Fly the Line: Airline Careers Are Here
By Edwin B on
This is the one we’ve been building toward. FS Reality now has a complete airline career system: apply to real-world airlines, hold a rank, fly scheduled routes, and get paid for the work.
Browse and Apply
The Airlines section lists every airline in the system. See each one’s fleet, hub airports, and contract terms before you commit. When you’re ready, a preview screen shows your approval odds, projected rank, and estimated pay. No surprises.
Applications come back accepted, declined, or pending review. If you’re accepted, jump straight into the workplace.
Type Rating Sponsorship
Don’t have the type rating for the airline’s fleet? Some offers include a sponsored type rating. You receive the certification as part of the deal.
The Airline Workplace
Once hired, the Airline Workplace is your career hub:
- Contract: Rank, seniority, fleet certs, pay rates, and options to request a promotion or exit your contract.
- Schedule: Generate bid-line schedules by aircraft type and number of days. See total legs, a full pay breakdown, and a day-by-day view of flight numbers, routes, and times. Once you approve, you’re committed, just like the real thing. Need a day off? There’s a Call In Sick option.
- Payroll: Current and past pay periods with full line-item breakdowns: flight pay, per diem, deadhead pay, minimum day credits, and bonuses.
- Crew Base: Set your preferred hub or let the airline assign one dynamically.
Rank and Pay
Ranks are assigned automatically as your experience grows:
| Rank | Requirement | Pay Multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| First Officer | Starting rank | Base |
| Senior First Officer | 250+ hours or 150+ flights | +7% |
| Captain | 700+ hours or 450+ flights | +16% |
| Senior Captain | 1,600+ hours, or 1,300+ hours and 900+ flights | +24% |
Your rank multiplier stacks with the airline’s tier. Larger carriers with bigger route networks pay more. A new First Officer at a regional can expect around $62–$92/hr depending on aircraft type. A Senior Captain at a major carrier flying widebodies can reach the $240/hr cap.
Contracts renew automatically with up to a 2% annual raise. Apply for a mid-term upgrade to advance your rank or move to a different aircraft type. New contracts include a probation period. Once past it, early termination fees may apply if you walk.
Offers and Applications
Two new pages keep everything organized. Pending Offers shows all outstanding offers with full terms, expiration dates, and accept/decline buttons. Applications gives you a complete history of every application you’ve submitted, color-coded by status.
The World Behind It
This isn’t a scripted career mode. FS Reality has over 600 real-world airlines, backed by more than a quarter million real-world schedules and routes. Every aircraft in every fleet exists in the system as a unique entry with its real-world registration number.
When you fly a schedule, you’re physically moving that aircraft from one airport to another in a persistent world. Land a narrowbody at its destination and it stays there until someone flies it out. The fleet positions of every airline in the system shift based on what pilots actually do.
To support the airline update, we added over 100 new aircraft types. The system now has more than a quarter million unique aircraft across all carriers and private owners.
Why This Matters
Most flight sim platforms give you a basic economy or a scripted career mode. FS Reality gives you both: freelance flying alongside a structured airline career with real progression, real schedules, and real consequences. Fly the line, build seniority, and earn your way to Senior Captain.
Questions or issues? Drop by the FS Reality Discord and let us know.