# Your first flight with CAV

Welcome to Canada Air Virtual! This page takes you from signing up to your first flight with us, step by step. It takes about an hour, most of it in the air.

The **Getting started** card at the top of your Crew Centre on the website (and on the Home screen of CAVacars 2 1.8.19 or later) walks you through the same steps and ticks each one off as you go.

## 1. Install CAVacars 2 and sign in

CAVacars 2 is our flight tracker: it records your flight and files your pilot report (PIREP) when you land. Download it for your computer and sign in with your Pilot ID or email and your CAV website password. See [Installing & signing in](https://kb.canadaairvirtual.ca/books/cavacars-2-pilot-guide/page/installing-signing-in).

## 2. Link your Discord (optional)

Our pilots hang out on Discord: questions, group flights, events, and a welcome from everyone when you finish your first flight. On the Home screen, click **Link Discord**. Linking puts your name on your voice and chat messages, and lets the community welcome you by name.

## 3. Connect your simulator

Start your sim and load into a flight. MSFS 2020 and 2024 connect with no setup. FSX, Prepar3D and X-Plane need a one-time setting; see [Connecting your simulator](https://kb.canadaairvirtual.ca/books/cavacars-2-pilot-guide/page/connecting-your-simulator). The status bar at the bottom of CAVacars 2 turns green once it's linked.

## 4. Book a short first flight

Pick something under an hour for your first flight: you'll learn the steps without a long sit. The Getting started card suggests short flights from your hub; click **Dispatch** on one and pick your aircraft. You can also choose any flight from **Schedules**. See [Finding and dispatching a flight](https://kb.canadaairvirtual.ca/books/cavacars-2-pilot-guide/page/finding-and-dispatching-a-flight).

Tip: fly an aircraft you already know. Your first flight isn't the time to learn a new airliner.

## 5. Fly it

Load your aircraft at a gate or parking spot at the departure airport. Open **Flight tracking**: CAVacars 2 finds your booking and starts recording on its own. See [Flight tracking](https://kb.canadaairvirtual.ca/books/cavacars-2-pilot-guide/page/flight-tracking).

On your first flight, the tracking screen shows a tip for each stage (CAVacars 2 1.8.19 or later). The ones that matter most for your score:

| Stage | Tip |
|---|---|
| Taxi | Keep it under 30 kt on the ground. |
| Takeoff | Landing lights and strobes on. Rotate smoothly; keep the nose below 20° up. |
| Climb and descent | No faster than 250 kt below 10,000 ft. Landing lights on below 10,000 ft. |
| In the air | Gentle turns: no more than about 30° of bank. |
| Approach | Gear down, on speed and sinking less than 1,000 fpm by 1,000 ft above the runway. |

Don't worry about a perfect score. Every flight counts, and the scores are just for fun and getting better.

## 6. File your PIREP

Park at the gate, set the parking brake and shut down your engines. CAVacars 2 files your PIREP by itself a few seconds later (or click **File PIREP**). A summary pops up with your landing, your [flight report](https://kb.canadaairvirtual.ca/books/cavacars-2-pilot-guide/page/your-flight-report) and anything you earned. See [Filing your PIREP](https://kb.canadaairvirtual.ca/books/cavacars-2-pilot-guide/page/filing-your-pirep).

Most PIREPs are accepted straight away. If yours needs a look from staff, the summary says so.

## 7. Your First Flight award

When your first PIREP is accepted, you get the **First Flight** award, and we welcome you in our Discord. Congratulations, you're a Canada Air Virtual pilot!

## What next?

- **What should I fly tonight?** on the Home screen suggests flights picked for you: from where you landed, tours, events and achievements.
- **Tours** take you on a series of legs around a region, with an award at the end.
- **Events and group flights:** fly with other CAV pilots, often on Discord voice.
- **Ranks:** your rank goes up as you build hours, with a new rank image on your profile.

Stuck? Ask in our Discord. Someone is always happy to help.