PIREP Approval Criteria

To maintain consistency and uphold standards, United Virtual Airlines (UVA) follows specific criteria for Pilot Report (PIREP) approval. Pilots are required to adhere to the following guidelines: Note: Any PIREP routed for staff will be reviewed within 48 hours. If your PIREP has not been reviewed within that time please create a support ticket in the discord or email dpo@dlyuva.org . 
 Simulation Rate: 
 
 
 CRUISE Phase Time Acceleration: 
 
 Pilots may use any simulation rate (time acceleration) during the CRUISE phase only, from top-of-climb (TOC) to top-of-descent (TOD). 
 Time acceleration is strictly prohibited during taxi, take-off, climb, descent, approach, and landing. 
 
 
 
 ATC Permission on VATSIM: 
 
 Pilots on VATSIM must receive permission from ATC before using time acceleration. 
 
 
 
 Phases Jumping Prohibition: 
 
 Use of any feature allowing jumping between flight phases (e.g., to the next waypoint, top of descent, slewing) is strictly prohibited. 
 
 
 
 Landing Rate: 
 
 Maximum Landing Rate: 
 
 Landing rate must not exceed -600 feet per minute (fpm). 
 Multiple touchdowns must not exceed -600 fpm each. 
 
 
 
 Routing: 
 
 smartCARS Routing Requirement: 
 
 Routing must be entered in smartCARS. 
 Direct (airport to airport) routes are not permitted. 
 
 
 
 Flight Errors: 
 
 Stalls, Overspeeds, Violations: 
 
 Stalls, overspeeds, and >250kts below 10,000 ft. MSL violations may lead to PIREP rejection, based on severity and/or duration. Exemptions to this must be documented and a reason given, reasons for exemptions are to include but not limited to:
 
 On departure in a heavy aircraft where the climb out speed V2 +10-20kts is greater than 250kts (265kts or greater will flag a violation in smartCARS) 
 ATC instructions 
 
 
 MSFS2020/2024 users: 
 
 note that using “Active Pause” registers as a stall; avoid using this feature during flight recording. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Fuel Guidelines: 
 
 
 Minimum Fuel at Landing: 
 
 At landing, fuel must be more than 2000 lbs. for all passenger transport aircraft. 
 
 
 
 Reserve Fuel: 
 
 Reserve fuel should be added before departure for emergency, holding, or unforeseen circumstances. 
 Using "Unlimited Fuel" option in any simulator is strictly prohibited. 
 In-flight refueling is NOT permitted and any PIREPs submitted with a logged inflight refueling will be rejected (at Hub Manager/Executive/Admin Staff discretion). 
 
 
 
 Staff: 
 
 
 Discretionary Approval/Rejection: 
 
 Staff may approve or reject a PIREP at their discretion. 
 A reason for rejection will always be provided in the comments section. 
 Any administrative team member may overrule a rejection if found unnecessary. 
 Pireps of any staff member must be reviewed by a member of the executive or administrative team. 
 
 
 
 Self-Approval Prohibition: 
 
 No staff member may accept their own PIREP.  
 
 
 
 Diversions: 
 
 Notation Requirement: 
 
 Pilots must note the diversion airport and reason in the “Comments” section of smartCARS if flight conditions are unsafe or in case of an emergency. 
 
 
 
 Slew Mode: 
 
 Slew Mode Restriction: 
 
 PIREPs showing slew mode toggled on at any time will be rejected. 
 
 
 
 Double Dipping: 
 
 Hours Accrual Limitation: 
 
 Accruing hours for another virtual airline during the same flight is strictly prohibited. 
 Violators may face PIREP rejection and possible disciplinary action by the Executive/Administration Team. 
 
 
 
 Airline & Aircraft Type Restrictions: 
 
 General Requirements: 
 
 Pilots may fly any airline and aircraft type, considering fuel range, appropriate aircraft size for departure and arrival airports, and runway length. 
 Substituting aircraft is allowed, but pilots must leave a comment in the “Comments” section of smartCARS before PIREP submission. 
 
 
 
 Charter Operations: 
 
 Charters Creation Limitation: 
 
 Charters (also known as Free Flights ) can only be created for routes not already in the scheduling system. 
 Aircraft substitutions can be made through smartCARS, so charters/free flights should not be created solely for changing aircraft type.