The Flight Sim Network ForAircraft That Exist.
registrations, each with its own location in the
sim world. Every flight moves the aircraft,
and the next pilot picks up where you left off.
Every flight matters.
On Tailstrike, flights are part of something bigger than your personal logbook, and your flying has downstream effects on other pilots.
Open-ended realism.
No more conjuring up routes or flying generic aircraft. Fly specific aircraft registrations, starting from their present location.
Stop flying private.
Tailstrike creates a new layer of realism and interactivity where pilots and aircraft build their legacies together.
Jump right in.
Lease and fly any aircraft for free. No downloads required. Sign in with your VATSIM account to get started right now.
How It Works
1
Sign in with VATSIM
Use your existing VATSIM account to get started instantly. No downloads required.
2
Lease an aircraft
Browse the Tailstrike app, lease any aircraft, load into your sim at its current airport, and fly on VATSIM.
3
Fly and make an impact
Your flight is logged publicly and the aircraft location updates automatically for the next pilot.
Realism Rules
Depart the aircraft's current location
Land at any viable real-world airport
Fly at normal sim speed
Lease and fly any aircraft, for free.
No subscription, no credits. Just sign in and fly how you want, without restricitions.
One shared world
connecting pilots and planes.
Tailstrike creates new reasons to fly, and new ways to fly together. Join an interactive world of pilots sharing persistent aircraft.
One shared world
connecting pilots and planes.
Tailstrike creates new reasons to fly, and new ways to fly together. Join an interactive world of pilots sharing persistent aircraft.
Real aircraft
Fly specific real-world aircraft registrations: airliners, freighters, military, and general aviation.
Detailed flight records
Every aircraft keeps a record of where it's been and how it got there, including parking and pilot notes.
Community events
Join other pilots flying in organized events and participating in unique challenges with shared aircraft.
What pilots are saying
jimmy_carrot
Top Aircraft: N817EM (LJ35)
Aaron
Top Aircraft: N880FD (B77L)
V1RotateAP
Top Aircraft: N2MK (P180)
Frequently asked questions
- Why does Tailstrike require VATSIM?
- Tailstrike is currently in beta. During the beta, we are utilizing VATSIM API data to track and verify Tailstrike flights. We are actively developing a standalone plugin for offline flying.
- What does it mean to lease an aircraft Tailstrike?
- When you lease an aircraft, you have exclusive access to perform a flight with that specific aircraft. The aircraft is unavailable to other pilots until your lease ends.
- Do I need to be connected to VATSIM for the entire flight?
- Yes, we currently require pilots to be connected to VATSIM for the entire duration of the flight to ensure accurate tracking and logging. Short disconnects are allowed.
- Does the aircraft position and status update automatically?
- Yes. Upon landing, the Tailstrike system will automatically verify your flight has ended and will instantly complete your lease and update the aircraft position and status.
- Can I land at any airport?
- You can land at any current real-world airport able to accomodate the aircraft size. This ensures the next pilot can depart without issue. Diversions are allowed.
- What happens if I do not land at a valid airport?
- Flights that disconnect from the network or do not land at a valid airport will terminate and the aircraft will be reset to its last location.
- Can I fly VFR / without a flight plan?
- Yes, you can fly VFR with any GA aircraft, no flight plan required. For airliners and commercial aircraft, filing a flight plan is strongly recommended to ensure a smooth experience on VATSIM.
- Why do I have to fly at 1x speed?
- The concept of Tailstrike is to create a realistic shared world of aircraft and flights. This is only possible if all users are flying in real-time at 1x speed, ensuring consistency and fairness for all pilots.
About Tailstrike
Tailstrike is developed and operated by long-time sim pilots, aviation nerds, and engineers who wanted to create a new layer of realism and interactivity.
Our goal is simple: make your time in the cockpit part of something bigger - not just another solo session. On Tailstrike, every flight matters.