Welcome back to another VATSIM SOAR! In this SOAR article we’ll briefly discuss Special operations on VATSIM.

Aviation is more than just point to point airline flights and touch and goes at your local airfield. Many pilots take to the skies to fly combat sorties in fighter jets, fight raging wildfires, search land and sea for missing people and much more. VATSIM members who are endorsed by the Virtual Special Operations Administration (vSOA) are eligible to fly these missions, all of which are part of the network’s vSOA program.

The VATSIM vSOA is made up of a wide variety of specialty groups, focusing on simulating various real world and fictional special operations groups. This includes virtual military groups simulating real world air forces across the globe, search and rescue groups, aerial fire fighting and VIP transportation.

Each year, every group is required to host at least one group training exercise. These large group events include flying the mach loop in Europe, transporting cargo to and from Antarctica and much more. These events bring together pilots from around the world and show off the unique abilities of each vSOA organization!

Every vSOA pilot undergoes rigorous training, allowing them special privileges on the network to fly otherwise restricted activities. Standard VATSIM members unaffiliated with a vSOA organization are reminded that these special operations are still prohibited per the VATSIM CoC.

vSOA restricted activities per vsoa ppm 

● Conducting joint training exercises with other approved VSOAs

● War games

● Air to air refuelling

● Carrier operations

● Flying low level military routes

● Flying escort missions

● Executing air combat manoeuvres

● Interception/scramble of other aircraft

● Having access to special use airspace.

● Search and Rescue Operations

● Firefighting Operations

● Launch and Recovery of Space Vehicles

● Air Displays (Flying Displays, Races)

● Fly unmanned aerial vehicles, e.g. Global Hawk

To find a vSOA that fits your interests, check out the airline list on myVATSIM and sort by “special operations.”