“History in the Making”
Welcome to Joint-Ops Virtual Combat Schools. Joint-Ops is a revolutionary concept designed around providing information and instruction to virtual simulator gamers. Many times people have purchased the newest high-tech simulation game and installed it on their PC only to find that they are either lacking sufficient programming skills, equipment, or understanding of the game itself. All too many times, people have shelved their new simulator game without taking the time to learn it. Joint-Ops was created for just such people……and more!
How many of us flew in their very first flight simulator game, only to find themselves a terminal ‘fireball’ for the first couple months? In the late 1990’s, Microsoft released a now legendary game called ‘Combat Flight Simulator’. Having flown the game for a couple years,
"Fifties" and "Ice" had the duty of ‘Recruiting Officers’ in their military formatted Squad. Quickly, the father and son team realized that only a portion of the new Squad recruits were actually getting picked up by their squad mates for introduction, setup, and training. The few that did what they could to keep up with the veteran pilots eventually got better, and the majority that didn’t,
disappeared.
During the same time period, "Pine" was a Flight Leader in the same squad that
fifties and ice belonged to. To this day, the three of them can honestly say, that with the new pilot situation being what it was, combined with the very first Formation Flight these pilots flew together, the seed for Joint-Ops was planted.
Initially, Fifties and Ice tried to create a “Squad Introduction and Training Program” that would inform new pilots of all the Squad’s policies and procedures, equip new pilots with pertinent programming associated with the game play, and give a basic understanding of aircraft maneuvering, navigation, ATC, and formation flying. Combat Flight Simulator was primarily designed for ‘free for all dogfighting’. Most pilots needed to learn how to land since most had not taken the opportunity to learn. The game also did not have much programmed requirement for navigation. Of course, over a period of years, various ‘Freeware’ programming was created to assist pilots in some of these areas.
When presented with the idea, the Squadron Commander didn’t feel his squad needed a training program outside of what he was currently providing. However, when presented the idea of Fifties and Ice opening up a program outside the squad for everyone to participate in, he gave his blessing. Immediately, Ice, with an outstanding understanding of computers and website design, created the first Joint-Ops website, ranks, and awards structure. Fifties, with years of formal and informal instruction experience, created the lesson plan which became what is now known as Basic Flight School and the organizational plan to open Joint Operations U.S. Flight School & Combat Training Facility. JO_Headquarters at Yahoo Groups was created March 30, 2002.
After a month of planning and design, Ice, Pine, and Fifties started teaching Basic Flight School on May 1, 2002, with only 3 pilots in attendance. At that time, Basic Flight School WAS the Joint-Ops curriculum. With the first year of operation being a tough one, nobody, including the 3 originators, thought JO would stay in operation over a year. Since the flight simulator multiplayer environment is largely based around Squads, and the fact that there had NEVER been a Flight School provided in a combat simulation before…..especially free, most viewed Joint Operations as a squad trying to take pilots from other squads. As everyone knows today, this was the furthest thing from the truth. One year later, the name was changed to Joint Operations Virtual Flight School & Combat Readiness Center.
As Joint-Ops’ reputation grew, a trust developed that Joint-Ops was exactly what it portrayed, an instructional facility to help pilots. Although it was initially designed to teach the new flyer, Squads found it quite handy to send their new recruits for initial training before they fine tuned them to their liking. Some Squads made Joint-Ops their official training location. Since the opening of the School, Joint-Ops has catered to over 120 Squads.
In late 2004, well after the release of UbiSoft’s IL2 Forgotten Battles, Joint-Ops opened a second school around the newest and most popular combat flight simulator game on the market at that time. IL2 Forgotten Battles, and soon to be added Pacific Fighters, Basic Flight School was opened October 6, 2004 based around the original lesson plan format created by Fifties for Combat Flight Simulator. The name was also changed to Joint-Ops Virtual Flight School.
2005 was a big year for changes. Joint-Ops changed its military format and transformed into an academic format. Instead of operating similar to a squad, Joint-Ops took on the roll of a College. In April of 2005, Joint-Ops Incorporated as a business and officially named itself, Joint-Ops Virtual Combat Schools, Inc.
Today, Joint-Ops is expanding rapidly to accommodate the potential of opening new schools. The JO Board of Directors now runs the School as a business with many plans in the future for expansion and growth. From the conception of Joint-Ops with Ice, Pine, and Fifties and the first Basic Flight School Class of three students, to the expansion to two flight schools, a Business License and Incorporation, and fully functional Board of Directors, the sky is the limit for Joint-Ops in the future.
“We are honored by those who will learn
And
Blessed by those who will teach them”
-Fifties-
