This is the home of CVW-2 
and how we operate
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 Software Environment

This list is a work in progress and other software packages may be added. or removed, as events require. So long as your environment can support and operate the following, you will not have any trouble with our operations.

Like anything else in life, you get what you pay for. That is true of this group. Our requirements, as so far as purchasing things are concerned, are minimal but inflexible.

To fly with us, you must have legally obtained copies of the following software:

1. Lockheed Martin Prepar3d V5, maintenance at current levels of support, 
2. Unless otherwise specified in a specific order, the STADARD FLIGHT SIMULATOR PLATFORM FOR CVW-2 will Lockheed Martin Prepar3d (ACADEMIC) at Release Level 5.3 (or other such levels as are standard for the VRS TacPack and Superbug).

Any other Flight Simulator configuration will be considered as “NON-STANDARD”.  While reasonable effort will be made to accommodate operations on other platforms, they will NOT be done at the expense of functionality of the Standard Flight Simulator Platform.
3. Team Speak 3 (for operational briefings)
4. Plan-G, or LittleNavMap (for flight planning)
5. Javier Fernandez’ AI Carriers
6. JoinFS at the prescribed current maintenance level (Inter-platform Multi-Player service) for those who wish to participate      in a supporting role, flying non-tactical/carrier aircraft.
7. If you are planning to fly in either an F/A-18E or F/A-18F Superbug squadron, you must have a registered copy of the VRS Superbug. VFA-2 will fly the "E" model bug until the 2-seater is released. As for the "Legacy" Hornets, there are no active Legacy Hornet squadrons (A,B,C,D). At such time as freeware Superbug aircraft are available, you are fine, just so what you're flying is visible to the rest of us and can support TAC PACK.
8. If you are flying the F-35B, then DINO's payware version with Tac Pack is available at:
     https://indiafoxtecho.blogspot.com/2020/04/f-35-version-366-for-prepar3d-v5-new.html
9. The SH-60 helicopter is available from Aerosoft as the Seahawk/Jayhawk.
10. E-2 & C-2 aircraft are available at https://indiafoxtecho.blogspot.com/2018/10/c-2-greyhound-e-2-hawkeye-beta.html
11. All participants will fly the same basic scenery packages. It does not matter to us whether you have Ultimate Terrain, FS-Genesis, or any other Mesh. You will be issued scenery packages for CVW-2 Base Scenery, as well as special packages for operations.  Just ensure you have the CVW-2 stuff at the top of the food-chain in your addon scenery priority list.
12. Scenery is built using MCDMil scenery objects, as well as Airport Design Editor and AFX afcad software. In the case of the MCDMil stuff, you are required to have the object libraries installed, or the buildings, aircraft, people, etc will appear black.
13. vLSO software, available from the FSDreamTeam.com forums, records and evaluates all carrier/FCLP landings.
14. VRS Tack Pack software as available for your airframe via the SDK (Software Development Kit.
15. FSX@War and Carrier-Convoy-Planner at current release levels 

                                                                     Personal Requirements

1.Be at least 18 years of age at the time your application is submitted

2.Possess a functioning Joystick, capable of throttle-control.

3.Possess a functioning headset, controlled by a push-to-talk.

4.Possess a computer hardware setup capable of supporting the aircraft and scenery we fly.

5.Maintain an active presence in CVW-2. If you wish to fly in other VA's, that is fine with us. By Active Presence, it is intended that you participate in most of the group's scheduled operations. These will be posted on the Forums in a separate section for "Non-Optional Flight Activity", and you should check that area on a regular basis.

Regarding currency requirements, if your “life” schedule precludes you flying online with the group, submit TacView files and/or vLSO logs documenting you have met the requirements. Flights are also logged automatically via the CVW-2 Flight Operations software using kACARS, which provides a chronological record of flight operations. 

Most operations will be published in the form of FSX/P3D "Sortie Packages" which can be loaded on your machine and flown individually. If you so desire, you may "fly" the sortie as a 'single ship' and submit an TacView file of Flight Log to document the flight.

I know many of these requirements seem severe, but that is the way it is.  If you do not like it, then go start your own group, and then you can listen to all the whining and complaining yourself, because absolutely everybody else can run the place better than you. Trust me, I have been told this information many times before.

Regarding the minimal age requirement, this is not the place for the 12-year-old "ace of the base". This is a group of adults who enjoy getting together after the children are doing their homework or have gone to bed.

The hardware and system requirements are born of frustration with folks who are trying to run the superbug on a 6-year-old laptop running Windows XP, with a desk mike hooked up voice-activated and a radio blasting some absurd noise in the background, while trying to fly the superbug with a mouse and their keyboard.

There are many places where you can go to learn to fly on FSX/P3D. This is not one of them. It is extremely frustrating to spend considerable time, building scenery and planning a sortie, only to have somebody pipe up in the briefing with a question like "what's a VOR?", or a TACAN, or a waypoint.

This is not Bill and Ted's excellent basic flight school. We are a group of experienced pilots who seek to develop our skills and abilities in a challenging environment. It is not a place to "learn how to fly". There are more than enough folks who purport themselves to be "flight instructors" out there.

By the way, anyone found to have been fraudulent in any of their statements on the application, or to be guilty of conduct which reflects negatively on CVW-2 will be summarily dismissed. No questions. No appeals, ZILCH, ZERO, NADA.

If you think this is someplace, you would like to “hang your hat”, then fill out an application. If not, so be it, and enjoy your life.