SECTOR 04 · CADET TRAINING

Flight Academy.

Learn how to read a mission brief, sort aircraft by category, and pick the perfect fleet. Every lesson has a quick drill — try one, get instant feedback, then head to the Missions deck to fly for real.

LESSON 01 · LESSON / CATEGORIES

Every aircraft has a job

Aircraft aren't interchangeable. A cargo hauler can't dogfight; a stealth jet can't lift a school bus. Learn the seven core categories.

🛫
Commercial
PAX / CARGO

Move people or freight far and cheaply. Long range, big payload, low stealth.

RangePayloadCost
EX: Boeing 747-400 · Airbus A380 · Cessna 172
🛩️
Military
STRIKE / FIGHTER

Fast, armed, often stealthy. Best for contested airspace and precision strikes.

SpeedStealthPayload
EX: F-35B · B-2 Spirit · Su-57
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VTOL
VERTICAL LIFT

Takes off straight up. No runway needed — perfect for ships, cities, and rescue.

VTOLAccessRescue
EX: V-22 Osprey · Harrier GR9 · AW609
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Cargo
HEAVY LIFT

The trucks of the sky. Massive payload, big fuselage, moderate speed.

PayloadRangeVolume
EX: Antonov An-225 · C-17 · C-130 Hercules
🛰️
Recon
EYES IN THE SKY

Fly high, fast, and quiet. Small payload but incredible sensors and ceiling.

SpeedCeilingStealth
EX: SR-71 Blackbird · U-2 · RQ-4 Global Hawk
🧪
Experimental
PROTOTYPE

One-off test airframes. Sometimes brilliant, sometimes bonkers. Wild card.

InnovationSurpriseData
EX: AvroCar · Bell X-22 · Boeing X-32
🧰
Utility
DO-IT-ALL

Small, cheap, reliable. Great for training and general aviation tasks.

CostEaseAvailability
EX: Cessna 172 · Piper Cub · Diamond DA40
LESSON 02 · LESSON / METRICS

Read the numbers

Every mission brief lists requirements. Every aircraft has stats. Your job is to match them.

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Range
How far it flies without refueling. Match to distance in the brief.
🏋️
Payload
How much weight it can carry — troops, cargo, weapons.
Speed
Top speed. Critical for interception, recon, rescue timing.
👻
Stealth
Radar signature (0–10). High stealth = safer in enemy airspace.
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VTOL
Vertical takeoff. Required when there's no runway.
💰
Budget
Cost tier 1–5. Your total tier sum can't exceed the mission cap.
👥
Size
Crew + payload footprint. Bigger = more capable, less agile.
LESSON 03 · LESSON / SELECTION

Pick the right tool

Three questions to ask before you add any aircraft to a fleet.

1
Does it reach the target?
Check RANGE. A jet with 2,000 km can't fly a 4,000 km mission without a tanker.
2
Can it survive the threat?
Check STEALTH and SPEED. High threat = stealth or Mach 2+, or don't send it.
3
Does it fit the budget?
Add up COST TIERS. Stay under the mission cap — leaves room for a backup airframe.
LESSON 04 · TRAINING / INTERACTIVE

Try a drill

Pick the best aircraft for each scenario. Wrong answers explain themselves.

DRILL / HURRICANE RELIEF — NO RUNWAY
A hurricane wiped out the airport. You need to deliver medicine to survivors on a small island 400 km away.
DRILL / PHOTOGRAPH A HIDDEN BASE — DEEP IN ENEMY TERRITORY
You need one clear photo from 20,000 m up, then leave before anyone knows you were there.
DRILL / MOVE 200 TONNES OF RELIEF SUPPLIES ACROSS AN OCEAN
Cargo, cargo, and more cargo. One trip. 8,000 km.
DRILL / BUDGET TRAINING FLIGHT — TEACH 4 CADETS TO FLY
Total cost tier must stay ≤ 2. Cadets need a simple, forgiving airframe.
GRADUATION / READY
Ready to command a real mission?
Head to the briefing deck, pick a mission, and build your fleet.