It can be rather frustrating to see practically every VATUSA event scheduled to occur in the same time frame 2359z-0400z.  While no doubt highly convenient for East Coast/Midwest USA members it is very much less so for those (apparently few) members logging on from the western side of the country.

I am curious as to how this came to be and whether:
a) the times chosen have been determined by analysis of user data (are the majority of pilots actually operating from an EST/EDT time zone?)

b) if the answer to 'a' is "no", could such a study be conducted or a poll taken to determine if indeed this is the overwhelmingly optimum time period?

c) there have been attempts to correlate event times to the actual time zones of the locations where the events are centered? i.e.,west coast events starting at 0300z?

From what I observed today, LUA was, with only a few exceptions, a great success.  However, this-like many USA events, was a bit prejudicial toward west coast members.  Running an event until 1800 local offers very little for those of us who either cannot make it to a daytime event or prefer to fly in the evening.
As I write this it is 1955PDT and the only areas lit up are KZLC, KZLA and PHZH in the west and KZAU elsewhere.  I can understand that the controllers have put in a long day but that long day started and ended too early for those of us on Pacific time.

The same thing happens during most FNOs as well- they are over before it is FN for us (including when they are hosted in Pacific time zone locations).

So-how about trying to extend the hours of LUA to 2000 or even better, 2200 local time?

Also-in addition to lighting up America once a year, what about trying to have an entire ARTCC staffed either at a few locations for a very long time or at as many airports in the ARTCC as possible for a few hours?

I am not trying to say that LUA was not a rousing success...there were 700+ online users shortly after it started...just that we should do something along these lines more often and cater it to cover more of the day.

One of my pet peeves is reading a CTR controller's logon information and finding an ATIS for one airport in the sector.  More often than not the airport is not even identified.  It seems to me that a CTR controller should not post information pertaining to just one airport.  I feel it is better to have a blank login notice than to possibly confuse pilots by having them think this is the information for the airport where they are located or is their destination.