PC based flight simulation software. We use custom designed heliport scenery that accurately represents the real-world counterparts.
Scenery developed by the Metro Scenery Design Team includes New York’s East 34th Street, West 30th Street and Downtown Manhattan heliports, Metro Headquarters at Teterboro Airport in NJ (KTEB) and Metro’s facility at Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn, NY (NY22) were created based on photographs taken by Metro Helicopters members and others, satellite images, maps, and FAA Airport and Facilities Directory information. Metro has also developed AFCAD files for FS2004 that place helipads of the correct size in accurate locations at the three major New York area airports (JFK, LGA and EWR). Hospital helipad scenery is placed based on Google Earth images and the (latest available) published heliport directory information. Note - All Metro scenery is for use on VATSIM only, and is NOT intended to be used for real world flight training or flight planning. Data may not be current.
Metro pilots communicate with simulated air traffic controllers, other pilots and Metro flight dispatchers (when available) via Internet voice-over-IP technology as well as text messaging, using applications such as Squawkbox, FSInn and TeamSpeak.
We fly using real world helicopter route charts and follow (as closely as possible) actual helicopter ATC procedures. Metro pilots usually also fly using actual time and real world weather conditions.
Q. What tools and resources do you provide to your pilots?
A. Pilots can download Metro scenery and aircraft liveries (via secure download) from our web site. The Metro web site also provides information such as a real time display of pilots currently flying, latest flight flown, top pilots by flight hours, and a pilot roster. The Metro Discussion Forum is used by the Metro Board to post announcements, and by our pilots to exchange tips and request assistance.
Metro Helicopters has developed a set of flight operations procedures, which are followed by our pilots. Metro has also created detailed heliport and airport diagrams and annotated helicopter route charts (based on real world charts, but showing MS Flight Simulator scenery in an “overhead” view) for the New York ARTCC, which we make available to all pilots.
The Metro Company Store offers a hats, shirts and other clothing items for Metro pilots, as well as the indispensable Metro coffee mug, Metro mouse pads, a MetroLife clock and a calendar.
Q. How often does Metro fly?
A. Metro pilots can fly online at any time. The official weekly "Metro Night" for New York and Los Angeles flight operations is Sunday, from approx. 19:30 – 22:00 EST. While Metro pilots normally fly in the NYC and Los Angeles Metropolitan areas, they can fly anywhere in the VATSIM world, as long as they follow Metro procedures when using a Metro call sign. On several occasions, Metro has gone on "road trips", where pilots will fly at the same time in another city.
Q. How can I see Metro pilots flying online?
A. Use applications such as ServInfo, Whazzup or the newly available Dolomynum. All of these applications show near real time displays of pilots flying on the VATSIM network, via either a text based or simulated ATC radar graphical user interface. If you are a registered VATSIM pilot connected to the network, you can also use the optional FSNavigator (payware) program in multiplayer mode to see other Metro pilots. The Home Page of the Metro web site is enabled with a "who is online" feature for each pilot that is connected to VATSIM. Additional data displays details of the last flight based on pilot reports (PIREPS) submitted on the Metro web site. A monthly "Top Pilots" listing based on submitted PIREPS is also available.
Q. What call sign do Metro pilots use when flying on VATSIM?
A. Look for Metro aircraft by their VATSIM callsign, which is NMHxx, or on voice, using the callsign "Metro <number>." MetroLife callsigns when flying medevac missions will be of the format NMHxxLG, and voice callsigns are Lifeguard Metro XX. NMH01 ("Metro One") is used by Metro’s Executive Director (CEO). The "T" designates a Metro pilot who has not passed the required basic Pilot Proficiency test." Check the Metro Pilot Roster, in the Human Resources section of our web site, for pilot details.
Q. Does Metro have a company "voice frequency"?
A. Metro has a password protected TeamSpeak voice server which is shared with our partner virtual airline - Virtual Flight Options (VFO). Inter-airline connecting flights are coordinated via this server, as well as Metro group flights. Metro also occasionally uses a private company voice channel on a Roger Wilco equipped voice server.
Q. Does Metro have a pilot recruitment policy?
A. Yes. Pilots must have a valid VATSIM pilot ID, with a minimum of twenty hours of flight time on VATSIM in rotary wing aircraft. Members must also be at least 13 years of age. Please see our Web site for full member qualification details. Those wishing to join Metro are requested to review the Pilot Membership Requirements, and then complete the pilot application, which can be found in the Human Resources section of the Metro web site. We respond to all membership applications, generally with-in a few days.
Q. Does Metro have a pilot qualification and pilot ranking system?
A. Yes. Metro pilots start their virtual career as First Officer, and then progress to Line Pilot, Command Pilot, and Senior Command Pilot. Pilots advance by successfully completing Metro developed pilot pilot proficiency exams. These are practical tests of piloting skills and operational procedures, which are conducted online in real time. Tests are developed and supervised by the Director of Training and the Metro Management team.
Special positions are also available based on qualifications, such as Dispatcher, Scenery Design Team member, or Aircraft/Livery Designer.
Pilots must fly a minimum number of hours each month to maintain active status as a Metro pilot. These requirements will vary based on pilot certification level.
Q. What aircraft does Metro fly?
A. Metro pilots fly a variety of aircraft, including the AS350Bx A-Star, AS365 N3 Dauphin, EC-120B Colibri, EC-130 Ecostar, EC-135 (MetroLife Division), the Bell 206B III and Bell 412 (MetroLife), the Sikorsky S-76A (Metro and MetroLife) and the Schweizer S-300CBi. Pilot qualification level will determine which aircraft can be flown online. Special liveries are available for these aircraft. Metro pilots can download them from the Metro web site (password required). The download page describes the “base” aircraft models that are required.
Q. Who designed Metro’s unique aircraft livery?
A. Michael Carr, of FSMC Designs (Texas, USA) has developed many of Metro’s aircraft liveries. Michael’s original designs for Antti Pankonen’s AS365 Dauphin and for the standard MS Flight Simulator 2002 Bell 206B won the Metro Livery Design Competition, held in October, 2002. Michael Carr has also developed Metro liveries for the AS-350, EC-120, EC-130 and EC-135. An AS-350B "Proud and Free" livery, which commemorated 9-11, was developed by Russ Downing. Jim Davey, Metro 3, developed a repaint for the MetroLife AS-365. In 2005, Bob Jones created Metro repaints for the Bell 206B III developed by Owen Hewitt (and also offered in the RealStart 206 by DodoSim). Ed Easterbrook, Metro 2, developed Metro and MetroLife livery designs for the S-76 and Bell 412. Other designs were developed by Steve Carlson (EC-120 New York) Brian Smith (EC-120 Hollywood) and Blake Cadwallader (Schweizer S-300CBi)
Q. Who pays for Metro operations?
A. Ongoing Web hosting and Domain Name costs for the Metro Web site and online store have been privately funded by past and current members of the Metro Management Team, since the organization was first established. Donations are welcome from any member of the Metro team, or interested party. All scenery and livery designs were provided to Metro at no cost by Metro supporters, and web site development and updates are performed on a volunteer basis.
Q. How can I get more information about Metro?
A. Send an email to info@metrohelo.org. Inquiries regarding our MetroLife medevac operations should be sent to metrolife@metrohelo.org. We will usually respond within 24 hours.
