Dear Passengers First Flight
Step-by-step checklist for your first Dear Passengers flight: contracts, boarding, takeoff, mid-flight survival, and landing tips.
Pre-Flight Checklist
Your first Dear Passengers flight should prioritize learning systems over maximizing profit. Choose the simplest contract available, avoid illegal cargo, and skip optional hazard modifiers if the game presents them at contract selection. FLEXUS designed chaos to scale with greed — beginners should fly boring.
Verify hardware against minimum specs: Windows 10 64-bit, Intel Core i5 at 2.5 GHz, 8 GB RAM, GTX 1060 or RX 6600 XT, DirectX 12. Close background apps that steal bandwidth if playing co-op. Test microphone levels for proximity voice chat before passengers board.
Assign roles before loading the aircraft. Solo players mentally schedule cockpit versus cabin time; co-op groups pick pilot and cabin crew explicitly. Read controls and skim the roles overview so nobody discovers bind conflicts at rotation.
- Pick a low-risk contract without illegal cargo
- Confirm PC specs and stable internet for co-op
- Assign pilot and cabin crew roles
- Test proximity voice chat microphones
- Review control bindings for your role
Boarding and Cargo
Boarding is your first physics lesson. Passengers enter with moods, luggage, and unpredictability. Cabin crew guide seating, stow overhead bins, and watch for early disputes. Ignoring a minor argument pre-takeoff often means a full cabin brawl at cruising altitude.
Load cargo carefully even on beginner flights. Secure straps and weight distribution matter when turbulence hits. Marketing jokes about crocodiles in the hold are funny until something heavy slides into a bulkhead during a storm. Treat every crate like it hates you.
Walk the aisle once before sealing doors. Confirm galley supplies, emergency equipment access, and that no passenger is blocking exits practicing yoga. Pilot should receive an all-clear callout — see cargo mechanics and passenger behavior for deeper prep.
Takeoff and Cruise
Takeoff demands pilot focus. Throttle up, follow instrument prompts, and resist the urge to spin the camera toward cabin chaos until the aircraft is stable. Cabin crew use cruise climb to finish service tasks and monitor early event warnings.
Cruise phase is deceptive calm. Random events — turbulence pockets, bird flocks, pirate radio chatter — can trigger without warning. Maintain role discipline: pilot monitors flight path and weather; cabin crew patrol aisles and cargo access panels.
Use proximity voice for short status reports instead of long stories. “Cargo shift port side” beats a three-minute monologue about someone's sandwich. Practice callouts with friends using our co-op basics guide before attempting risky contracts.
Landing and Debrief
Landing consolidates everything that went wrong mid-flight. Damaged systems, injured passengers, and loose cargo all affect approach stability. Pilot communicates descent early; cabin crew secure loose items and seat everyone — yes, even the guy who insists standing improves his aura.
A successful first flight means survivable touchdown plus enough revenue to repair critical systems. Perfect scores are unrealistic in a friendslop airline sim. Note which events surprised you and review events and weather pages before flight two.
After landing, debrief with your crew: what callouts failed, whether roles felt balanced, and if anyone triggered a crocodile incident you would prefer to forget. Then escalate gradually — our beginner guide covers the next difficulty steps with gameplay footage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should my first flight include illegal cargo?
No. Illegal cargo increases event risk and distracts cabin crew. Learn baseline systems on legitimate loads first.
Can I solo my first flight?
Yes. Solo is harder because you swap roles, but it removes coordination pressure while learning controls.
What if we crash on the first try?
Expected. Dear Passengers rewards repetition. Debrief, adjust roles, and retry with the same low-risk contract.
How long does a first flight take?
Session length is unconfirmed pre-release. Budget thirty to sixty minutes including boarding and debrief practice.
Where do I watch gameplay before launch?
See the official trailer on our beginner guide page and the review preview for pre-release footage analysis.