On this page
Unfamiliar word? Select a dotted-underlined term for its meaning.
Check the right profile
- On LOGIN, find your callsign and read its rank, Lv and XP before selecting the profile.
- During play, check the player details in the game-status banner. These describe you, not the aircraft currently selected.
- For a lesson result, use Score, Grade, Best and Last. For operational performance, use PP, PS and TS. Those displays answer different questions.
Read the player-status line
During a logged-in session, the top-left player-status line shows your rank code, callsign, Lv and XP. For example, LAC Player (Lv 3, XP 2,500) describes the player profile, not an aircraft. This line hides while the options menu is open. It refreshes periodically, so a new XP award may not appear immediately. Close the menu and allow the display to refresh before treating a short delay as missing progress. Compare the selected callsign with your profile; do not delete the profile to refresh the display.
XP and level are different numbers
XP is the points total. Lv is the level calculated from it. In v0.8.16.0, a profile starts at level 1; every further 1,000 XP adds a level. For example, 2,500 XP gives level 3. Your level is not the percentage of a lesson you completed.
Where does XP come from?
You can earn XP by completing training and spending time actively playing. The time award checks keyboard or mouse activity; simply leaving a session open is not the same as actively playing. It measures real time, so selecting 5× simulation speed does not turn one real minute into five minutes of play-time credit.
Does difficulty affect XP?
For gameplay awards that use the difficulty multiplier, Easy gives the base amount, Normal doubles it and Hard multiplies it by ten. The training-result award is separate: a newly recorded completion with every objective finished gives 1,000 XP in v0.8.16.0. Reopening an already-completed result from a save is not another award. Use the difficulty guide for the setting on your profile.
The usual rank ladder
| Rank shown | Name and XP range |
|---|---|
| AC | Aircraftman — 0–1,999 XP. |
| LAC | Leading Aircraftman — 2,000–3,999 XP. |
| SAC | Senior Aircraftman — 4,000–6,999 XP. |
| Cpl | Corporal — 7,000–10,999 XP. |
| Sgt | Sergeant — 11,000–15,999 XP. |
| FS | Flight Sergeant — 16,000–21,999 XP. |
| WO | Warrant Officer — 22,000 XP and above. |
Does passing training change my rank?
After a fresh lesson result is recorded, the game checks for passing Best scores in all six visible lessons across Basic and Trade Training. On the usual rank ladder, it can bring your profile up to at least SAC (Senior Aircraftman). Passing only the two Basic lessons does not trigger this special check. Their normal XP awards can still raise your rank, and your XP may already put you at SAC or above. Check the lesson cards and results for your recorded passes.
Rank is part of your game profile
These are the game’s progression labels. Your player role remains Air Defender. The rank beside your callsign does not replace the rules for identification and engagement, or turn a low-confidence contact into a confirmed hostile.
If progress appears to be missing
Check the selected callsign before changing or deleting anything. Keep the original saved session and a screenshot of the profile’s XP and rank. For missing lesson records, use the training-record guide. Include the game version, difficulty and the event you expected to award XP in a problem report.
A quiet screen does not answer every question
If you are waiting for something to happen, use the quiet-radar checks. They separate advancing game time, hidden tracks, normal event spacing, training and a loaded save before you restart.
Read the end-of-watch result
Use the watch-summary guide for duration, performance changes, XP and the different NEW WATCH, MAIN MENU and ENDLESS choices. A watch summary and a lesson result are separate screens.