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Click here if you want to start flying or file a PIREP

How to Register, Create flights, File PIREPs

We have moved to a new PIREP platform: phpVMS. This platform has many advantages, but may take some time getting used to. We’ll help you on the way.

Compared with the old website and PIREP system, the most important change with our new system is that you first have to create your flight before you can file it. 

Click on the links:

The manual for ACARS is provisional and will probably be fine tuned over the next weeks. Please report issues on our dedicated ACARS forum.

You’ll notice that some “old” functionality is missing, such as military ranks. Military missions can still be accessed via the Downloads page. We may introduce ranks if we can automate this.

You may also find the new filing website pages a bit busy. So do we. phpVMS is a fully programmed environment which we don’t master. So please don’t feel bothered or intimidated by all the extra information or functionality. Even in such a complex environment, we intend keeping to our KISS-motto. 

As far as past flight time is concerned: we have records until our former website crashed in January. Please file flights you have made since then and let us know in the forum that you’d like your previous hours added.

How to register

Go to https://fly.platinumairways.org/  and click on Register

Complete the registration form:

  • Your full name
  • A valid email address
  • Airline: fixed – Platinum Airways
  • Home airport (can be changed later): either enter ICAO code or search
  • Your country
  • Your time zone – select
  • Transfer hours: optional, they can be added later as well
  • Create and confirm a strong password (at least 12 characters, with CAPS and a special sign (!@#$%&*+))
  • Complete the CAPTCHA (usually looking for an image that is not repeated or that breaks a row or column)
  • Confirm acceptance or Terms
  • Click Register

Your next screen asks you to confirm your registration. Please go to your email inbox.

Click on the Verification button or copy-paste the URL at the bottom into your browser.

All done, this is your next screen.

How to create a flight

On the main menu, Select Free Flight in the rollout menu under your name

Enter the departure and arrival airport, select the flight type (optional) and Aircraft.

Complete by clicking on Update & proceed to Flight Planning.

This is your confirmation window. It gives you an estimated distance and flight time.

How to file a manual PIREP

Select New Manual PIREP

Your Departure and Arrival airport should be in the PIREP already.

Now complete:

  • Distance flown
  • Flight time
  • Aircraft
  • (FL is optional)
  • Disregard fuel fields, as we don’t work with financials
  • (Route and remarks are optional)

When done, click on Submit PIREP.

This is your confirmation screen. It shows your flight on map.

Your rank is adjusted automatically.

How to fly with ACARS

Select Profile under your name top navigation

Click on the eye next to “API Key”. The key itself is now visible. Copy your key to your computer (Notepad, Word, …).

Now head to Docs & Resources, and select Downloads

Click on ACARS Client to download the ACARS software onto your computer. We use VMSAcars.

Next, virus scan, extract and install the ACARS software. Your Documents appears to be its default installation location. Now go to the installation location on your computer, find the phpVMS folder and copy the key into a file named settings.xml. (see https://docs.phpvms.net/acars/user-guide#client-config)

This page has info on installing and linking with your simulator: https://docs.phpvms.net/acars/user-guide:

All flights are firstly created and then flown, either offline (with a manual PIREP) or via ACARS. Information as to how to create flights is a bit higher up on this page.

Your flight will hopefully be ready. Start up ACARS and if all went well, click Search/Bids button, then click Bids. You will find your Personal/Free Flight always under Bids, it will not be visible via search or at website.

ACARS will never be mandatory. hence we try to have this functionality available to those pilots who want it. 

If things don’t work or you would like to discuss this further, please head over to the dedicated ACARS forum (separate login).