It’s been a while since I’ve posted any news or updates to the platform — but rest assured, there’s been plenty going on behind the scenes! I just don’t shout about it as much these days… (Maybe I just enjoy letting you guys discover new features on your own — or perhaps that’s just my excuse for not always finding time to write big blog posts like this one 😅).
Anyway, let’s quickly cover a few small (but still important) updates first — and then we’ll get into the meaty stuff around Aeroconomy.
JoinFS and MSFS2024 Issues (Resolved)
A couple of users reported problems using JoinFS with MSFS2024. Thankfully, one of our awesome community members discovered a fix, and I’ve updated our wiki page accordingly.
If you’re having issues and are running MSFS2024, check out the updated guide here: https://wiki.fshub.io/en/lrm-client/join_fs_integration
Flight Achievements (API Improvements)
FsHub’s REST API (v3) now allows pilots and virtual airlines to query which achievements were unlocked by a specific flight report. The API now returns:
- The unlocked achievement(s)
- Title and rewards
- Emblem (badge) image URL
- Direct link to the achievement overview page
…and some other helpful info.
Check the new section under Flight Endpoints > Flight Achievements in the API docs. This will mostly interest the tech-savvy VA developers among you — but hey, it’s there now!
New “Advanced Stats” Metrics
I added a few new metrics to the Advanced Stats section this week — you’ll find the link to these Pilot Dashboard. Go take a look and let me know what you think!
Homepage Performance Improvements
Okay, this isn’t a “new feature” per se, but a small tweak to improve loading times…
You might remember that the FsHub homepage had a full-page background video animation (which, let’s be honest, looked pretty cool 😎). However, it did slow things down a bit.
So now, the homepage only loads the video if you’re logged out. Visitors and potential new users still get that visual wow-factor, while logged-in users now enjoy a faster, static version of the page.
Did I remove the video entirely? Nope — just “hidden” when you’re logged in. If you miss it, simply log out and head back to the homepage for a quick nostalgia hit!
Helicopter (Personal) Achievements
A few users have requested helicopter-specific personal achievements — and while I’ll admit I’m not much of a helicopter guy myself, I’m all ears!
If you’ve got specific ideas (and even better, some ICAO codes), please reach out using our contact page, and I’ll get some new personal achievements added next week.
In addition to personal achievements, we realise too that we’ve just been too busy to devise other Flight Achievements and so, if you’d like to see a specific, possibly historic or maybe a geographically-awesome flight achievement in mind, we’d love to hear about it too, and we can design and get them added to the platform!
Our New “IPDE” Platform Has Launched!
In my last blog post, I talked about some of the technical hurdles we needed to clear before fully integrating Aeroconomy with FsHub. While there were a few hiccups last week around job processing, I’m happy to report that our new IPDE (Inter-Platform Data Exchange) system is now fully live and working great!
IPDE is responsible for securely transferring key data between FsHub and Aeroconomy — including things like Daily Flight Challenge rewards. Since ironing out a few early issues, it’s been running smoothly, which is great news.
This rollout was a critical prerequisite for enabling many of the more advanced Aeroconomy features — and I’ll dive deeper into those a bit later in this post!
FsHub User Survey Is Back — Please Take It!
I know, I know… It’s been hectic lately! We’ve had a ton of behind-the-scenes work going into the Aeroconomy integration — but we’d still really love to hear from you.
If you have a few minutes (perhaps while waiting for this week’s big release 👀), please consider filling out the FsHub User Survey. Your feedback helps shape the future of the platform!
…and finally… Aeroconomy’s feature debut
This week, we’re releasing access to our “Pilots For Hire” (PFH) feature — you could think of it as an “arcade mode” for Aeroconomy, where you can browse, filter, pick up ad-hoc jobs, and fly them for money.
The PFH jobs board does not require personal aircraft ownership or airline membership. It’s designed for contract or “stand-in” pilots to simply pick up a job or manifest and fly it using the aircraft provided by the customer — they supply the aircraft, and you provide the skill (and manpower) to fly it.
These jobs are primarily aimed at helping new users start flying and earning money within the Aeroconomy world. They’re also a fantastic way to discover exciting new routes or enjoy random flights — all while earning virtual currency. That currency can later be used to buy personal aircraft, properties, or any of the many features coming to Aeroconomy.
Built for Developers and Virtual Airlines
Aeroconomy has been developed with an API-first approach. Developers and VAs (Virtual Airlines) can build dedicated applications or integrate Aeroconomy features directly into their own websites. This includes functionality like aircraft ownership, gate rentals, sales, and much more.
I know this all sounds a bit complex — and we’ll explain it better on a dedicated website soon — but for the developers among you, I’m sure you already have an idea of what’s possible. Which brings me to…
The Tech Behind It All (Just a Bit Geeky 😅)
I won’t get too technical right now (I know many of you are just here for the jobs! 😂), but for those interested: the technology behind Aeroconomy — something I’ve personally developed — is a platform for object/meta-processing and data persistence. It’s affectionately named “Li.”
(Yes, we software engineers get to give cool names to things. Don’t judge me! 😄)
Li. handles all the behind-the-scenes crunching: stock market values, currency exchanges, oil prices, airframe ageing, passenger demand, and more — all dynamically shaping the Aeroconomy world. I first wrote about this concept a few years ago on our forums, and now, with the launch of PFH, we’re finally putting it into action.
So, What Does That Mean for You?
As mentioned, while Aeroconomy is built with an API-first approach, most users will simply interact through the Aeroconomy website. However, for this important testing phase, we’ve built a dedicated desktop app (available for Windows, macOS, and Linux this Friday!). The app fully utilises our API and is required for testing.
We’re inviting all Premium users to join this initial four-week testing phase. The app (screenshots below to hype you up!) allows you to browse, filter, accept, and fly PFH (Pilots for Hire) jobs. Completing them will earn you virtual Aeroconomy Dollars, deposited into your personal Aeroconomy bank account.
To our free users: hang tight — once the testing phase is complete and PFH is considered officially “live,” you’ll be able to log in and use the app too. For now, we want to limit the initial impact (influx of users/flights being flown), and we want to show appreciation to Premium members who have supported the platform financially by donating, helping cover hosting and development costs – a huge thank-you to you guys!!!
What Do You Get During the Testing Phase?
Well… some seriously fun and themed jobs! 🚁✈️
You’ll find everything from:
- Emergency medical (transfer) flights
- Scenic island tours in New Zealand
- Fresh fish and grocery deliveries in Alaska
- Real-world routes based on major commercial airlines in Europe
And best of all, PFH jobs during the testing phase will pay an extra bonus currency! This early income can be transferred to your virtual airline of choice or saved for future purchases like personal GA aircraft, property, or other in-game assets.
VA Owners, Take Note!
You can think of the PFH Jobs Board as a much-needed goldmine for VA owners. Encourage your pilots to enrol in Aeroconomy and fly PFH jobs, then transfer their hard-earned income to your VA bank account. This will provide essential startup funds for aircraft leasing, purchases, gate rentals, and more — when those features roll out.
Got Ideas for PFH Jobs?
We’re eager to hear your ideas! If you have suggestions for themed PFH job packs or customer concepts, please submit them through our contact page. We’d love:
- A business name
- Example job types (e.g., cargo)
- A general geographical region
- A list of valid ICAO aircraft codes
…and we’ll aim to get them added to the pool of jobs in due course – we figured, at the start, however, it’s best to test with fewer customers/jobs, but let’s see how quickly the jobs are being flown!
It’s all very exciting — at least in my opinion! 😄
Here are a few screenshots of the Aeroconomy PFH app to whet your appetite ahead of Friday’s release. And yes — helicopter pilots are included too!
We understand… some of you might not be thrilled about the idea of a dedicated desktop app (please don’t moan at us about it!), but I cannot stress enough how much easier this will make the testing phase. It’s really important to us — and most importantly, to me!
Access to the web version of the PFH board (which, for your information, is actually less feature-rich) will be available after the initial testing phase is complete.
Don’t get us wrong — the jobs you fly and the money you accumulate during the testing phase are completely valid (and yes, you get to keep your earnings). The reason we’re calling it a “testing phase” is so we can identify and fix any bugs or loopholes, especially if something affects the in-game bank accounts. So fly to your heart’s content and start banking that all-important AED (Aeroconomy Dollars)!
This blog post will be updated on Friday the 1st, with download links for the PFH client. You’re welcome to download and use it both during the testing phase and afterwards, even once the web version is available — the choice is yours!
I’d also like to quickly remind pilots — especially those planning to participate in Aeroconomy — that we have a dedicated section on our Forums for Aeroconomy discussions. Plus, we’ve recently opened a new Discord channel specifically for Aeroconomy support (including help with the PFH app).
A very special thanks to Clorix, who has been assembling the desktop app and working closely with me (I’ve been handling the backend API) to make this initial release possible!
That’s all for now — check back here on Friday for the Aeroconomy PFH app download links (if you’d like to, that is)!
As promised, the Pilot’s For Hire feature has now been released. Download links and useful information can be found on this page! – Have fun guys!