Suggestion for future (not just this event) - If you're using a booking system, that link needs to be in the topic. I wasn't aware there was booking available except when I happened to check the VATSIM event calendar today (which means I missed it).
Second, posting routing the afternoon before on an event that affects non-booked flights when some may have been planning for days or weeks, not having a booked slot and expecting them to check the day before/day of before doing their flight planning is questionable. I already had my plan loaded and the plane spooling up before I saw the routes, which I know caused problems, unfortunately with some of the more complex sims, doing a full re-route.
Finally, when you *KNOW* that you have a lot of people leaving at the same time, waiting until the start of the event for Delivery to sign on is a major problem (mainly for the controllers, but frustrating for the pilots too). We had 45 aircraft on the ground, all with departure times between 1230z and 1300z. Clearances needed to be starting to be issued at 1200z at the LATEST for them to get these departures. If you put down a departure window like above, then ATC needs to be online to accomodate that. You are going to loose pilots in these events if they continue to be delayed 30+ minutes because ATC can't get online early. Pilots are putting aside 7+ hours on our end. ATC can put in an extra 30 minutes.
Not trying to be a dick here, but as a guy who's been on both sides of the scope on SATCO/VATSIM since 1999, I've been through a few of these rodeos and I'm about done with wasting my time trying to fly these events because of the increasing amount of restrictions in flightplans and bookings.
