CAVAcars 2 — Pilot Guide

NOTE: This application is not yet officially available to all pilots. When it is ready, it'll be announced via our website, newsletter, and Discord.

CAVAcars 2 is Canada Air Virtual's desktop app for finding and dispatching flights, tracking them live against your simulator, filing PIREPs, and chatting with other CAV pilots. This guide covers everything from first launch to connecting your simulator and flying a tracked flight.

The app at a glance

The tabs along the top are grouped by what they're for:

GroupTabsPurpose
OverviewHome, Live MapYour Home screen and a live map of CAV traffic
Find a flightSchedules, Tours, Events, Open Flights, Ferry, CharterBrowse and dispatch flights
My bookingsDispatchedFlights you've dispatched but not yet flown
Live opsChat, TrackingPilot chat and your active tracked flight

The status bar

A status bar runs along the bottom of the window at all times. This is where your simulator connection lives (see Connecting your simulator). It also shows a REC indicator with your flight number whenever a flight is actively being tracked, and an Arming countdown while a tracking session is about to auto-start, so you always know your tracking state no matter which tab you're on.

Click the connection status at the far left to open the Debug log. If you're having trouble, click Copy log there and paste it in a message to staff.

The pilot menu

Click your name and avatar in the top right to open the pilot menu:

ItemWhat it does
My LogbookOpens your logbook on the CAV website
Pilot GuideOpens this guide
What's newThe latest changes to CAVacars 2 (see Updates). A red dot on your avatar means there's something you haven't seen yet.
Browser accessUse CAVacars 2 from a tablet, phone or another PC on your network. See Using CAVacars 2 in a browser or on an iPad.
Close to trayWhen ON, closing the window keeps CAVacars 2 running in the system tray instead of quitting
Check for updatesChecks for a new version right away
Sign outSigns you out of CAVacars 2

The light/dark theme toggle is in the top bar next to the menu.

The Home screen

The Home screen is where CAVacars 2 opens after you sign in. It gives you a quick look at your career, what's happening at Canada Air Virtual right now, and shortcuts to the things you're most likely to do next.

Your statistics

Under your name and avatar, four tiles show your Hours flown, Flights, Avg landing rate and PIREPs filed.

Cards

Below your statistics is a set of cards. Some are always there; others only appear when there's something to show.

CardWhen it showsWhat it does
Rank progressAlwaysYour current rank, total hours, and a progress bar showing the hours left to your next rank.
Previous flightAlwaysYour most recent PIREP: route, aircraft, distance, flight time, landing rate and whether it was accepted. My Logbook opens your full logbook on the website.
Upcoming awardsAlwaysYour next hours, flights and tenure awards, with how far you have to go for each.
Latest liveryAlwaysThe newest Canada Air livery, with a download link.
From the shopAlwaysA featured item from the CAV shop.
Event voiceAn event is live or about to open, and people are in its Discord voice channelWho's in the event's voice channel, with View event and Join voice buttons.
In Discord voiceAnyone is in a public voice channel on the CAV DiscordWho's in which channel. Click a channel name to open it in Discord.
Open flightsAny open flights are plannedThe next few group flights, how many pilots have joined and when they leave. See Open Flights.
Next eventAn event is scheduledThe next event, when it starts (in your time zone), and a Dispatch window open badge once you can dispatch it.
Flight of the WeekThere's a Flight of the WeekThis week's featured flight. You can dispatch it straight from the card once it opens (30 minutes before it starts). It shows Completed once you've flown it.
Screenshot ContestA monthly contest is openThis month's theme and deadline. Browse the entries, click a thumbnail to see it full size, and vote without leaving the app. Submit your entry opens the website.
Ferry flightsFerry flights are runningYour Ferry Credits and the current ferry delivery, with a button to fly a leg.
Tour in progressYou've started a tourYour progress and next leg, with a button to jump to it on the Tours screen.
Popular toursTours have been flown in the last 30 daysThe most-flown tours of the last 30 days, with their rating and whether you've flown them.
NewsAlwaysThe latest CAV news.

If you haven't linked your Discord account yet, a Link your Discord banner appears at the top of the Home screen. Linking lets you show up by name in the voice cards, chat with Discord from the Pilot chat, and host or join Open Flights from Discord. You also earn an award for it. If you'd rather not, you can dismiss the banner.

The row of buttons at the bottom of the screen opens Discord, the shop, liveries and downloads, our partners, the donation page and the Knowledge Base in your browser.

Live Map

The Live Map tab shows every Canada Air Virtual flight in the air right now. It refreshes every 30 seconds, and the count at the top right shows how many pilots are flying. Click the refresh button next to it to update straight away.

The map

Flight details

The popup for a flight shows:

The Live Flights list

The Live Flights panel on the right lists every flight with its flight number and pilot. Click a flight in the list to find it on the map.

Click the arrows in the panel's header to expand it. The expanded list also shows departure, arrival and aircraft, and adds a search box. You can search by flight number, pilot name, or departure or arrival airport.

Connecting your simulator

Click the gear icon at the right of the status bar to open the flight simulator link settings.

Supported simulators

Simulator Connection Default port Setup needed
Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020 or 2024) SimConnect over TCP 500 None — MSFS opens this automatically
FSX / Prepar3D SimConnect over TCP 500 Manual (see below)
X-Plane 11 / 12 X-Plane's built-in networking (UDP) 49000 One setting (see below)

MSFS needs nothing extra — its default configuration already listens on port 500 for exactly this kind of connection.

FSX / Prepar3D don't open a network listener by default the way MSFS does. You need to hand-create a SimConnect.cfg file on the simulator's PC (not the CAVAcars PC) containing:

[SimConnect]
Protocol=IPv4
Address=0.0.0.0
Port=500
MaxClients=64
Disabled=0

The exact folder this file goes in varies by sim version — search "SimConnect.cfg location" for your specific FSX/Prepar3D version if you're not sure. The port must match whatever you set in CAVAcars (500 by default).

X-Plane needs one setting enabled: in X-Plane, go to Settings → Network and turn on "Accept incoming connections." No plugin is required — CAVAcars talks to X-Plane's own built-in networking directly.

Setting the connection up

  1. Choose your Simulator from the dropdown.
  2. Enter the Simulator PC address:
    • If the simulator runs on the same PC as CAVAcars, enter 127.0.0.1 or localhost.
    • If it runs on a different PC on your home network, enter that PC's IP address (e.g. 192.168.1.50) — or use the scan button below instead of typing it in.
  3. Confirm the Port — it's pre-filled with the right default for whichever simulator you picked, but change it if you've configured a non-default port (as you might with FSX/Prepar3D above).
  4. Leave "Connect automatically on launch" checked so CAVAcars reconnects on its own every time you open the app.
  5. Click Save & connect.

Scanning for your simulator

If you don't know your simulator PC's address, click Scan network for the sim. CAVAcars sweeps your local network for a machine answering on the configured port and lists every address that responds — click one to connect to it. If nothing responds:

If CAVAcars finds exactly one simulator on first launch (with no address saved yet), it connects automatically — you'll only need to use the scan button yourself if there's more than one candidate, or none.

Reading the status bar

Indicator Meaning
Dot + "Connected" / "Connecting" / "Disconnected" Current link status
Simulator name & version (e.g. "MSFS 2020") Confirms which sim you're talking to
Aircraft name / tail number The aircraft currently loaded in the sim
ALT / IAS / GS / HDG / V/S Live telemetry once you're in the world
RATE Shown only when simulator time is sped up

Finding and dispatching a flight

Browse Schedules, Tours, Events, Open Flights, Ferry or Charter for a flight, then click Dispatch. Pick the aircraft you want to fly it in and confirm. The flight now appears under Dispatched.

If you're already sitting at the departure airport in the sim when you dispatch, CAVacars 2 takes you straight to Flight Tracking instead of the Dispatched list.

When you dispatch an event flight that has a Discord voice channel, the dialog also shows who's already in the event's voice channel, with a link to join them.

Searching by airport

The departure and arrival fields in the flight filters and on the Charter screen suggest airports as you type. You can type an ICAO code, an IATA code or part of the airport's name and pick from the list. You don't have to pick a suggestion: whatever you type is used as-is.

Charter flights

The Charter screen is for flying a route that isn't in the schedule. Fill in the flight yourself, or click Import from SimBrief to load your latest SimBrief flight plan. Importing fills in the flight number, departure, arrival, route, cruising altitude and aircraft. Check the details, then dispatch.

Not for event flights or tour legs. A charter is never credited to an event or tour, even with the same flight number and route. If you see a warning that your charter matches an event or one of your dispatches, fly that dispatch instead. See Editing a SimBrief plan for an event or tour flight.

My Dispatched Flights

The Dispatched tab lists every flight you've dispatched but haven't flown yet. A flight that's being tracked is listed first and marked Being tracked.

To…Do this
Change the flight numberClick the flight number, type the new one and press Enter (or Esc to cancel).
Change the aircraftPick a different aircraft from the dropdown on the flight.
Plan the flightClick Plan with SimBrief. See Planning with SimBrief.
Fly it with othersClick Open. See Open Flights.
Remove itClick Delete.
Cancel a flight that's being trackedClick Cancel flight. Use this if the sim or CAVacars 2 crashed and you don't want to resume the flight. The tracked flight and its log are discarded, and you can choose to keep the dispatch to fly later or delete it.

You can't change the flight number or aircraft of a flight while it's being tracked.

Open Flights

Open Flights let you invite other Canada Air Virtual pilots to fly one of your dispatched flights with you. Pick a departure time, and pilots can join from the CAVacars 2 app or straight from Discord. When the time comes, everyone hops into a voice channel and departs together.

What you need

Hosting an open flight

  1. Dispatch a flight as normal (a schedule, tour leg or charter).
  2. Open the Dispatched screen and click Open next to the flight.
  3. Choose:
    • Departure time. Any time in the next 48 hours. The time you enter is your local time; the dialog also shows it in UTC.
    • Voice channel. The default is a new temporary channel, which the bot creates for you. You can pick an existing channel instead.
    • Note (optional), for example "relaxed pace, all welcome".
  4. Click Open flight.

Your flight is posted immediately in the #open-flights channel on Discord and appears on the Open Flights screen in CAVacars 2. You can host up to two open flights at a time.

Event flights and ferry flights can't be opened. Events already have their own group flight, and ferry legs have their own rules.

To call it off, go to Open Flights and click Cancel open flight. Your own dispatch stays, and pilots who already joined keep theirs.

Joining an open flight

In CAVacars 2

  1. Open the Open Flights screen.
  2. Click Join on a flight, choose your aircraft (the host's aircraft is suggested, but you can fly something else), and confirm.

In Discord

  1. Find the flight in #open-flights.
  2. Press Join flight.

Either way, the flight is added to your Dispatched flights, ready to fly. To back out, use Leave (in the app or in Discord). That also removes the dispatch.

You don't have to fly exactly at the departure time, but the group leaves then, so being ready in time is the point.

What happens and when

When What happens
You open the flight It's posted in #open-flights and listed in the app
30 minutes before departure A temporary voice channel is created (unless the host chose an existing one), and the post shows it
15 minutes before departure The host and everyone who joined get a reminder ping
Departure time Fly together!
30+ minutes after departure The temporary voice channel is removed once it's empty
60 minutes after departure The open flight closes and the Discord post is marked closed

If the host deletes their dispatch, the open flight is cancelled automatically.

The Flight Lead award

Host an open flight that at least one other pilot also completes, and you'll earn the Flight Lead award.

Troubleshooting

I don't see the Open button.
It only appears on flights that are not in progress and are not event or ferry flights.

The Join button in Discord says my account isn't linked.
Discord joining works through your linked account. Link it on the website first.

Where's the voice channel?
Temporary channels appear 30 minutes before departure. The post in #open-flights updates with a link when it's created.

The times look different in Discord and in the app.
Both show the same moment. Discord shows the time in each person's own time zone, and the app uses your display time zone.

I joined but the flight doesn't show in Dispatched.
Refresh the Dispatched screen. If it still isn't there, try joining again, and ask in Discord if the problem continues.

Planning with SimBrief

From a dispatched flight, click Plan with SimBrief to open SimBrief in your browser with the route, aircraft and airports already filled in. You need a SimBrief Pilot ID linked on your CAV profile first. If you haven't set one, the button will prompt you to add it.

After generating your plan on SimBrief, come back and click Check for my flight plan to pull the OFP summary (weights, route, cost index, fuel) into the app.

Your route on the map

When your latest SimBrief plan is for the flight you're tracking (same departure and arrival), the Flight Tracking map draws its route fix by fix instead of a straight great-circle line.

Changing your plan

You can edit and regenerate your plan on SimBrief as often as you like. Click Check for my flight plan again to load the new version. For event flights and tour legs, keep flying the original dispatch so the event or tour leg is credited. See Editing a SimBrief plan for an event or tour flight.

Charter flights from SimBrief

Already planned a flight on SimBrief that isn't in the schedule? On the Charter screen, click Import from SimBrief to fill in the charter form from your latest plan. See Finding and dispatching a flight.

Editing a SimBrief plan for an event or tour flight

Event flights and tour legs are linked to your dispatch. That link is what gives you credit for the event or the tour leg when you file your PIREP. In CAVacars 2 you can change your SimBrief plan as often as you like, and the link stays in place.

Never use Import from SimBrief on the Charter screen for an event or tour flight. That button creates a brand-new charter dispatch. A charter has no event or tour link, so it is never credited to the event or tour leg, even when it has exactly the same flight number, airports and route. The Plan with SimBrief button on your dispatched flight is the right one: it updates your plan without touching the dispatch.

Before you start

Step 1: Dispatch the event or tour flight

  1. Open Events or Tours in CAVacars 2.
  2. Click Dispatch on the event flight or tour leg. Event flights can be dispatched from 30 minutes before the event starts. Tour legs must be flown in order.
  3. The flight now appears under My Dispatched Flights.

Step 2: Plan it with SimBrief

  1. In My Dispatched Flights, click Plan with SimBrief on the flight.
  2. Click Open SimBrief. SimBrief opens in your browser with the flight number, airports, aircraft, route and cruise level already filled in.
  3. Adjust anything you like and click Generate Flight on SimBrief.
  4. Go back to CAVacars 2 and click Check for my flight plan. The app shows the OFP summary and draws your route on the tracking map.

Step 3: Change the plan as often as you need

Want a different route, cruise level, fuel or payload?

  1. Edit the plan on SimBrief and generate it again. You can reopen it from Plan with SimBrief → Open SimBrief, or edit it directly on simbrief.com.
  2. In CAVacars 2, click Check for my flight plan again to load the new version.

Don't delete the dispatch and don't create a charter from the SimBrief plan. Keep flying the original dispatch from My Dispatched Flights. It's the one that carries the event or tour link. Re-loading the plan into your aircraft or EFB in the sim is fine too; it doesn't affect your dispatch.

If you open the Charter screen (in CAVacars 2 or on the website) with a flight that matches an event or one of your event or tour dispatches, you'll see a warning that the charter won't count. When you see it, stop and go back to your dispatched flight.

Changed aircraft? If you switch to a different aircraft in SimBrief, change it on the dispatch too. Use the aircraft dropdown on the flight in My Dispatched Flights. Changes to the route, cruise level, fuel or payload don't need anything in CAVacars 2.

Your other tools stay in sync

Your plan is generated and stored on SimBrief, so aircraft FMCs, EFBs and other add-ons that import your latest SimBrief plan get the same edited version. Two things to keep in mind:

Step 4: Fly and file

Before you start tracking, check the flight in My Dispatched Flights. Its type should show the event or tour leg, not Charter. If you have more than one dispatch from the same airport, CAVacars 2 asks which one to track: pick the event or tour flight.

Start tracking the dispatched flight as usual. When you file the PIREP, the event or tour leg is credited automatically. See Flight tracking and Filing your PIREP.

My event or tour leg wasn't credited

Almost always, the flight was filed on a charter (or a schedule flight) instead of the event or tour dispatch, usually after re-importing a SimBrief plan through the Charter screen or deleting and recreating the dispatch. Event flights can only be dispatched from 30 minutes before the event starts until it ends, so a dispatch that's deleted late can't be recreated as an event flight.

Contact staff with your PIREP number. Don't file the flight again.

Flight tracking

Getting into a tracked flight

CAVacars 2 watches for your aircraft to appear in the simulator world. When it does:

While tracking

Once active, CAVacars 2 sends position updates to the server automatically and shows your progress (distance and time remaining) right on the tracking screen. The bar under the map shows the flight you're tracking and how many updates have been sent, with File PIREP, Stop and Cancel flight buttons.

The buttons above the map

ButtonWhat it does
LogShows the Flight Log panel: events recorded during the flight, your own comments, and the Auto-file switch. See Filing your PIREP.
ProfileShows the vertical profile panel: a chart of your altitude and airspeed over the flight so far.
FollowKeeps the map centred on your aircraft. Dragging the map away turns it off; it turns itself back on when your aircraft is near the middle again.
Traffic, Layers, RadarOther aircraft, airspace and navigation data, and weather radar. See Map layers.
Pause at TODPauses the sim before your top of descent (see below). Only shown while a flight is being tracked.
RecoverPuts your aircraft back where it was after a sim crash (see below). Only shown when it's needed.
Pause / ResumePauses or resumes the simulator.

While the sim is paused, the map is dimmed with a large SIM PAUSED label and a button to resume.

Pause at top of descent

Turn this on and CAVacars 2 pauses the simulator a little before your computed top-of-descent point, based on a rough 3° descent profile. It's handy if you tend to get distracted and fly through your TOD. When it pauses, you'll hear a two-tone cabin chime, and the bar under the map says Paused at top of descent with a Resume button.

Click Pause at TOD to set how early it pauses:

Adjust the value if it's pausing too early or too late for your taste.

Stopping or cancelling a flight

Interruptions and resuming

If you close the app, crash, or otherwise get interrupted mid-flight, CAVacars 2 keeps your tracked flight open on the server for 12 hours. Next time you launch the app and get back in the world, you'll be offered Resume (pick up where you left off, log and all) or Discard.

If tracking is active when you try to close the app, you'll get a warning first. Quit Anyway ends the app immediately (still resumable within the 12-hour window above) rather than properly ending the flight.

If you resume more than half a mile from where tracking last saw you, the flight log notes how far away you were. That PIREP then goes to staff for review instead of being approved automatically. This can also happen when CAVacars 2 restarts mid-flight to install an update, which is why Windows updates wait for you to click Apply.

Recovering after a sim crash

If your simulator crashes mid-flight and you restart it somewhere else, a Recover button appears above the map once your aircraft is more than 10 nm from its last tracked position. Click it and confirm, and CAVacars 2 moves your aircraft back to that position, altitude and heading.

Filing your PIREP

There are two ways to file:

The Flight Log panel (toggle with the Log button) records notable events during the flight automatically (gear, flaps, lights, engine starts, touchdown, and more) and lets you add your own comments, which get folded into the PIREP.

If filing fails (for example because your internet dropped), the bar under the map shows the error with a Retry button.

After you file

A summary pops up with your landing rate, fuel used and flight time. If the flight earned you a promotion or any awards, they're shown too, with confetti for a great landing or a new unlock.

If the PIREP needs a staff review (see below), the summary says so. Any awards or rank progress it earns are granted once it's approved.

Automatic approval

Most PIREPs are approved automatically. A PIREP goes to staff for review instead if any of these show up:

CheckSent for review when…
Landing rateTouchdown was harder than 750 fpm (or the landing rate is implausibly positive)
Ground speedThe average ground speed for the flight is over 560 kt
Slew modeSlew mode was used
Sim rateThe sim rate was changed from 1x at any point
Fuel increaseFuel went up while airborne by more than 1% of your starting fuel, for example from refuelling in flight
CrashThe aircraft crashed
Flight resumedThe flight was resumed more than half a mile from where tracking last saw you (see Flight tracking)
Landing locationYou landed more than 5 nm from the planned arrival airport, e.g. a diversion
Distance and fuelNo distance was flown, or no fuel was used
Flight numberThe flight number contains anything other than letters and numbers

A review isn't a penalty. It just means a staff member looks at the flight before it counts. Each of these events is recorded in your flight log, so you can see what happened.

Achievements: Earn Badges for How You Fly

Achievements are badges you earn for how well you fly, not just how much. Grease a landing in a gusty crosswind, fly by the book, land at Lukla or keep up a weekly flying habit, and CAVacars 2 rewards you for it.

Achievements count from 1 November 2026.

What counts

Make sure you're on the latest version of CAVacars 2. You can download it from the CAV website.

Tiers and points

Most achievements have three tiers: Bronze, Silver and Gold. Each one asks for more than the last. For example, Crosswind Ace needs a clean landing in 15 kt of crosswind for Bronze, 25 kt for Silver and 35 kt for Gold.

Every tier you reach adds to your achievement score:

Tier Points
Bronze 10
Silver 25
Gold 50

Points add up, so taking an achievement all the way to Gold is worth 85 points in total. Achievements with only one tier are worth 50.

The top scores are on the achievement leaderboard on the Stats page.

Hidden achievements

Some achievements are secret. They show up as ??? until you earn one, and then the name and how you earned it are revealed. Some tiers are hidden too. Explore, try new things, and you might stumble onto one.

The categories

For the exact numbers behind every achievement, see Achievements: The Full List. For how your landing is measured, see Achievements: Your Landing Data.

Where to see your achievements

Tips

Questions

I had a great landing, but it didn't count. Why? Check the PIREP details page. It shows exactly what CAVacars 2 recorded at touchdown. The landing achievements need every condition at once, for example no bounce and the right rate and low G. Also check that the PIREP is approved.

My PIREP is approved, but the achievement didn't unlock. Make sure you flew it with CAVacars 2 on or after 1 November 2026. If the numbers on the PIREP clearly meet the criteria, let staff know in Discord.

Can I lose an achievement? No. Once it's unlocked, it's yours. A streak can end, but the best streak you reached is what counts.

Achievements: Your Landing Data

CAVacars 2 measures your touchdown in detail, and the landing achievements are based on those numbers. This article explains what's measured, how, and how to earn each landing achievement.

You'll find these numbers for every flight on the PIREP details page on the website, under Touchdown.

What CAVacars 2 measures

At touchdown, CAVacars 2 reads your sim many times a second rather than once a second, so short events like a bounce or a G spike aren't missed.

Value How it's measured
Rate (fpm) Your vertical speed, averaged over the last quarter of a second before the wheels touch. A descent is negative: −120 fpm is a gentle landing.
G-force The highest load factor in the first second after touchdown. A firm landing that settles quickly still shows its peak.
Pitch Nose up or down at touchdown, in degrees. Positive is nose up.
Bank How far your wings are from level at touchdown, in degrees.
Crab The angle between where the nose points and where the aircraft is actually going over the ground. A crab of 0° means you lined the nose up with the runway.
Bounces A bounce is when you're back in the air for at least a quarter of a second and touch down again within 10 seconds.
Wind The wind at your aircraft at touchdown, from the sim.
Weather Whether it was raining or snowing, and the visibility, at touchdown.

Touch-and-goes: only your last landing of the flight counts. If you do a touch-and-go or a go-around, the final landing at your destination is the one that's judged.

How crosswind is calculated

The crosswind is worked out from the wind and the direction you were travelling down the runway:

  1. Your direction down the runway is your heading minus your crab angle. That's your actual path over the ground at touchdown.
  2. The wind angle is the difference between where the wind is coming from and that direction.
  3. Crosswind = wind speed × sin(wind angle). Headwind = wind speed × cos(wind angle). A negative headwind is a tailwind.

For example, a 20 kt wind 40° off the runway gives a crosswind of 20 × sin(40°) ≈ 13 kt and a headwind of about 15 kt.

These are calculated on our server from the raw numbers CAVacars 2 records, so they're the same for every pilot and every sim.

A clean landing

Several achievements ask for a clean landing. That means:

The landing achievements

Butter

Touch down between 0 and −60 fpm, at 1.15 G or less, with less than 2° of bank and no bounce.

Tip: Butter is about a gentle flare. Don't float down the runway hunting for a perfect 0 fpm, though: the wings need to be level too, and a long float in a gusty wind often ends in a wing dip.

Textbook

Everything at once: −60 to −180 fpm, 1.25 G or less, 0 to 8° of pitch (nose up, not flat or nose down), less than 2° of bank and less than 2° of crab, and no bounce.

Tip: Textbook isn't the softest landing, it's the right one. Fly a stable approach, flare normally, and land firmly on the main gear with the nose aligned with the runway. In a crosswind, de-crab before touchdown.

Consistency

Land in the −60 to −250 fpm band at 1.4 G or less, flight after flight. Any landing outside the band, including one that's too soft, starts the count again. Bronze is 10 in a row, Silver 25 and Gold 50.

Tip: This rewards a normal, positive landing every time. Don't chase greasers, they can take you outside the band.

Greaser Streak

String together landings between 0 and −150 fpm at 1.3 G or less. A firmer one ends the streak. Bronze is 5 in a row, Silver 10 and Gold 25.

Crosswind Ace

A clean landing in a strong crosswind, with less than 5° of bank and less than 5° of crab at touchdown. Your strongest such crosswind counts: 15 kt for Bronze, 25 kt for Silver and 35 kt for Gold.

Tip: Live weather is your friend here. Look for gusty days at airports with a single runway. Crab on the approach, then use rudder to line the nose up and a little aileron into the wind to stay on the centreline.

De-crab Master

A clean landing in at least 15 kt of crosswind with less than 1.5° of crab. This is about lining the nose up with the runway just before the wheels touch.

Tip: Hold the crab until the flare, then smoothly apply rudder to straighten the nose. Too early and you'll drift off the centreline, too late and you'll touch down sideways.

Other achievements that use landing data

If something looks wrong

If a value on your PIREP looks impossible, our server ignores that flight's data for achievements. You'll see a note about it on the PIREP details page. It's usually caused by a sim glitch. If it keeps happening, let us know in Discord with the PIREP link.

Achievements: The Full List

Every achievement you can earn by flying with CAVacars 2, and what each tier needs. Only approved PIREPs filed with CAVacars 2 since achievements launched count.

Each tier is worth points toward your achievement score: Bronze 10, Silver 25, Gold 50. There are also hidden achievements that aren't listed here. You'll find out what they are when you earn one.

Landing skill

Achievement How to earn it Bronze Silver Gold
Crosswind Ace Land smoothly in a strong crosswind: no bounce, between 0 and −300 fpm, under 1.5 G, with less than 5° of bank and crab at touchdown. 15 kt crosswind 25 kt crosswind 35 kt crosswind
De-crab Master Kick out the crab: touch down in at least 15 kt of crosswind with less than 1.5° of crab, cleanly. 1 landing 10 landings 25 landings
Butter Touch down between 0 and −60 fpm, under 1.15 G, wings level (under 2° of bank), without a bounce. 1 landing 10 landings 50 landings
Textbook Everything by the book at once: −60 to −180 fpm, under 1.25 G, 0–8° of pitch, under 2° of bank and crab, no bounce. 1 landing 10 landings 25 landings
Consistency Land in the −60 to −250 fpm band, under 1.4 G, flight after flight. Any landing outside it starts the count again. 10 in a row 25 in a row 50 in a row
Greaser Streak String together landings between 0 and −150 fpm, under 1.3 G. A firmer one ends the streak. 5 in a row 10 in a row 25 in a row

Airmanship

Achievement How to earn it Bronze Silver Gold
Clean Sheet Fly at least 30 minutes with no stall or overspeed warnings, no crash, and no time acceleration. 10 flights 50 flights 100 flights
By the Book Landing lights and strobes on for takeoff and landing, gear down by 1,000 ft above the ground, and no overspeed. 10 flights 50 flights 100 flights
No Pause Fly a long flight without pausing (Pause at TOD doesn't count against you). 3 h 6 h 10 h
Fuel Planner Land with fuel within 10% of your SimBrief plan's planned landing fuel. 5 flights 25 flights 100 flights
Diversion Done Right Divert to an airport other than your planned arrival and still make a clean landing. 1 diversion 5 diversions 10 diversions

Exploration

Achievement How to earn it Bronze Silver Gold
Airport Collector Fly to and from different airports. Every departure and arrival airport counts once. 25 airports 100 airports 250 airports
Continent Hopper Land on different continents. 3 continents 5 continents 6 continents
Type Rated Fly at least 10 hours in each of several aircraft types. 3 types 5 types 10 types
Short Field Land at some of the world's most challenging airports, from Lukla to Saba. 1 airport 5 airports 10 airports
Night Owl Take off or land in the dark (the sun more than 6° below the horizon). 10 flights 50 flights 100 flights
Dawn Patrol Take off or land around sunrise (the sun within 6° of the horizon, in the morning). 5 flights 25 flights 50 flights
Weather Warrior Land in rain or snow, or with visibility under 3 statute miles. 5 landings 25 landings 50 landings

Community

Achievement How to earn it Bronze Silver Gold
Group Flight Complete an open flight that at least three pilots (host included) finished. 1 group flight 10 group flights 50 group flights
On the Network Fly online on VATSIM or IVAO. Add your VATSIM or IVAO ID to your profile so we can see you there. 1 flight 25 flights 100 flights
Regular Fly at least once every week. Weeks run Monday to Sunday; missing one starts the count again. 4 weeks in a row 12 weeks in a row 52 weeks in a row
Marathon Fly a single very long flight. 10 h 13 h ???

Short Field airports

These 20 airports count toward Short Field. Each one counts once, however often you land there.

ICAO Airport
VNLK Lukla (Tenzing-Hillary)
TNCS Saba (Juancho E. Yrausquin)
LFLJ Courchevel
TFFJ St. Barthélemy (Gustaf III)
LXGB Gibraltar
MHTG Tegucigalpa (Toncontín)
VQPR Paro
LPMA Madeira (Cristiano Ronaldo)
TNCM St. Maarten (Princess Juliana)
LOWI Innsbruck
NZQN Queenstown
SBRJ Rio de Janeiro (Santos Dumont)
EGPR Barra (beach runway)
KASE Aspen
LSZA Lugano
CYTZ Toronto (Billy Bishop)
PAJN Juneau
LFMN Nice
TQPF Anguilla (Clayton J. Lloyd)
SPZO Cusco

Nearby traffic

The Traffic button above the tracking map shows other aircraft near you, from any combination of these sources:

Traffic only appears once you're connected to your sim and in the world, since it's filtered to what's actually near you.

For marker colours, setup and everything else you can add to the map (airspace, airports, navaids, approaches and weather radar), see Map layers.

Map layers

The buttons above the Flight Tracking map let you add extra information to it: other aircraft, airspace, airports, navaids, approaches and live weather radar. Everything starts switched off, and CAVAcars remembers what you turn on for next time.

ButtonWhat it adds
TrafficOther aircraft near you, from up to five sources
LayersAeronautical data: airspace, airports and runways, heliports, navaids, waypoints and approaches
RadarReal-world precipitation radar

A button turns blue when at least one of its options is on. Click Traffic or Layers to open a panel of switches; click anywhere else to close it. You can click almost anything drawn on the map (an aircraft, an airport, a navaid, an airspace) to see its details.

Traffic

Each source has its own switch and its own marker colour, so you can tell at a glance where an aircraft came from.

SourceColourWhat it showsSetup needed
VA trafficPinkOther Canada Air Virtual pilots flying nearbyNone
SayIntentions.AIBlueTraffic from SayIntentions.AIAdd your SayIntentions.AI API key on your CAV profile. Until you do, the panel shows an Open profile settings button instead of a switch.
Sim trafficGreenAI and multiplayer aircraft your simulator already knows aboutNone
VATSIMAmberPilots online on the VATSIM networkNone
IVAOPurplePilots online on the IVAO networkNone

Traffic only appears once you're connected to your sim and loaded into a flight, because it's filtered to what's around your aircraft.

Layers

The Layers panel has two parts: where the data comes from (the sources at the top), and what to draw (the layer switches below them).

Sources

SourceColourWhat it is
OpenAIP (real world)Light blueReal-world airspace, airports, navaids and VFR reporting points from OpenAIP. Works with every simulator.
MSFS sim dataLime greenYour simulator's own navigation database: the runways, approaches, navaids and waypoints the sim's FMS and ATC actually use. Microsoft Flight Simulator only; the switch is greyed out with FSX, Prepar3D and X-Plane.

Turn on one source or both. Points and lines are coloured by source, and each popup says where the item came from. The sim's data and the real world won't always agree (for example, if your sim's navdata is older or newer than the current real-world cycle), so having both on is a handy way to spot differences.

Below each source, the panel shows its status: Connected, Loading while data is still arriving, or a short message if something went wrong. If OpenAIP can't be reached for a moment, the map keeps showing what it already loaded.

Layer switches

LayerOn by defaultFromWhat you get
AirspaceYesOpenAIPAirspace outlines, coloured by type (see below). The popup shows the type, class, lower and upper limits, and whether it's activated by NOTAM or on demand.
Airports & runwaysYesBothOpenAIP: every airport and airfield in view, with runways, surface, elevation and frequencies in the popup. MSFS: your departure and arrival airports only, with their runways drawn to scale and their runways, approaches, SIDs and STARs listed in the popup.
HeliportsNoOpenAIPHeliports, kept separate so they don't clutter the map. Needs Airports & runways switched on.
NavaidsYesBothVORs, NDBs and DMEs, with frequency and channel in the popup.
Waypoints & reporting pointsNoBothOpenAIP: VFR reporting points, with compulsory ones marked. MSFS: the waypoints your sim has loaded around your aircraft.
ApproachesYesMSFSThe approach procedures for your flight's departure and arrival airports, drawn as lines with their fixes in the popup.

Because the layer switches are shared, turning a layer off hides it for both sources. Nothing appears until a source is switched on, so on a fresh install you'll need to turn on OpenAIP or MSFS sim data first.

Zoom levels

To keep the map readable (and to avoid downloading half a continent's worth of data), layers only load once you're zoomed in far enough:

Airspace colours

ColourAirspace
RedProhibited
OrangeRestricted
YellowDanger
PurpleOther special-use areas to be careful around
BlueControlled airspace: control zones and Class A to D
TealClass E
GreyClass F and G, and anything else

A short colour key appears in the Layers panel while the Airspace layer is on.

Radar

The Radar button overlays real-world precipitation radar from RainViewer. The radar image is refreshed roughly every 10 minutes and CAVAcars picks up the newest one automatically.

Also on the map

Changing your map style

CAVacars 2 uses the same map style as the CAV website. You pick the style once on your website profile, and both the website maps and the CAVacars 2 live map use it.

Available map styles

Changing your map style

  1. Log in to the CAV website.
  2. Open the menu under your name in the top right and choose Edit Profile.
  3. Scroll to Map Style and select the style you want.
  4. Click Update Profile to save.
  5. Restart CAVacars 2 so it loads your new map style.

Your choice also applies to the maps on the website, such as the live flights map and your PIREP route maps.

Pilot chat

The Chat tab is a live channel shared by every CAV pilot using CAVacars 2.

Chatting with Discord

Pilot chat is linked to the ACARS chat channel on the CAV Discord, so pilots in the app and on Discord can talk to each other.

Settings & preferences

Most settings live right where you use them. CAVacars 2 remembers them between launches.

In the app

SettingWhereMore
Light/dark themeSun/moon button in the top bar
Close to trayPilot menu (your name, top right)The app at a glance
Start with Windows, start minimized to trayPilot menuStarting with Windows and notifications
Desktop notificationsPilot menuStarting with Windows and notifications
Browser accessPilot menuUsing CAVacars 2 in a browser or on an iPad
Simulator link: simulator, address, port, auto-connectGear icon at the right of the status barConnecting your simulator
Auto-file PIREPFlight Log panel on the tracking screenFiling your PIREP
Pause at top of descent: on/off, lead by distance or timePause at TOD button above the tracking mapFlight tracking
Traffic sources, map layers and weather radarTraffic, Layers and Radar buttons above the tracking mapMap layers
Log, Profile and Follow panelsButtons above the tracking mapFlight tracking

On your CAV website profile

These come from your profile on the website (Edit Profile in the menu under your name). Restart CAVacars 2 after changing them so it picks up the new values.

SettingUsed for
TimezoneThe times shown throughout the app
Map StyleThe background of the tracking map and Live Map. See Changing your map style.
SimBrief Pilot IDPlanning with SimBrief and importing charters. See Planning with SimBrief.
SayIntentions.AI API keySayIntentions.AI traffic on the map
Linked DiscordVoice cards, chatting with Discord and Open Flights. See The Home screen.

Using CAVacars 2 in a browser or on an iPad

Browser access lets you open CAVacars 2 on a tablet, phone or another computer on your home network. For example, you can keep an iPad next to you as a second screen for the tracking map, flight log and chat while you fly.

CAVacars 2 keeps running on your PC the whole time. It stays connected to your simulator and does the flight tracking. The browser shows the app and lets you control it, but it doesn't track anything itself.

Turning it on

  1. In CAVacars 2 on your PC, open the menu under your name in the top right and choose Browser access.
  2. Switch on Allow browsers on my network. The port is set to 8780. You only need to change it if something else on your PC already uses that port, and you have to change it before switching on.
  3. A QR code and a link appear. Scan the QR code with your tablet's or phone's camera, or type the link into a browser on the other device.

That's it. The device is now paired and opens CAVacars 2 whenever you visit the link, as long as the app is running on your PC. You can pair as many devices as you like. The Browser access window shows how many are connected.

If your PC is connected to more than one network (for example both wired and Wi-Fi), you'll see a link for each. Use the one on the same network as your tablet.

What works in the browser

Almost everything: the Home screen, finding and dispatching flights, SimBrief, Flight Tracking with the map and flight log, filing your PIREP, chat and the Live Map. Whatever you do in the browser happens in the app on your PC, and the two stay in sync.

A few things stay on the PC only: Browser access settings, Close to tray, Check for updates and Sign out.

If the browser loses its connection to your PC (for example if you close CAVacars 2, or the tablet leaves Wi-Fi), a Lost connection to CAVacars 2 on your PC — reconnecting… banner appears. It reconnects by itself once the app is reachable again.

Keeping it secure

Anyone with your link can use CAVacars 2 as you while the app is open. Only use browser access on networks you trust, like your home network, and don't share the link.

Troubleshooting

Starting with Windows and notifications

Forgot to open CAVacars 2 before a flight? It happens. CAVacars 2 can start by itself when you sign in to Windows, stay out of the way in the system tray, and let you know with a pop-up when it spots your simulator and your flight. That way it's always running and your flights get tracked.

Turning it on

  1. Click your name in the top-right corner to open the pilot menu.
  2. Switch Start with Windows to ON.
  3. Leave Start minimized to tray on if you want CAVacars 2 to start hidden, or turn it off to have the window open as normal when Windows starts.
  4. Make sure Desktop notifications is ON. That's how CAVacars 2 lets you know what it's doing while it's hidden.

You need to be signed in for any of this to work. CAVacars 2 remembers your sign-in, so you only do it once. If you're ever signed out after Windows starts, a notification asks you to sign in again.

These options are on Windows and macOS only (on a Mac it says Start with macOS). They don't appear on Linux.

The settings

SettingWhat it does
Start with WindowsLaunches CAVacars 2 automatically when you sign in to Windows.
Start minimized to trayWhen CAVacars 2 starts with Windows, it goes straight to the system tray instead of opening its window. Opening the app yourself always shows the window as usual.
Close to trayClicking the window's X hides CAVacars 2 to the tray instead of quitting it. Turn this on as well if you want it to keep running all the time.
Desktop notificationsPop-up notifications for the moments listed below. They only appear while you're not looking at the CAVacars 2 window.

Finding it in the tray

The tray is the group of small icons at the bottom-right of the Windows taskbar, next to the clock. If you don't see the CAVacars 2 icon, click the small ^ arrow to show the hidden icons. You can drag the icon out onto the taskbar so it's always visible.

Opening CAVacars 2 from the Start menu or desktop shortcut while it's already in the tray just brings the existing window up.

What the notifications tell you

NotificationWhen
Connected to MSFS 2024 (or your sim)CAVacars 2 has found your simulator.
Flight CAV123 detectedYour aircraft is at the departure airport of one of your dispatched flights. Tracking starts on its own after 60 seconds.
Tracking CAV123Tracking has started and your flight is being recorded.
2 flights depart CYYZMore than one of your dispatched flights leaves from this airport. Click the notification and pick the one you're flying.
No dispatch from CYYZYou're parked at an airport but none of your dispatched flights leave from it, so the flight won't be tracked. Click to find or dispatch a flight before you go.
This flight is not being trackedYou've started taxiing or are airborne, but nothing is being tracked.
PIREP filedYour PIREP was filed automatically after you parked.
PIREP couldn't be filedSomething went wrong filing it. Click to open Flight Tracking and file it by hand.

Clicking a notification opens CAVacars 2 on the screen you need.

If notifications don't appear, check that Windows hasn't turned them off: Settings → System → Notifications, then make sure notifications are on and CAVacars 2 is allowed. Focus mode (Do Not Disturb) also hides them.

How it finds your simulator

Running all day doesn't mean it keeps hammering away at a sim that isn't there. When there's no simulator to connect to, CAVacars 2 tries every few seconds for the first couple of minutes, then less often, and after about ten minutes only every 5 minutes.

If your simulator runs on the same PC, CAVacars 2 also watches for it to start. As soon as it sees the sim open, it goes back to trying every few seconds while the sim loads, so it connects within moments of the sim reaching its menu.

If your simulator is on a different PC, CAVacars 2 can't see it start, so the connection can take up to 5 minutes. Open the CAVacars 2 window, or click Try now in the status bar at the bottom, to connect straight away. While it's waiting, the status bar shows when the next try is due.

Your simulator still needs to be set up for CAVacars 2 as described in Connecting your simulator, and Connect automatically on launch needs to stay switched on in the simulator settings.

Turning it off

Open the pilot menu and switch Start with Windows to OFF. CAVacars 2 won't start with Windows again. Uninstalling CAVacars 2 also removes it from startup.

Updates

You can also check for a new version at any time with Check for updates in the pilot menu (your name, top right).

Try not to apply an update in the middle of a tracked flight. Tracking resumes after the restart, but there'll be a gap in your track and the flight may go to staff review. See Flight tracking.

What's new

To see what changed in each version, open the pilot menu and choose What's new. It lists recent releases, newest first, with each change marked New, Fix or Faster. A red dot on your avatar means there's a release you haven't looked at yet; it clears when you open What's new.

The full history is on the Changelog page. New versions are also announced in the CAVacars 2 channel on the CAV Discord.

Troubleshooting

Asking staff for help? Click the connection status at the far left of the status bar to open the Debug log, click Copy log, and paste it into your message. It shows staff what happened.

Connecting to your simulator

Nothing responds when I scan for my simulator. Confirm the simulator is running, confirm the setup step for your specific simulator (see Connecting your simulator: MSFS needs nothing, FSX/Prepar3D and X-Plane both need a manual step), and check that a firewall on the simulator's PC isn't blocking the port. If CAVacars 2 and the simulator are on different PCs, make sure both are on the same home network (not, for example, one on a Wi-Fi guest network and one on the main network).

The scan found more than one simulator. Pick the correct address from the list manually. This usually means more than one PC on your network answered on that port.

My aircraft type shows as a generic code instead of its real name. This depends on what your simulator can report. X-Plane's connection can't read aircraft identity at all today, so the app falls back to whatever aircraft your dispatch says you're flying.

During a flight

"File PIREP" is greyed out. It only becomes available once you're on the ground with either your engines off or your parking brake set.

I closed the app or crashed mid-flight. Not a problem. See Flight tracking: you have 12 hours to resume from where you left off. If you'd rather start over, cancel the flight from the Dispatched tab.

My sim crashed and I restarted somewhere else. Use Recover above the tracking map to move your aircraft back to its last tracked position (Microsoft Flight Simulator only). See Flight tracking.

My PIREP is waiting for staff review. Something in the flight needs a human to look at it, such as a hard landing, a sim rate change or fuel added in flight. See Filing your PIREP for the full list.

Maps

The map background is blank or shows error tiles. Try a different style in Changing your map style, then restart CAVacars 2. If it's still blank, check your internet connection and post the debug log in Discord.

Airspace, airports or navaids don't show. Turn on a data source in the Layers panel and zoom in closer. See Map layers.

Browser access

My tablet can't open CAVacars 2. See the troubleshooting section of Using CAVacars 2 in a browser or on an iPad.

Changelog

0.31.2 — 2026-10-19

0.31.1 — 2026-10-18

0.31.0 — 2026-10-18

0.30.0 — 2026-10-17

0.29.3 — 2026-10-15

0.29.2 — 2026-10-15

0.29.1 — 2026-10-12

0.29.0 — 2026-10-10

0.28.0 — 2026-10-10

0.27.0 — 2026-10-10

0.26.0 — 2026-10-10

0.25.0 — 2026-10-10

0.24.2 — 2026-10-10

0.24.1 — 2026-10-09

0.24.0 — 2026-10-09

0.23.0 — 2026-10-08

0.22.0 — 2026-10-08

0.21.0 — 2026-10-08

0.20.2 — 2026-10-07

0.20.1 — 2026-10-07

0.20.0 — 2026-10-06

0.19.1 — 2026-10-06

0.19.0 — 2026-10-06

0.18.0 — 2026-10-05

0.17.2 — 2026-10-05

0.17.1 — 2026-10-03

0.17.0 — 2026-10-03

0.16.2 — 2026-10-03

0.16.1 — 2026-10-02

0.16.0 — 2026-10-01

0.15.1 — 2026-09-30

0.15.0 — 2026-09-30

0.14.1 — 2026-09-29

0.14.0 — 2026-09-29

0.13.0 — 2026-09-29

0.12.4 — 2026-09-29

0.12.3 — 2026-09-29

0.12.2 — 2026-09-29

0.12.1 — 2026-09-29

0.12.0 — 2026-09-27

0.11.2 — 2026-09-23

0.11.1 — 2026-09-23

0.11.0 — 2026-09-22

0.10.2 — 2026-09-22

0.10.1 — 2026-09-22

0.10.0 — 2026-09-22

0.9.0 — 2026-09-22

0.8.9 — 2026-09-21

0.8.8 — 2026-09-21

0.8.7 — 2026-09-21

0.8.6 — 2026-09-21

0.8.5 — 2026-09-21

0.8.4 — 2026-09-21

0.8.3 — 2026-09-21

0.8.2 — 2026-09-21

0.8.1 — 2026-09-20

0.8.0 — 2026-09-20

0.7.10 — 2026-09-20

0.7.9 — 2026-09-20

0.7.8 — 2026-09-20

0.7.7 — 2026-09-19

0.7.6 — 2026-09-19

0.7.5 — 2026-09-19

0.7.4 — 2026-09-19

0.7.3 — 2026-09-19

0.7.2 — 2026-09-19

0.7.1 — 2026-09-19

0.7.0 — 2026-09-19

0.6.15 — 2026-09-18

0.6.14 — 2026-09-18

0.6.13 — 2026-09-18

0.6.12 — 2026-09-18

0.6.11 — 2026-09-18

0.6.10 — 2026-09-17

0.6.9 — 2026-09-17

0.6.8 — 2026-09-17

0.6.7 — 2026-09-15

0.6.6 — 2026-09-15

0.6.5 — 2026-09-15