Beginner Infinite Flight simulator instructions: install, set up controls, fly a circuit, and learn free multiplayer, offline and add-on limits.
To get started with Infinite Flight, install the iOS or Android app, sign in, complete the built-in tutorials, calibrate the controls, and practise in a light trainer such as the Cessna 172 in Solo mode. Use calm weather and master take-off, trim, turns, approach and landing before considering Pro or multiplayer.
Infinite Flight is a general-purpose, mobile-first flight simulator. Its tilt and touch controls make the initial setup different from a desktop simulator, but the basic flying principles are the same. For a broader explanation of what the app offers, see our feature overview of Infinite Flight’s controls, account access and offline limits.
How do you get Infinite Flight, and what can you use for free?
Install the official Infinite Flight app for iOS or Android; the initial download does not require a Pro subscription. Sign in through the app, allow its required data to load, and use the aircraft and locations marked as available to your account.
The exact free selection can change, so trust the access labels displayed inside the app rather than an old aircraft list or video. Pro is a subscription rather than a separate simulator, and its price depends on the subscription term, platform and region.
| Feature | Without Pro | With Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Solo flying | Available with the aircraft and locations included for the account | Available with the wider aircraft and scenery catalogue |
| Multiplayer | No standard access | Available while the subscription is active, subject to account and server requirements |
| Learning the controls | Enough access to begin if a suitable trainer and location are included | Pro is not necessary merely to learn pitch, roll, trim and landing |
| Installable community mods | Not supported | Not supported; Pro unlocks in-app content rather than a mod system |
Avoid altered app packages that claim to unlock Pro, aircraft or multiplayer. Apart from the security and account risks, they do not provide legitimate access to Infinite Flight’s online services.
How should a beginner set up Infinite Flight?
A beginner should remove wind, traffic and aircraft complexity so that each control input produces an obvious result.
- Finish the online setup. Sign in and let any required aircraft, airport or scenery data finish loading over a stable connection before starting the lesson.
- Complete the built-in tutorials. Learn where the throttle, brakes, flaps, trim, camera controls and flight instruments are before selecting a large airliner.
- Calibrate in your normal holding position. Hold the phone or tablet at the angle you will use during flight, then calibrate it. Calibrating flat on a table and flying with the device tilted towards you creates a false neutral position.
- Leave sensitivity near its default at first. Change one axis at a time after several flights. Excessive sensitivity produces abrupt pitch and roll movements; very low sensitivity makes the flare and crosswind corrections sluggish.
- Choose Solo mode and a light trainer. Select an aircraft available to your account, such as the Cessna 172, with daylight, good visibility and calm wind.
- Start on a long runway. A runway start lets you learn the take-off without adding engine-start and taxi procedures. Choose an uncomplicated airport rather than a major hub.
- Concentrate on six controls. Learn pitch, roll, rudder, throttle, flaps and trim. Leave flight planning, instrument approaches and autopilot mode management until you can complete a manual circuit.
Tilt and touch controls are sufficient for learning. If you connect a supported controller later, bind pitch, roll, yaw, throttle and brakes, then check for duplicate assignments. Two inputs mapped to the same axis are a common cause of unexplained throttle changes, drifting controls and brakes that will not release.
How do you fly a plane in Infinite Flight simulator?
For a first Infinite Flight flight, take off, climb, fly one rectangular circuit and make a full-stop landing in the same light aircraft.
- Prepare the aeroplane. Check that the throttle is at idle, the parking brake is set, trim is near the take-off indication and flaps are configured appropriately. Use the aircraft information supplied in the app rather than assuming every model uses the same settings.
- Apply power smoothly. Release the parking brake when ready and advance the throttle. Keep the aircraft on the centreline with small rudder inputs; rolling the device is not a substitute for ground steering.
- Rotate at the correct speed. Use the recommended figure for that aircraft and configuration. Raise the nose gently instead of pulling abruptly, then establish a steady climb while watching airspeed.
- Trim the climb. Once the attitude and speed are stable, adjust trim so that you are not holding a large, constant pitch input. Trim reduces control pressure; it does not command a particular altitude by itself.
- Fly the circuit. Turn crosswind and then downwind, levelling at roughly 1,000 feet above airport elevation unless local procedures specify otherwise. Keep the runway visible beside the aircraft.
- Slow before extending flaps. Reduce power and confirm that the aircraft is below the flap limit before selecting each stage. Flap and approach speeds differ between aircraft.
- Stabilise the final approach. Use pitch mainly to protect the target speed and power mainly to adjust the descent path, while recognising that the two controls interact. Make small changes and allow time for the aircraft to respond.
- Flare and land. Reduce power near the runway, raise the nose slightly to arrest the descent and let the main wheels touch first. Keep straight with rudder and brake gently once the aircraft is settled.
- Go around when necessary. Apply power and climb away if the approach is too fast, steep, unstable or badly misaligned. Forcing a poor approach into a landing teaches the wrong habit.
Our practical take-off, circuit and landing guidance explains stable approaches, flare timing and go-arounds in more depth.
Why is the aircraft difficult to control?
Most early handling problems in Infinite Flight come from calibration, trim, large inputs or an active brake rather than a fault in the flight model.
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Aircraft will not move or accelerates slowly | Parking brake, brake input or conflicting throttle assignment | Release the parking brake, check the brake indication and remove duplicate controller bindings. |
| Aircraft veers during the take-off roll | Crosswind, poor calibration or excessive rudder | Use calm weather, recalibrate and correct with smaller rudder inputs. |
| Aircraft banks with the device centred | Incorrect neutral position or another active controller | Recalibrate while holding the device normally and disconnect or unbind the second input. |
| Nose continually rises or falls | Incorrect trim, calibration or an active autopilot mode | Check trim, recalibrate and confirm that autopilot is disengaged while practising manually. |
| Stall warning after take-off | Rotating too aggressively or climbing too steeply | Lower the nose enough to recover airspeed, then resume a shallower climb. |
| Approach oscillates above and below the path | Large, rapid pitch and power corrections | Make one small correction at a time, retrim and wait for the result. |
| Flap or overspeed warning | Extending flaps or descending while too fast | Reduce power and airspeed before selecting the next flap stage. |
| Scenery is missing or fails to sharpen | Required data has not loaded or the connection is unavailable | Reconnect, remain in the area while data loads and confirm the device has sufficient free storage. |
A mistake we see constantly is changing sensitivity after every poor landing. Correct calibration and technique first; otherwise, the new setting simply hides one error while creating another.
Can you play multiplayer in Infinite Flight for free?
No. Under the normal access model, Infinite Flight multiplayer requires an active Pro subscription; there is no legitimate setting or add-on that enables permanent free multiplayer.
A trial or promotional offer may provide temporary Pro access only when it is explicitly presented by the app or the device platform. Once multiplayer access is available, prepare before joining:
- Become consistent in Solo. Be able to taxi, take off, fly a circuit, land and vacate the runway without pausing or resetting.
- Check your available servers. Account grade and server requirements affect where you can fly. Our explanation of how Infinite Flight grades affect server access covers advancement and the effect of violations.
- Start away from the runway. Select a gate, stand or ramp position. Spawning on an active runway obstructs other pilots.
- Read the airport and server information. Check the active runway, weather and any applicable rules before moving.
- Use the correct communications controls. If air traffic control is active, select the appropriate frequency and follow instructions. Do not enter or cross an active runway without permission where clearance is required.
- Choose a quiet airport. A busy international hub gives a new pilot less time to interpret instructions and recover from mistakes.
Is Infinite Flight simulator offline?
Infinite Flight is not a fully offline simulator. Multiplayer and live services require an internet connection, while Solo mode may still need access for sign-in, subscription validation, scenery, aircraft or other downloaded and streamed data.
Some Solo content that has already loaded may remain usable without a connection, but this depends on the app build, account state, cached data and device storage. Before relying on Infinite Flight away from Wi-Fi or mobile data:
- Open the app while connected. Sign in and allow any account checks to finish.
- Load the intended aircraft and airport. Wait for the local scenery and required data to appear fully.
- Test the exact flight offline. Disable the connection before departure and confirm that the aircraft, controls and intended area remain available.
- Expect no online functions. Multiplayer, live traffic, online ATC and other live data will not work without a connection.
The safest planning assumption is that internet access is required. Treat limited disconnected Solo use as a convenience, not a guarantee that the complete simulator and an uncached route will work offline.
Does Infinite Flight support add-ons?
No. Infinite Flight does not support user-installed aircraft, scenery or livery add-ons in the way that desktop simulators do.
There is no exposed community aircraft or scenery folder into which you can copy a download. Aircraft, liveries, airports and simulator improvements are supplied through the app and its updates, with access determined by the account and subscription. Controllers and compatible companion utilities may extend how you interact with the simulator, but they do not install new flyable aircraft or scenery.
If installable community aircraft and scenery are a priority, those are features of supported desktop simulators rather than Infinite Flight; our freeware aircraft and scenery library for desktop flight simulators contains those downloads, but they are not compatible with the mobile app.
What should you practise after your first landing?
After completing a safe circuit, add one new difficulty at a time instead of moving directly to a fast airliner or crowded multiplayer airport.
- Repeat calm-weather circuits until altitude, airspeed and runway alignment remain consistent.
- Add a light crosswind and learn to make small rudder and roll corrections.
- Depart for a nearby airport using a simple flight plan and visual navigation.
- Learn one autopilot mode at a time while monitoring what it actually controls.
- Move to a faster or heavier aircraft only after you can configure early, stay ahead of the approach and go around without hesitation.
- Join multiplayer when normal taxiing, runway discipline and landings no longer require experimentation.