Running a virtual airline
What software does a virtual airline need?
A virtual airline (VA) needs a crew system to hold pilots, schedules, PIREPs and ranks (on its website), an ACARS client that records flights in the simulator and files them to that crew system, and a place for its pilots to talk. Flight planning tools and plugins are useful extras.
Jordan HavardFounder, Skyvex SoftwareWe see the software behind a virtual airline (VA) as one basic stack, whatever the airline's size. There's one system on the server that holds the airline's records, one program on each pilot's computer that records their flights, and somewhere for everyone to talk. Get those three right and the rest is optional.
The core virtual airline software stack
| Layer | What it does | Runs where |
|---|---|---|
| Website and crew system | Pilot roster, schedules, bookings, PIREPs, hours, ranks, awards | Your web hosting |
| ACARS client | Records each flight from the simulator and files the PIREP | Each pilot's computer |
| Community space | Announcements, help, events, social chat | A hosted chat service |
| Flight planning | Routes, fuel and performance for each flight | A web service the pilot uses |
| Extras | Live maps, landing analysis, loadsheets, tours, statistics | Inside the crew system or ACARS client |
The crew system
The crew system is the airline's database and its public face. Pilots register, book flights and see their logbook there; staff approve pilots, review PIREPs and manage routes, fleet and ranks.
Your options:
- phpVMS. Free, open-source VA software that you install on your own web hosting. It covers pilots, schedules, fleets, PIREPs, ranks and awards, and it can be extended with modules. It's what we'd suggest for a new VA that wants full control. See what phpVMS is.
- A hosted VA platform. A service runs the crew system for you. Less to maintain, but you're tied to what the service offers, and there may be a fee.
- A custom backend. Your own code. Full flexibility, but you need a developer who'll stick around to maintain it.
Whatever you pick, check that the ACARS client you want can talk to it. That connection is the part we'd check first.
The ACARS client
In flight simulation, ACARS is the program a pilot runs next to the simulator to record the flight. It reads the simulator's data, follows the flight through its phases, records the landing and sends a PIREP to the crew system at the end. What ACARS means in flight simulation explains the term.
It's the piece of software your pilots touch every flight, so in our view it shapes how your VA feels more than anything else. Compare ACARS clients on these points:
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Which simulators does it support? | Your pilots may fly Microsoft Flight Simulator (MSFS) 2020 and 2024, X-Plane 11 and 12, and possibly FSX or Prepar3D. Gaps exclude pilots. |
| Which operating systems? | Some pilots fly on macOS or Linux. A Windows-only client turns them away. |
| Does it need extra bridge software? | Clients that need a separate paid connector add cost and setup for every pilot. |
| What does it cost, and who pays? | A cost on pilots is a barrier to joining. |
| How does it connect to your crew system? | It has to file PIREPs into the system you chose, ideally without custom work. |
| What happens if the sim or the PC crashes? | We think losing a three-hour flight is the fastest way to lose a pilot. |
| Where does the flight data go? | Know whether it goes only to your crew system or through someone else's servers too. |
| Can you customise it? | Branding, event logging, PIREP fields and extra tools help the client feel like your airline's. |
If you run phpVMS, ACARS for phpVMS covers how clients connect to it.
Community space
We'd run a community chat server alongside the website. Set up channels for announcements, help, flight photos, events and staff. Link the sign-up steps from the welcome channel, because a new pilot may arrive there before they see your website.
Keep important information (rules, how to file, rank requirements) on the website too. Chat history scrolls away; a web page stays put.
Flight planning and other tools
A flight planning tool builds a route, fuel figures and a briefing for each flight. Some ACARS clients can read that plan, which lets them compare planned and actual fuel or show the route on a map.
Other extras worth considering:
- A live map of flights in progress, for your website or community.
- Landing analysis, so pilots see a breakdown of each touchdown.
- Tours and events, which a crew system may have built in.
- Statistics for staff: active pilots, completed flights, hours flown.
Add extras when your pilots ask for them, not before. A small VA with a working core stack beats a big one with ten half-configured tools.
How the pieces connect
Here's how one flight touches every layer:
- The pilot books a flight on the crew system.
- They plan it in a flight planning tool and load the aircraft in the simulator.
- The ACARS client picks up the booking from the crew system and starts recording.
- During the flight it sends position updates, so the live map stays current.
- After landing, it files the PIREP to the crew system with times, fuel, route and the landing result.
- Staff (or an automatic rule) accept the PIREP, and the pilot's hours and rank update.
If any link in that chain is unreliable, pilots notice. Test the whole chain with your own flights before you open to pilots.
Frequently asked questions
How much does virtual airline software cost?
The crew system can cost nothing: phpVMS is free and open source, so you pay only for a domain and hosting. Hosted VA platforms may charge a fee. ACARS clients vary, from free for everyone to a cost for the airline or for each pilot.
Do I need a website to run a virtual airline?
In practice, yes. The crew system that holds your pilots, schedules and PIREPs lives on a website, and it's where new pilots go to join.
Can I run a virtual airline without phpVMS?
Yes. You can use a hosted VA platform or build a custom backend. Check that your chosen ACARS client can file PIREPs to whichever one you pick.
Which ACARS works with MSFS 2024?
Check each client's list of supported simulators, because support for MSFS 2024 is newer than for MSFS 2020. MSFS 2020 and 2024 both expose their data through SimConnect, the interface Microsoft provides for reading the simulator. ACARS for MSFS goes into more detail.
Where Stratos fits
Stratos is the ACARS client layer: a free desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux that reads MSFS, X-Plane, FSX and Prepar3D directly, with no extra bridge software. It files PIREPs straight to phpVMS 7 through the free, open-source Stratos Core API module (the optional Stratos Logbook API adds pilot flight history), or to your own backend through the open Stratos API, and saves flight data as pilots fly so a crash doesn't lose the flight. See pricing for what each airline plan includes; pilots never pay.
Stratos by Skyvex Software
Bring Stratos
to your airline.
Free for every pilot, and it works with phpVMS or your own backend. We onboard each airline personally and make sure it works with your setup before you go live.