The Pilot Feedback System (PFS) is a voluntary system designed to help further the aim of VATSIM to be an educational environment and to enhance the enjoyment of all network users by enhancing the understanding, knowledge and skills of members across the board. It will achieve this:

• By providing a means for individual pilots on the network to receive feedback about their performance, understand what they did well and be provided with information and resources to help them develop their understanding and perform better in areas which were not as strong
• By promoting a culture in which individuals are encouraged to admit to and learn from their own errors
• By providing data to the Pilot Training Department about common faults and issues, enabling the creation of educational resources, campaigns and policies to tackle these on a regional or network-wide scale

The system will be non-punitive, so long as it is determined the pilot had no intent of doing something unsafe, illegal, or in poor practice. So long as intent is not present the data collected from pilots will be stored and sorted. PFS operates on the basis of ‘Just Culture’. This means that:

• Innocent mistakes are not punished and are treated as opportunities for learning and improvement
• Reckless or malicious non-compliance may be escalated to network authorities for further investigation and sanction

Just Culture is a cornerstone of modern aviation safety culture, and fair and consistent application of these principles is essential to the development of an environment which is enjoyable for all and in which all individuals, no matter what level they are at, may feel supported to develop the skills and knowledge required to participate effectively without spoiling the enjoyment of others.