How do you guys keep the game interesting?

    I don’t really plan to play any other sims for awhile because my computer isn’t great, and I love having aerofly on the go on my switch. This game is so fun and realistic, but it doesnt have working radios, multiplayer, or any missions, so how do you guys keep the game interesting? How do you give yourself objectives to keep pushing for? So far I’ve been learning the learjet inside and out meanwhile I’m doing cross country flights to see places I want to visit in the future.

  • Go to Best Answer
    Quote from ChuckMcPhuck

    ...How do you give yourself objectives to keep pushing for? ...

    I download the different manuals (FCOM, etc.) from the Internet from the aircraft that interest me and then deal intensively with this aircraft.

    Tschüss, Michael (🍎🚁)

    Configurations:

    - MacBook Pro (16", 2024); Chip: Apple M4 Max; actual macOS
    - Controllers: | WinWing: URSA MINOR-Fighter-Joystick R, EFIS-L & FCU & EFIS-R | Thrustmaster TCA AIRBUS EDITION: 2x Quadrant, 2x Quadrant Add-On | Pro-Flight-Trainer: PUMA X | Steelseries: Nimbus+

    - iPad (12,9", 4th Generation, RAM: 6 GB); actual iOS | Steelseries: Nimbus+

    Quote from ChuckMcPhuck

    I don’t really plan to play any other sims for awhile because my computer isn’t great, and I love having aerofly on the go on my switch. This game is so fun and realistic, but it doesnt have working radios, multiplayer, or any missions, so how do you guys keep the game interesting? How do you give yourself objectives to keep pushing for? So far I’ve been learning the learjet inside and out meanwhile I’m doing cross country flights to see places I want to visit in the future.

    Here some of the ideas that I put in motion for myself:

    • Creating Airline Tours or different realworld flights in and out of several airports that the airline operates.
    • Learning and Training on new aircraft by following procedures as learned in manuals, JustPlanes videos or other real-world sources.
    • Mixing short-, medium- and longhaul flights and jumping from continent to continent.
    • Finding new real world flights that will be introduced later this year, and flying them once to get the feel of how that flight would look like.
      (eg. KEWR-LEPA in the Summer months with a United B789)
    • Combining Cargo and Passenger flights to different kind of airports.

    Since I used to fly back in the days with FS9 a lot, I still have tons of memories from many airports, be it for the approach, (eg. to VHHX or LPMA) the online experiences with other simmers (eg. to GCLP or VTBS) or simply the bad but adventurous weather/visibility. (eg. LEBB or LSZH)

    • Get into a new aircraft once in a while and really try to get the details right.
    • Try out good-old VOR / NDB procedures like holding, intercepting or really complicated approaches without the help of GPS. Really trying to master these requires a supringsing amount of sessions.
    • Imagine a long-range trip in a small aircraft which requires multiple stops. (My favourite trip was in an Pitts S-2 from Hamburg, Germany to Mariehamn, Åland - without GPS or any other kind of navigational equipment.)
    • I also had a mission generator for approach lessons and HEMS missions. The HEMS generator was quite thrilling.

    To make matters more interesting I fly with current weather, date and time.

    Quote from Armitage
    • Get into a new aircraft once in a while and really try to get the details right.
    • Try out good-old VOR / NDB procedures like holding, intercepting or really complicated approaches without the help of GPS. Really trying to master these requires a supringsing amount of sessions.
    • Imagine a long-range trip in a small aircraft which requires multiple stops. (My favourite trip was in an Pitts S-2 from Hamburg, Germany to Mariehamn, Åland - without GPS or any other kind of navigational equipment.)
    • I also had a mission generator for approach lessons and HEMS missions. The HEMS generator was quite thrilling.

    To make matters more interesting I fly with current weather, date and time.

    What is HEMS

    HEMS = Helicopter Emergency Medical Services

    Tschüss, Michael (🍎🚁)

    Configurations:

    - MacBook Pro (16", 2024); Chip: Apple M4 Max; actual macOS
    - Controllers: | WinWing: URSA MINOR-Fighter-Joystick R, EFIS-L & FCU & EFIS-R | Thrustmaster TCA AIRBUS EDITION: 2x Quadrant, 2x Quadrant Add-On | Pro-Flight-Trainer: PUMA X | Steelseries: Nimbus+

    - iPad (12,9", 4th Generation, RAM: 6 GB); actual iOS | Steelseries: Nimbus+

    Quote from ChuckMcPhuck

    What is HEMS

    In a nutshell, HEMS is a helicopter performincing emergency medical services.

    Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) | SKYbrary Aviation Safety

    The mission generator took a map of possible emergency locations, hospitals and helicopter landing pds, and created a bunch of missions with real weather. It also place some emergency vehicles at the emergency site, so you had to spot this from the helicopter.

    Here is the old project:

    aerofly-patterns/docs/hems.md at main · fboes/aerofly-patterns
    ✈️ Create random custom missions for Aerofly FS 4. - fboes/aerofly-patterns
    github.com

    But actually I am building a new tool which integrates the Wettergerät, Missionsgerät and Landegerät into one single package (with less complicated workflows), with an additional "build your own" mission generator.

    Quote from Armitage
    • Get into a new aircraft once in a while and really try to get the details right.
    • Try out good-old VOR / NDB procedures like holding, intercepting or really complicated approaches without the help of GPS. Really trying to master these requires a supringsing amount of sessions.
    • Imagine a long-range trip in a small aircraft which requires multiple stops. (My favourite trip was in an Pitts S-2 from Hamburg, Germany to Mariehamn, Åland - without GPS or any other kind of navigational equipment.)
    • I also had a mission generator for approach lessons and HEMS missions. The HEMS generator was quite thrilling.

    To make matters more interesting I fly with current weather, date and time.

    Recently I did the stunning VOR approach into Puerto Natales in Patagonia from Santiago. The procedure isn’t in aerofly, but if you find the chart it will give you everything you need. Raw data flying + stunning scenery = Perfection.

    Hm, I did a small experiment. Here's a conversation…

    It's a small side-project which integrates the idea of the Wettergerät and Missionsgerät into a single application called the Startgerät. I wanted to build an extended version of the main menu for Aerofly FS4, but got distracted into building a small MCP server.

    This MCP server allows an AI tool to invent missions, find matching aircraft and airports in Aerofly FS4, propose a flight plan, set fuel & payload, set time & date, and create real weather to go with it. After it is done, it saves all its data into the main.mcf configuration file of Aerofly FS4, so on starting the simulator for the next time, you have a complete setup.

    As of now this tool is a little rough around the edges, the installation is painful, and my actual goal of building a nice UI hasn't even started yet, but it is a promising base. I will make a proper announcement as soon as it is easier to install and thoroughly tested, and the CLI, GUI and MCP version of the Startgerät is done.

    …oh, and it also imports SimBrief / MSFS / Garmin / X-Plane flight plans, even without AI. 😁

    • Best Answer

    ChuckMcPhuck I am aware I replied already 3 weeks ago, but I'd like to share an idea that I started myself lately, that might perhaps interest other users as well, to find their "solution" to a "problem" and how creativity sometimes really brings the best out of us flight simmers.

    In line of what I replied on the 4th of April in this thread, I would like to share the following experience, with the idea to inspire other simmers to find their own way of creating new ideas, creating schedules and creating purpose in the sim.

    I find myself looking back at something that, for a long time, didn’t feel particularly inspiring. More like a quiet gap in confidence that I had simply left untouched for years. I stopped simming about six years ago on other platforms. When I came back, I realised quite quickly that I had lost a lot of familiarity with aircraft I used to feel comfortable with. Especially turboprops. I had barely flown them before, only a couple of short attempts with the ATR 72-500, and I never really got far enough to feel in control of them.

    Even more strangely, this happened despite the fact that in the past I had already gone through proper deep study phases with aircraft that are not exactly “simple”. Things like the PMDG 747, the PMDG MD-11, the Level-D 767, and even the Leonardo Maddog MD-82. So it was not really about complexity. It was more about having stepped away for too long and losing that operational rhythm.

    When I eventually came back into Aerofly FS 4, almost by accident, I was met with something I had always been curious about but never felt ready for. The Bombardier Dash 8 Q400. I had always liked the aircraft, but in my head it belonged to a level of understanding I did not fully trust myself with anymore.

    I wanted realism. I always fly as close to real operations as possible. But at that moment, I simply did not feel prepared to handle it properly.
    That created a bit of a strange feeling. Wanting to do it right, but also knowing I would need to rebuild myself a bit before getting there.

    The change did not come from manuals alone. I know Aerofly offers them, and they are useful, but I am very much a visual learner. I need to see procedures, hear them, and connect them to actual flow. Otherwise it never fully “sticks”.

    So I watched a good YouTube video that broke things down in a way that made sense to me. From there I started building something of my own. A Normal Operations Flow Checklist.

    It was not just a checklist in the casual sense. It became a structured flow for every phase of flight. From cold and dark, through engine start, taxi, takeoff, cruise, descent, approach, landing, and shutdown. I added small notes, reminders, and personal markers that helped me stay consistent and avoid missing steps.

    It took weeks to build properly. I refined it while flying, adjusting things as I noticed what worked and what did not. In a way, it became a learning system rather than just a document.

    And it worked. It still works. I use it in every Q400 flight now, and it gives me confidence that I am following a proper operational logic instead of improvising. But at the same time, I noticed something else.

    In Europe, the Q400 has slowly disappeared from active service. Airlines like Flybe, SAS, and Austrian Airlines either retired it or phased it out. That meant that while I had learned the aircraft properly, the real-world environment I usually simulate did not really support it anymore.

    That is when I decided to do something I had actually avoided for a long time. I expanded outside of my usual European mindset.

    I started thinking about regions where flying feels different. Places where short hops are not boring, but interesting because of geography and weather. Southeast Asia came to mind very quickly.

    Warm air, strong weather systems, islands everywhere, mountains near coastlines, and approaches that can change from calm to challenging in a matter of minutes. It felt like the right environment for a turboprop.

    Within that idea, I realised something else. There is no major real-world Q400 network in that region in the same way Europe once had. If turboprops operate there, it is usually aircraft like the ATR 72-500 or ATR 72-600.

    Instead of treating that as a limitation, I decided to treat it as creative space.

    So I built something for myself.

    A fictional but realistic airline concept called “Horizon Air Asia”, inspired by the real-world Horizon Air after its Q400 retirement in 2023. I took the idea of that fleet and imagined what it could look like if it had continued operating in Southeast Asia.

    From there I structured everything in a Numbers sheet on macOS. Slowly, I built a full network around it.

    The result became:

    • 200 unique routes
    • all within realistic Q400 range limits of about 1100 nautical miles or roughly 3 hours
    • spread across four main hubs:
      • Ninoy Aquino International Airport
      • Kuala Lumpur International Airport
      • Soekarno–Hatta International Airport
      • Suvarnabhumi Airport



    Each hub has its own logic and route identity. They do not overlap in a messy way. Instead, they form separate mini networks that feel like real airline planning, just expanded beyond what currently exists in reality.

    What this gives me is quite simple but meaningful.

    It gives purpose to the aircraft again. Not just random flights, but a structured system where every route has a place. It also gives variety, because Southeast Asia offers completely different flying conditions compared to Europe. And at the same time, it keeps everything grounded in realism because I still respect range, timing, and operational logic.

    What I realised through all of this is that simulation does not need to stay inside the boundaries of existing airline schedules to feel real.

    You can build your own structure, as long as you stay honest to the aircraft and its limits.

    In Aerofly FS 4, this becomes quite powerful. You can take a plane like the Q400, which might feel limited or underused in certain regions, and place it into a self-built environment where it suddenly makes sense again.

    Pick a region that actually inspires you. Choose an aircraft you want to understand properly. Build routes that respect real-world performance. And then let yourself fly within that structure.

    It does not need to be complicated. It just needs to be consistent enough that your flights feel like they belong somewhere.

    For me, that was enough to turn something I had been avoiding into something I actually look forward to again.

    Quote from AeRodri

    For me, that was enough to turn something I had been avoiding into something I actually look forward to again.

    I really appreciate you taking the time to write this, and a really connected with what you said about wanting my flights to belong somewhere. This is how I feel in the Baron 58 and Lear 45, two planes that have quickly become my favorites to fly but feel like they dont have any place in the real world that i can go off of examples. Im going to do what you mentioned and pick a region that interests me and create a fictional airline with routes. I was thinking about hopping around the Mississippi river delta “flying oil execs around” or something like that. Ill figure out what my mission will be. But yeah I definitely can relate to wanting to give the learjet and baron a purpose instead of just making up the reason for the flight on my head before takeoff. I really want to try your southeast asia region you showed on the map too as scenic flying is what i really seek when choosing an area to operate. Once again thanks for taking the time, and also would you be so kind as to share your Q400 docs with me? Thats actually the airliner i intend to fully learn first because they are just so cool.

    Quote from ChuckMcPhuck

    I really appreciate you taking the time to write this, and a really connected with what you said about wanting my flights to belong somewhere. This is how I feel in the Baron 58 and Lear 45, two planes that have quickly become my favorites to fly but feel like they dont have any place in the real world that i can go off of examples. Im going to do what you mentioned and pick a region that interests me and create a fictional airline with routes. I was thinking about hopping around the Mississippi river delta “flying oil execs around” or something like that. Ill figure out what my mission will be. But yeah I definitely can relate to wanting to give the learjet and baron a purpose instead of just making up the reason for the flight on my head before takeoff. I really want to try your southeast asia region you showed on the map too as scenic flying is what i really seek when choosing an area to operate. Once again thanks for taking the time, and also would you be so kind as to share your Q400 docs with me? Thats actually the airliner i intend to fully learn first because they are just so cool.

    Exactly, the idea is that if something does not adapt to you, you must adapt to it. I feel many simmers require a realistic purpose for flying: Not only graphics have become better since the early FS2000 flightsim days, but also the missions and purposes have had the need to develop into a realistic manner. The more you create your own world within AeroFly, with your aircraft, your routes and your rules, the clearer your purpose will become. And why not create a private Airline Ops with a mission that only you can adapt to your region? (Like flying oil executives around, like you stated) Anything is possible, really.
    I made my Flow Checklist for the Q400 really for myself only, based on flows that are mainly based on real flight ops (see what I did there?) but since the Q400 in AeroFly is not entirely study level, (such as the Majestic Q400) I had to adapt it to the Aerofly procedures mentioned in their tutorials. I hence recommend you to take this step by step, as the Q400 is a great regional aircraft and the more you learn, the more fun you experience afterwards when flying it.

    1) I'd start with getting to know the Q400 as build by Aerofly, by reading the Bombardier Dash8-Q400 Flight Deck Introduction
    2) Then I'd deep dive a bit more into learning the UNS-1 Flight Management System Programming
    3) Adding to the learning, I'd then jump into the Official Bombardier Dash8-Q400 Flight Tutorial and keep the Q400 Checklists nearby.

    I'm a bit rebellious, so instead of flying the Tutorial Route, and this is something I've always done for any new aircraft, I choose a route that I am comfortable with, where I know both airports and where I even been in and out of IRL, so the route feels comfortable and the landscape feels familiar.
    I will hereby share my personal DE HAVILLAND DASH 8-Q400 NORMAL OPERATIONS FLOW CHECKLIST with you, with a few things to take into consideration:

    a) this guide was created and designed through my own understanding of the required workflow, it might or might not be suitable for you.
    b) all green marked lines are items that just need to be double-checked or have already been done by the First Officer.
    (I automated many features via the Flight Assistant, like the Trim, Propeller Speed, Lights, Altimeter, Navigation Tuning and FMS preflight)
    c) the flows start always at the "Before Engine Start" point, so it does not include the Cold & Dark state.
    (This has a simple explanation: In nearly a decade of flightsimming in the past, I always started all my flights in the Cold & Dark state, but realized later on that pilots hardly ever start their aircraft from that state, as engineers and FO's almost always start the aircraft first, besides I find it more easier to take care of the operation of the flight then to sit 30-45 minutes over-preparing a flight. Each simmer to his own needs.)

    I recommend you, as the Q400 has no auto-throttle, to invest in a good Joystick with a proper throttle on it. In the past I used cheaper joysticks with smaller throttles and I found myself switching back and forth to either not to stall or not to overspeed. My T-Flight Hotas-X is exactly the one I needed for this job.
    Also, If you want to deep dive even more on the Dash8 Q400 and its systems and how these work, I can only but recommend you the following Chuck's Guide to the Bombardier Dash8 Q400, where all its systems are explained in detail, even the features not simulated by Aerofly's Q400.

    I hope this helps you a bit further in your creative exploration within the sim, and to learn the Dash8 Q400 a bit better.
    I'm by no means an expert, so my guide might contain errors, but they got me to fly the Q400 as close to reallife operations as possible.

    I like your post very much :Daumen hoch::) and I do it very similarly :) (apart from the fact that I always get stuck too quickly with programming). The Q400 was also the reason why I bought 2x TCA QUADRANT from Thrustmaster to have 4 levers.

    Tschüss, Michael (🍎🚁)

    Configurations:

    - MacBook Pro (16", 2024); Chip: Apple M4 Max; actual macOS
    - Controllers: | WinWing: URSA MINOR-Fighter-Joystick R, EFIS-L & FCU & EFIS-R | Thrustmaster TCA AIRBUS EDITION: 2x Quadrant, 2x Quadrant Add-On | Pro-Flight-Trainer: PUMA X | Steelseries: Nimbus+

    - iPad (12,9", 4th Generation, RAM: 6 GB); actual iOS | Steelseries: Nimbus+

    Quote from AeRodri

    I recommend you, as the Q400 has no auto-throttle, to have a good throttle on your Joystick. In the past I used cheaper joysticks with smaller throttles and I found myself switching back and forth to either not to stall or not to overspeed. My T-Flight Hotas-X is exactly the one I needed for this job.

    Joystick??? Hahaha im on the nintendo switch. I have a hotas warthog for war thunder sim but ive considered doing a flight sim thats not a combat game on my computer. Maybe ill try aerofly since i cant run msfs.

    For me, flying helicopters is very interesting, including offshore operations. That's why I'm always looking forward to the weekly videos of HeliChrisAviation, such as the latest:

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    .

    In FS 4, this can be reenacted, for example, with the offshore platforms em08, em15, em16, em17 and em18, which were recently published by IPACS.

    Tschüss, Michael (🍎🚁)

    Configurations:

    - MacBook Pro (16", 2024); Chip: Apple M4 Max; actual macOS
    - Controllers: | WinWing: URSA MINOR-Fighter-Joystick R, EFIS-L & FCU & EFIS-R | Thrustmaster TCA AIRBUS EDITION: 2x Quadrant, 2x Quadrant Add-On | Pro-Flight-Trainer: PUMA X | Steelseries: Nimbus+

    - iPad (12,9", 4th Generation, RAM: 6 GB); actual iOS | Steelseries: Nimbus+