Training & Qualification

✈ Ethiopian Airlines — A Real History of African Aviation

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) is Africa's largest and most profitable airline, wholly owned by the Ethiopian government. Founded in 1945, it has grown from five surplus propeller aircraft to a modern fleet of 170+ jets serving 161 destinations on every continent.

📋 vETH Values & Internal Regulations — 20 Rules

Ethiopian Virtual Airlines is built on passion, realism and mutual respect. The following 20 rules govern all vETH pilot members. Violations may result in warnings, rank suspension or account termination.

🖥️ Introduction to VAMSYS

VAMSYS is the virtual airline management platform used by vETH. It tracks all your flights, logs PIREPs (Pilot Reports), manages your rank progression and displays real-time flight data.

Key VAMSYS features:

• Flight Center — book a flight from the Ethiopian network
• Live Map — see all vETH pilots flying in real time
• My Account — statistics, badges, rank and flight history
• PIREP submission — log your completed flight automatically via ACARS

1. Register on VAMSYS (link provided upon joining vETH)
2. Log in and explore the Flight Center
3. Book your first flight from ADD (Addis-Abeba)
4. Download the ACARS client to auto-track your flight
5. Submit your PIREP after landing to earn hours

🛠 Flight Tools — SimBrief & Navigraph

Two essential tools complement VAMSYS for a realistic vETH flight experience.

SimBrief — simbrief.com — Professional flight planning

1. Select your aircraft type (B787-8, A350-900, etc.)
2. Enter departure HAAB and your destination
3. SimBrief calculates the optimal route, fuel, flight level and alternates
4. Export the OFP (Operational Flight Plan) to your simulator's FMS
5. Link your SimBrief account to VAMSYS for automatic integration

Navigraph Charts — navigraph.com — Aeronautical charts

• Access real SID, STAR and ILS approach charts for every airport
• Always consult the HAAB charts before departing from Addis-Abeba
• Use the mobile app in the cockpit alongside your simulator

📋 Flight Preparation & Dispatch

A complete pre-flight preparation is the foundation of every successful vETH flight.

• Read the METAR and TAF for departure and destination airports
• Generate your OFP on SimBrief with the correct aircraft type
• Book the flight on VAMSYS before starting your simulator
• Program the FMS with the route and verify fuel
• Check NOTAMs for any active restrictions on your route

Reading a METAR — example from HAAB:

🛫 Departure Procedures — SID

A SID (Standard Instrument Departure) is a published ATC route that guides an aircraft safely from the runway into the en-route structure.

• Always check the active runway at HAAB before selecting your SID
• Program the SID waypoints into your FMS before engine start
• Follow altitude and speed restrictions published on the SID chart
• Common HAAB departures: MARKA 4A, DEXON 2A

Key take-off speeds (calculated by SimBrief):

🌐 Cruise Navigation

During cruise, monitor your flight's progress and fuel state regularly.

• Maintain the flight level (FL) assigned in your OFP
• Check fuel burn vs. plan every 30 minutes — adjust speed if needed
• Monitor weather updates for your destination and alternate
• Update your ATIS for the destination at least 200 nm out
• Calculate your TOD using the FMS or rule of thumb: FL × 3 nm

🛬 Approach Procedures — STAR & ILS

STAR — guides the aircraft from cruise altitude to the approach fix.

ILS — provides lateral (localiser) and vertical (glideslope) guidance at 3° down to the runway.

• Brief the approach plate before starting descent
• Fly the STAR as published — respect all speed and altitude constraints
• Intercept the ILS localiser before the FAF (Final Approach Fix)
• Stabilise the aircraft by 1000 ft AAL: on speed, gear down, flaps set
• Target landing rate: -150 to -300 ft/min for a smooth touchdown

🖥️ Connecting to VATSIM & IVAO

VATSIM and IVAO are the two major online flight simulation networks where you fly with real virtual ATC controllers and other pilots worldwide.

Connecting to VATSIM:

1. Create a free account at vatsim.net
2. Download a pilot client: vPilot (MSFS/P3D) or Swift (X-Plane)
3. Complete the VATSIM P0 (pilot) rating — basic online quiz
4. Connect the client to your simulator and set your callsign (e.g. ETH1234)
5. File a flight plan on VATSIM before connecting

Connecting to IVAO:

1. Create a free account at ivao.aero
2. Download IvAp or Altitude pilot client
3. Complete the IVAO Basic Pilot Training (BPT) online course
4. Set callsign: ETH + flight number (e.g. ETH637)

📻 Basic ATC Phraseology

ATC communication uses ICAO standard phraseology — always speak clearly, concisely and in English.

ICAO Phonetic Alphabet (A–L):

Essential radio calls:

📍 ADD Procedures — HAAB Addis-Abeba

HAAB is a high-altitude airport at 7,625 ft AMSL. Its specific procedures require extra attention.

Typical HAAB departure sequence:

1. Obtain ATIS information (e.g. Information Bravo)
2. Contact HAAB Delivery for IFR clearance
3. Contact Ground for taxi clearance
4. Contact Tower for take-off clearance
5. After airborne, contact Addis Approach then Addis Control

🎯 Supervised Online Flights

To complete Module 5, log at least 2 online flights on VATSIM or IVAO departing from HAAB with ATC active.

Requirements:

• Active ATC at departure or arrival airport
• Correct callsign format: ETH + flight number
• VATSIM/IVAO rating: minimum P0/AS1
• Flight logged in VAMSYS (PIREP submitted)

Recommended first online routes:

✈ Boeing 737-200 — The Pioneer

The Boeing 737-200 was Ethiopian Airlines' workhorse from the early 1970s through the late 1990s, serving domestic Ethiopian routes and short East African hops. It represents ET's first narrow-body jet era.

Key characteristics:

• Fully analogue cockpit — steam gauge instruments, no glass displays
• JT8D engines mounted very low, close to the ground — no winglets
• No FADEC — full manual throttle management throughout all flight phases
• No autothrottle on early variants — pilot manages power manually
• Used on domestic routes: ADD–DIR, ADD–JIM, ADD–GDQ, ADD–MQX
• Optional gravel kit — the 737-200 could operate from unpaved airstrips

✈ Boeing 737-800 — Next Generation Workhorse

The Boeing 737-800 (Next Generation series) joined Ethiopian Airlines from the 2000s, modernising the fleet and enabling longer regional routes across Africa and the Middle East.

Key improvements over the 737-200:

• Glass cockpit (EFIS) — two PFDs and NDs with digital LCD displays
• FMC/CDU — Flight Management Computer for route, VNAV and LNAV
• Autothrottle — maintains target speed in all flight phases automatically
• CFM56-7B engines — far quieter and more fuel-efficient than the JT8D
• Blended winglets — reduce aerodynamic drag, improve fuel economy by ~4%
• No MCAS — the system involved in MAX crashes does not exist on the -800

vETH type rating route — B737-800:

✈ Boeing 737 MAX 8 — Current Fleet

The Boeing 737 MAX 8 is Ethiopian Airlines' primary narrow-body today, used extensively on African regional routes. vETH operates it with full ET livery.

Key improvements over the 737-800:

• CFM LEAP-1B engines — 14% more fuel-efficient than CFM56-7B
• Advanced split-scimitar winglets — further drag reduction beyond blended winglets
• Advanced Technology (AT) cockpit — larger LCD screens, updated FMS interface
• MCAS (post-2020 redesign) — now requires dual AOA sensor agreement; far safer than the original version involved in ET302

⚠️ Normal, Abnormal Procedures & PIREP Validation

Normal checklist phases common to all Boeing 737 variants:

• Preflight · Before Start · Engine Start · Before Taxi
• Before Takeoff · After Takeoff · Cruise
• Descent · Approach · Landing · After Landing · Shutdown

Common abnormal procedures:

PIREP landing rate scoring at vETH:

✈ Boeing 787-9 & Airbus A350-900 — Systems

Both aircraft represent the pinnacle of Ethiopian Airlines' long-haul fleet, featuring composite construction, high-bypass turbofan engines and all-electric architecture.

Common advanced systems:

• EFB — Electronic Flight Bag, replaces paper charts in the cockpit
• HUD — Heads-Up Display (A350) for low-visibility approaches
• All-electric bleedless architecture — 787 uses electric systems instead of bleed air

🌊 ETOPS Navigation

ETOPS allows twin-engine aircraft to fly routes more than 60 minutes from a diversion airport. The 787 and A350 are ETOPS-330 certified.

Key ETOPS concepts:

• ETOPS entry point — where the aircraft enters ETOPS airspace
• Equal Time Point (ETP) — equidistant between two diversion airports
• Critical fuel scenario — enough fuel to reach a diversion airport on one engine
• ETOPS alternate — airports pre-selected as viable diversion points

⛽ Long-haul Fuel Management

Managing fuel over a 10+ hour flight requires careful monitoring. The 787 and A350 carry up to 140,000 kg of fuel for ultra-long-haul routes.

In-flight fuel monitoring:

• Check actual fuel vs. planned fuel every 30–60 minutes
• Declare MINIMUM FUEL to ATC when reaching final reserve
• Declare MAYDAY FUEL when unable to reach destination safely

🛫 Qualification Flight — ADD → CDG

The long-haul type rating requires completing the flagship vETH route: Addis-Abeba to Paris Charles de Gaulle.

Qualification criteria:

• Correct ETOPS entry/exit points followed
• Fuel within ±5% of plan at each waypoint check
• Landing rate better than -400 ft/min at CDG
• PIREP submitted within 60 minutes of parking