When the program starts, you will be greated with a login screen. On this screen you can either login or create a new account.
Loging-In:
When logging-in, you need to provide your password and either your Username, your Company Name, or both. After filling out those boxes, press the Login button to log into your account. None of these boxes are case-sensitive.
Create New Account:
When creating a new account, you must provide a Username, a Password, and a Company Name. The Username and Company Name will be visible to other users, but the Password will not be. If you forget your password, the only way to recover it is by contacting the administrator. After filling out the three boxes, press the New Account button and it will attempt to create your account.
In this tutorial, we are starting from scratch and creating a new account. Our Username will be: newuser, our Password will be: password, and our Company Name will be: NewCompany.
After we create our new account, we are brought to the Home Screen.
You will notice that along the top of the screen are 3 text boxes.
The first box contains your current funds. Every company currently starts out with just $50,000.
The second box is contains the current value of your company. The value of your company is the amount of funds you have, plus your accumlitive accessets. NOTE: If your company value is below 0 for 6 months, you will go bankrupt and your company is shut down.
The third box contains the current in-game date. For this example, the current date is March, 2011.
You will also notice the navigation list on the left side of the screen. This navigation list allows you to access all the different features of the program and allows you to manage your company.
The Home screen allows you to see 4 simple reports about your company so you can get an idea of how you are operating.
The Company Report shows you the number of planes you are operating with, the number of airports you are operating at, the number of pilots you have, the number of crew members you have, and the number of routes (flights) you operate each day.
The Expense Report shows the total amount of profit you made the previous month from routes, your total monthly lease cost, your total monthly pilot cost, your total monthly crew cost, and your total monthly airport expenses.
The Problem Report will show you a list of all the flights that have either low load factors or negative profit margins.
The Airport Report will show you a list of the airport you operate at, as well as their monthly expense and the number of system-wide daily flights operating at that airport.
The Airport Operations screen allows you to begin operations at airports. By operating at an airport, you incur a monthly fee. The fee differs for each airport.
NOTE: The more expensive an airport is to operate at, the more historical revenue is available at that airport.
Adding ATL and DFW:
For this example, we are going to add just Atlanta and Dallas-Fort Worth. To do that, we can either scroll through the list of airports, or we can type in the airport code in the box above to find the airport we are looking for. Once we have selected the airport we want to add, press the Add Selected Cities button to add them to your list of cities. If you select multiple airports at once and press the Add Selected Cities button, all of the selected cities will be added. If you made a mistake and want to remove a city, select it in your Company Cities list, right-click, and select the Delete option.
After you have added some airports to operate at, you can establish your routes between them. To do this, go to the Manage Routes screen. This screen contains all the information you could possibly want to manage your existing network. Although most of this information will not be important your first month, it will become extremely important after the simulation has run and you are trying to manage your network.
Looking from left to right:
First you will notice a section of the screen that contains two text boxes and the label: Filters. These textboxes allow you to filter through all of your flights. The first text box is the origin, and the second textbox is the destination. If you just type in the origin, it will filter all flights with that origin. If you then add an asterisk at the end, it will filter all flights with that as either the origin or the destination. If you then remove the asterisk and input a destination, it will filter all flights that have that specific origin and destination (directional). If you then add an asterisk to either the origin or destination box, it will filter all flights that have that specific origin and destination (non-directional). The filters will affect the Current Route List, as well as the two tables on the screen.
Next you will notice a list labeled Current Routes, with two buttons below it. This list contains all of your flights. How to use this will be discussed in more detail later.
Next you will notice a small form containing two drop-down boxes, 3 textboxes, a checkbox, and a button. This form allows you to create routes, and will be discussed in more detail later.
Next you will notice a section in the top right of the screen with 3 textboxes, a checkbox, and a button. This area allows you to change the prices of your routes across your network, and will be discussed in more detail later.
Lastly, you will notice the two tables, which will also be discussed in more detail later.
Creating 4 Round-Trips:
So, let's say we want to create 4 round-trip flights between ATL and DFW. To do that, go to the form in the center of the screen. Our first flight will begin in ATL and end in DFW. So, in the first drop-down box, we selected ATL and in the second drop-down box we selected DFW. Now we want our first flight to operate at 6am. In military time, this is 0600, so in the first textbox, we entered 0600. Now we want to set the ticket cost from ATL to DFW to $200, so in the second textbox, we enter 200. Now, since we want to create round-trips, we select the checkbox labeled: Auto Create Return. Lastly, since we want 4 round-trips, we enter 4 in the last textbox. When the form is entirely filled out, we press the Add Route button. The computer will then create 8 flights (4 each way), with a turnaround time of 31 minutes.
NOTE: There is a minimum of a 30 minute turnaround time, so plan accordingly.
After creating those routes, you will notice the Current Routes list is now populated, and items have been added to both tables.
Adjusting All Prices:
Now, let's say that we want to change all of our flights' ticket costs to $250. One way to do it would be by going through each of them and editing them (explained how to do that later). The fastest way of doing it would be the Universal Price Adjuster located at the top right corner. Since we want to adjust flights from ATL to DFW, we add ATL in the first box and DFW in the second box. We then enter 250 in the box labeled: New Price. Lastly, since we want to change the price in both directions, we select the checkbox labeled: Reverse. After we set our criteria, we press the Universal Price Adjustment button and all of our flights that meet the above criteria will change accordingly.
Copying Routes:
Now, let's say that we want to create a second group of the same flights; with all the same origins, destinations, departure times, and ticket costs. To do that, select the flights you want to copy in the Current Routes list (hold down Shift to select concurrent groups or Ctrl to select a group of individuals), right-click the list, and select the copy option.
After Copying:
We now have a duplicate set of flights.
Deleting Some Of The New Routes:
Now let's say we want to delete some of those routes. Once again, we select the ones we want to delete, but this time we press the Delete button located under the list.
Editing Route:
Hmm, we now have a flight going from DFW to ATL about 9 hours after the previous flight arrives in DFW, so we should probably adjust that flight's time. To edit a flight, select the flight and press the Edit button. You will notice this button will now change to say: New. You will also notice all the flight details in the form to the right of the Current Routes list. We can make the adjustments here. We want to change the Departure time from 2056 to 1223. Do so in the form and press the Add Route button.
After Editing:
It will appear as if nothing has changed. Select a different flight in the Current Routes list and the details will change correctly.
NOTE: Remember to press the New button when you are done editing to allow yourself to exit editing mode and create new routes again. Once you press the New button, it will revert back to reading: Edit.
Tables:
There are two main tables on this screen that will tell you almost everything you need to know about your routes and their performance.
The table at the bottom of the screen contains all the system-wide details about the routes you operate at. The first column contains the Airport Code of the Origin. The second column contains the Airport Code of the Destination. The third column contains the Percentage of the Total Number of Passengers in the route that are currently captured. The fourth column contains the number of Passengers Connecting through this route. The fifth column contains the average fare of the route, and a percentage that represents the average fare's percentage of the historical fare (171% means $250 is 171% of the historical fare). The sixth column contains the total collected revenue on that route by the system, and a percentage representing what percent of the revenue in that route has been collected. The seventh column contains the average load factor for the route. The eighth column represents the total number of flights in that route. The ninth column represents the total number of competitors in that route (you being one).
The smaller table on the right contains information about you in the market. The first column contains the Airport Code of the origin. The second column contains the Airport code of the Destination. The third column contains your average fare for that route. The fourth column contains the number of Passengers you are collecting, over the number of Seats you have put in the market. The fifth column contains your average load factor in the market. The sixth column contains your profit in the market the previous month. The seventh column contains the number of flights you are flying in that market.
After you have created your routes, you need to purchase or lease planes and decide which routes will be on which planes. To do this, go to the Manage Planes screen. The Manage Planes screen contains some basic information for helping you manage your planes.
Purchasing A Plane:
Now, we have two planes worth of routes, so we want two planes. The list on the left side of the screen contains all the different planes we could purchase or lease. When we select a plane, the form in the center is populated by information about the plane.
The Name is the name of the plane.
The Purchase Cost is the amount of money it will cost to purchase the plane.
The Lease Cost is the amount of money it will cost, per month, to lease the plane.
The Fuel Efficiency is the estimated cost of fuel per mile.
NOTE: Keep in mind that this cost is not exactly on a per-mile basis since there is a fuel cost model that takes into the account of the cost per mile with respect to fuel-burn and the changing of the plane's weight over time while flying. This cost is merely the base cost and may not calculate out exactly on a per-mile basis.
The Seats are the number of Seats available on the plane.
The Crew Cost is the monthly cost in flight crew to fly the selected plane.
The Pilot Cost is the monthly cost in pilots to fly the selected plane.
The Insurance Cost is the monthly cost of insurance on the selected plane.
The Taxes Cost is the monthly cost of taxes on the selected plane.
NOTE: There is a monthly maintenance fee that is currently not shown, but it is not substantial.
Choosing To Lease:
We will use the information about each plane to make a decision on what we want to purchase or lease. Since we only have $50,000, and the bank will only allow us to go $10,000,000 in debt, we cannot purchase any planes at the moment, so we will have to lease. We will lease 2 B737s. So, we select that plane in the Plane Options list and press the Lease button. We are then asked how many we would like to lease, and we enter: 2. Once you have entered how many you would like, press ok.
NOTE: You can only Lease/Purchase a maximum of 5 of each different plane each turn. Also note that while purchasing a plane will add to your company's value, leasing a plane will not.
Adding Routes To Planes:
Now that we have our planes, we want to add our flights to them. When we select the first plane in the Currently Owned Planes list, you'll notice the list at the bottom of the screen populates. This list contains a list of flights that we can add to this plane. There are two ways of adding planes: in groups or individually.
Adding Groups To The Plane:
To add flights in groups, select the flights you want to add to the plane press the Add To Route Table button.
After Adding:
You will now notice the table above the list is filled with flights. These flights are all the flights on this plane. The table will tell you everything you want to know about each flight. After the simulation has ran, the column labeled PAX will contain the number of passegers that flew on that flight, the column labeled Load Factor will contain that flight's load factor, and the column labeled Revenue (will be eventually renamed to: Profit) will contain the amount of money earned on that flight (after expenses).
Adding Individually:
Now we will add flights to our second plane. This time we will show how to add them individually. To add flights individually, select the flight you want to add and press the Add To Route Table button.
After Adding:
The flight you added will now be added to the Route Table. You will also notice how the list at the bottom of the screen has changed. This list now contains ONLY the flights that you are allowed to add to the plane, based on turn-around time and the plane's current location.
After Adding All:
After you have added all the flights individually, it will look like this.
Selling/Returning Planes:
If you want to sell a plane or return a plane that you are leasing, select the plane in the Currently Owned Planes list and press the Sell/Return Plane button.
If you are leasing the plane, to return the plane you will incur a fee of up to 6 months worth of lease costs, depending on how long you have leased the plane for.
If you have purchased the plane and you are selling, keep in mind that over time your plane has devalued over time and it will NOT be worth as much as you bought it for.
Upgrading/Downgrading Planes:
If you want to upgrade a plane or downgrade a plane, you must first lease or purchase a larger or smaller plane than the one you want to upgrade or downgrade. Next, select the plane you want to upgrade or downgrade, right-click the Currently Owned Planes list, and press either the Upgrade Plane option or the Downgrade Plane option. You will then be asked which plane you want to Upgrade or Downgrade to.
If you want to manage your company's investments, go to the Managing Investments screen. There are two textboxes at the top of this screen. The first box contains the amount of money you are investing each month and the second contains a percentage. When you invest, it changes the way your ticket fares are perceived by passengers. This percentage represents at what percentage passengers perceive your ticket fares. So if you max all of the investments, your Perceived Ticket Percentage will be 75.09%. This means that when your ticket prices are calculated in the passenger distribution model, it will be calculated in at about 75% of the price you set it as. So if you have a ticket fare of $1000, it will calculate in the passenger distribution model as about $750, but you will collect the full $1000 for each ticket sold. This can give you a significant competitive advantage, without requiring you to adjust your ticket prices.
Each investment cost is calculated differently. Advertising and Ground Crew are calculated based on the number of airports you operate at. Snacks/Beverages are calculated based on the number of flights you have. Onboard Entertainment is calculated based on the total number of seats you fly with. And Business Class and First Class Seating are calculated based on the number of planes you fly.
But, keep in mind that there are other expenses other than what is shown. By adding Business Class and First Class Seating, you are decreasing the number of Seats on your planes, thus decreasing the possible number of passengers you can fly with. Some investments may have impacts such as increasing plane maintained costs, and other costs like that.
Max Advertising:
So if we wanted to invest in Advertising, and we wanted to make a full investment in advertising, we select the Invest checkbox for Advertising and use the slider and slide it all the way to its max. As you can see, that will cost us $2,000,000 a month, and gives us a perceived ticket percentage of 92.12%. Meaning a $1000 ticket would calculate as $921.20.
The Companies Overview Screen allows you to see in-depth information about all the other companies in the industry.
The table contains the company name, the owner's username, the value of the company, the amount of funds the company has, the number of planes the company owns, the amount of money the company spent on plane expenses the previous month, the number of airports the company operates at, the amount of money spent on airport expenses the previous month, the number of flights the company operates, the amount of profit the company made on routes the previous month, the number of employees the company has, and the amount of money the company spent on employees the previous month.
Under the table is a map of the United States. When you select a company in the table at the top of the screen, all of their routes are populated on the map. If you see a dot on the map and are unsure what the airport code is, click on that dot and it will display the airport code.
The Global Details Screen will give you a list of all the best and worst markets being operated in the system. This screen contains 12 tables, each of which contain up to 10 rows. This screen allows you to check the status of the best and worst markets so you can make an informed decision when trying to begin operations in a market that has competition.
Searching Specific Route:
If you want to find a specific route, there are two textboxes and a table at the bottom of the screen. If you input an origin and destination into this textboxes, it will show you all the information you would like to know about the market you are searching for. In the below example, we searched: ATL-DEN.
After you have made all of your company changes, the last thing to do is press the Save Changes button. This will save all of the changes you have made.
It may take a while to save your changes. When it is done saving, you will either get an error or a message telling you the saving was finished. If you get an error tell you it timed out, attempt again to save your company.
If you get any other errors, please contact the administrator for further investigation.
